TARKAN – PARE PARE - Tarkan The Golden Uvula par Excellence

“Pare Pare” (My Joys Are Bittersweet) – Tarkan (2008): The Megastar’s Naked Soul and a Chilling Visual Experience

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The Artist’s Revealed Soul

When an artist decides to shed every mask to reveal their innermost truth, a masterpiece like “Pare Pare” (My Joys Are Bittersweet) is born. This single, released on April 17, 2008, from the album Metamorfoz, is more than just a musical track; it’s a deep and moving confession from Tarkan, an exploration of his most authentic self that resonates with the experiences and fragments of life in all of us.

The album’s title itself, Metamorfoz (Metamorphosis, Transformation, or Change), is a manifesto. The cover, which portrays a Tarkan with unusually short hair and a glossy gray suit—an image unfamiliar to his fans—symbolizes this radical musical and personal evolution¹. Even the choice to include the title in Braille, despite a first-print error (Tarkaf instead of Tarkan, which was quickly corrected), underscores a desire for accessibility and a profound attention to the individual.

The Poignant Confession

In an interview for Yeni Aktüel, Tarkan offered a touching insight into “Pare Pare”: “In this song, I wanted to open my heart and manifest its deepest and purest nature. I wanted to reveal who I really am inside. To those who know me from the outside, I may seem different, but in reality, I am torn by storms. Certainly, each of us has our own story. There should be no prejudice against anyone. I just wanted to remind people that what others see from the outside is completely different from what I truly am.” This statement perfectly aligns with the true meaning of “My joys are bittersweet,” revealing a soul that has experienced contrasts and melancholy.

A Chilling Visual Experience

The music video for “Pare Pare,” directed by Altan Dönmez (also director of hits like “Gülümse Kaderine” and “Sorma Kalbim”), amplifies the song’s emotion with extraordinary simplicity and effectiveness. Filmed in a single day at Ata Studios in Istanbul, it creates an almost dreamlike atmosphere. Similar to “Vay Anam Vay,” the clip is deeply emotional, with Tarkan singing his slow and poignant song on an almost alchemical stage, enveloped in evocative smoke that fills the set, lending an aura of mystery and nostalgia. The visual impact, combined with soft, very gentle music, and a chorus that rises almost like a cry (with Tarkan climbing a full or half-tone in his voice), creates an experience that almost gives you chills. It’s a simple yet highly effective clip that reinforces its intensity and mystery. The arrangements by Ozan Çolakoğlu complement this work of art, dressing the words and music with a sound that magnifies every emotional nuance.

2. Deep Dive: Lyrics – The Irony of Fate and Authenticity

The Central Message: Against Prejudice, for Human Complexity

“Pare Pare” is an invitation to look beyond appearances, to recognize the complexity hidden behind every facade, and to understand that everyone carries storms and fragility within them. The lyrics themselves are a poem that captures this duality:

“I still remember every moment as if it were yesterday, I feel uneasy. That’s why I’m a bit grumpy, there’s always a sad part in me.

Each of my wounds still hurts me inside. That’s why my sea is rough and my shores are always lonely.

I burn and fade, I cry and then I laugh. My joys are always bittersweet.

Like a mountain, like an ocean, I witness the pain in the songs. Every time I wink at life with hope, every time the flowers bloom, autumn knocks at my door.

I met you very early, and I immediately learned the irony of fate. I grew up fast, and the days of my childhood are lost.

I burn and fade, I cry and then I laugh. My joys are always bittersweet.

Like a mountain, like an ocean, I witness the pain in the songs. Every time I wink at life with hope, every time the flowers bloom, autumn knocks at my door.”

3. Technical Details of the Single “Pare Pare”:

Version	Duration	Key Contributors
*Original Version (Album Metamorfoz)*	5:15	Lyrics: Tarkan ; Music & Arrangements: Ozan Çolakoğlu
Tiësto Mix	11:31	Remix: Tiësto