Lost in Google Translation, Volume One

This is an old game I used to play back in the days of BabelFish: testing its automated language translation services by putting a bit of text through a variety of languages and looking at the end result, which had invariably been chewed up beyond recognition. The results often had a mysterious poetry to them, in fact, but were clearly nonsense.

Google's translation service is, I must admit, light years ahead. So much so, in fact, that a single test of translating text from English into Language X and then back again would result in text 95% identical to the original. So no good, then. Instead, I subject texts to a translation through five languages before reconverting it to English. The results are, well, much more abstract.

Each selection here is a verse from a popular song (with slight modifications to grammar and punctuation to make complete sentences) translated through five different languages before being reconverted to English. Your job is merely to look at the results and see if you can't guess which song you're currently viewing, lost in Google Translation.

The answers to each are contained immediately below them, hidden behind a spoiler tag. Click to reveal.

#1 I usually can not find. Frightened lying around and I do not understand. Now ladies sitting at her desk nearby. Closed Curtain Hall Kass from people like me think this Oh, I do not die in the hands gedoeeotseupnida you say that I died in my hands Oh Death at hand. I had some clear kiss I had.

» #1 - Click for the answer. «

"(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight" by Cutting Crew.

http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyid=629853&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID

I keep looking for something I can't get. Broken hearts lie all around me, and I don't see an easy way to get out of this. Her diary, it sits on the bedside table. The curtains are closed. The cat's in the cradle. Who would've thought that a boy like me could come to this? Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight. It must've been something you said. I just died in your arms tonight. Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight. It must've been some kind of kiss. I should have walked away. I should've walked away.

#2 I do not like you I wonder if it bad, you can if you have good people do not know. His life and soul together, not just be Cold war, tired, but I know every nerve fibers difficult heart Broken, frozen my life. I do not want this anymore. It is better shoes, even one day be broken or not. If we want to do better? It would be better for me more often, green is very cool, if we are not helpless or not.

» #2 - Click for the answer. «

"Wouldn't It be Good?" by Nik Kershaw.

http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyid=1696551&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID

I got it bad. You don't know how bad I got it. You got it easy. You don't know when you got it good. It's getting harder just keeping life and soul together. I'm sick of fighting, even though I know I should. The cold is biting through each and every nerve and fibre. My broken spirit is frozen to the core. I don't wanna be here anymore. Wouldn't it be good to be in your shoes, even if it was for just one day? Wouldn't it be good if we could wish ourselves away? Wouldn't it be good to be on your side? The grass is always greener over there. Wouldn't it be good if we could live without a care?

#3 It was morning. The sun is up to the last. Last night was shaking quite large. After teaching my cat scratch my skin, otherwise the error? Hungry children will tell him about his service and good food. Add to a new place. I went here when I can: If you want to make me the storm here: If you want to make the storm.

» #3 - Click for the answer. «

"Rock You Like a Hurricane" by the Scorpions.

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It's early morning. The sun comes out. Last night was shaking and pretty loud. My cat is purring and scratches my skin, so what is wrong with another sin? The bitch is hungry. She needs to tell, so give her inches and feed her well. More days to come, new places to go. I've got to leave: it's time for a show. Here I am: rock you like a hurricane. Here I am: rock you like a hurricane.

#4 So, how kabarmu I walked, I saw men and women. This is not the time to talk. Music and hot women, where they were born and began to start properly. However, just look the other way. New York Times' to trying to understand the impact on our people. If the mother and family, you live. We live in a city miles we all feel broken, I want to live life.

» #4 - Click for the answer. «

"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees.

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Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man. No time to talk. Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around since I was born, and now it's all right. It's okay, and you may look the other way. We can try to understand the New York Times' effect on man. Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, you're staying alive, staying alive. Feel the city breaking and everybody shaking, and we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.

#5 New Orleans east, they want the sun, and many poor children in the home, this is the balance. And God, I know. It is normal that new sewing blue jeans. My dad, gambling man Down in New Orleans said. Now only the players and the bag and luggage only won when he saw the required 20,000.

» #5 - Click for the answer. «

"House of the Rising Sun" as performed by the Animals.

http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=589048&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID

There is a house in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun, and it's been the ruin of many a poor boy. And, God, I know I'm one. My mother was a tailor; she sewed my new blue jeans. My father was a gambling man down in New Orleans. Now the only thing a gambler needs is a suitcase and trunk, and the only time he's satisfied is when he's all drunk.

#6 Now I had seen what I saw off Queen Knight drum drum and sing and bow tree farm is excluded. Announce the day and swim Mother Nature Watch 19-70 air travel to travel to visit 70 Mother Nature I was burning in the basement of the full moon in my eyes I burst through the sky Sunday, I hope to replace. Band playing in my head feel better. I think my friends that I hope will My friends think he wants his own address.

» #6 - Click for the answer. «

"After the Goldrush" by Neil Young.

http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyid=10423&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armour coming, saying something about a queen. There were peasants singing and drummers drumming, and the archer split the tree. There was a fanfare blowing to the sun that was floating on the breeze. Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies. Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen seventies. I was lying in a burned-out basement with the full moon in my eyes. I was hoping for replacement when the sun burst through the sky. There was a band playing in my head, and I felt like getting high. I was thinking about what a friend had said: I was hoping it was a lie. Thinking about what a friend had said, I was hoping it was a lie.

#7 Please call to revive: I fear the weakness of the Year and lively shaking colleagues here monsŵn to tears listening to the bass boom: US, unbearably big break Store: a and called the police to your But did not dare stare, you can go for you. I compared the remaining pieces dice. Competitive pay, you win / I'm right and you knock your mother.

» #7 - Click for the answer. «

"Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J.

http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=430434103&search_in=i&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=30&start=1

Don't call it a comeback: I've been here for years rocking my peers and putting suckers in fear, making the tears rain down like a monsoon. Listen to the bass go boom: explosion, overpowering. Over the competition I'm towering. Wrecking shop: when I drop these lyrics that'll make you call the cops, don't you dare stare; you'd better move. Don't ever compare me to the rest: that'll all get sliced and diced. Competition's paying the price. I'm going to knock you out. Mama said knock you out.

#8 I think I'm ready for you. I think I'm ready for you. I think I'm ready for you. I am, but more money, no comment on the money. This is more than money, they want to build. At the time, it will be worth many times more. oh, so ayolah, patience and time to do it correctly, you need to do, and they are.

» #8 - Click for the answer. «

"Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison.

http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyid=684540&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID

I got my mind set on you. I got my mind set on you. I got my mind set on you. I got my mind set on you, but it's going to take money, a whole lot of spending money. It's going to take plenty of money to do it right, child. It's going to take time, a whole lot of precious time. Its gonna take patience and time to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it right, child.

#9 He worked in a restaurant. My daughter just overlooked. I never saw him only end mezzanine Small-town father is not always the root of his movement continued. One of the desert road riding Harley Davidson - flying wind her long hair to yellow. He fled chrome steel air atmosfääriõhku driver hit 2.1.

» #9 - Click for the answer. «

"Unknown Legend" by Neil Young.

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She used to work in a diner. I never saw a woman look finer. I used to order just to watch her float across the floor. She grew up in a small town, never put her roots down: daddy always kept moving, so she did too. Somewhere on a desert highway, she rides a Harley-Davidson; her long blonde hair flying in the wind. She's been running half her life, the chrome and steel she rides colliding with the very air she breathes, the air she breathes.

#10 Just woke up on Thanksgiving morning. I do not know this seems odd: no smoke from cooking breakfast mother dog Pars no wheelbarrow I'm not digging mines and pigs. Finally I would like to dig, buy a low to let me hold the door when he pressured another 24 I think you need to change "I will be changing my me to ass my glass of me and see all Jacker is on fire the red Kim that his voice, he asked all my homies back care, I hope everyone can "I played basketball in my garden" Me. In court my problem: to finish second and third last week. MJ niggas do not deviate so all the good that day.

» #10 - Click for the answer. «

"It Was a Good Day" by Ice Cube.

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Just waking up in the morning, I've got to thank God. I don't know, but today seems kind of odd: no barking from the dogs, no smog, and mama cooked a breakfast with no hog. I've got my grub on, but didn't pig out. I finally got a call from a girl I want to dig out. Hooked it up on later as I hit the door, thinking, "Will I live another twenty-four?" I've got to go because I got me a drop top, and if I hit the switch, I can make the ass drop. Had to stop at a red light, looking in my mirror, not a jacker in sight, and everything is all right. I got a beep from Kim, and she can fuck all night. I called up the homies and I'm asking you all, "which park are you all playin basketball?" Get me on the court and I'm trouble: last week, I fucked around and got a triple double. Freaking niggas everyway like M.J. I can't believe, today was a good day.