Herbert Grönemeyer - Neuland - English
NOTE: The original German lyrics are copyright Herbert Grönemeyer. They are provided for educational use only. No infringement of copyright is implied or intended. This English translation by Hyde Flippo is only intended to aid students' understanding of the German. It is more literal than poetic.
BACKGROUND
This Grönemeyer song, a pounding, hard-rock departure from most of the songs on the MENSCH album, is about today's reunited Germany (“Neuland,” Newland) and the divisions it still faces (“Zweiland,” Two-land). The line “starte den Motor im Kopf” (“start the engine in your head”) echoes the phrase “die Mauer im Kopf” (“the Wall in the head”), the German attitude of continued east-west division despite the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Grönemeyer also comments on the rise of neo-Nazi, far right tendencies (“you don't need a right way”) in his country. He has also publicly cited this line from his song: “Ich mag dies Land, ich mag die Menschen, ich mag nicht den Staat.” - Also see the original German lyrics for this song.
NEULAND/NEWLAND (English)
Watch out Newland, you don't need a right way
you are, Newland, in the midst of puberty
your differences are your quality
a dear Two-land, your future began yesterday
you are Where-it's-at-land, right now and not someday
no No-man's-land, you haven't been alone for a long time
Put it in gear, start the engine in your head
no marching in step, no constraints
seize your fate with both hands,
if you happened to misdial [vote incorrectly],*
there's no patent on panic
Don't waste your talent
Time, Newland, to finally forget cleanness
relax, Two-land, your history isn't without frayed edges
Salvation, Newland, lies in remembering
Put it in gear, start the engine in your head
no marching in step, no constraints
get up to speed gradually
keep your composure; you're no longer divided
Don't waste your talent
I like this country,
I like the people,
I don't like the state
Put it in gear, start the engine in your head
no marching in step, no constraints
seize your fate with both hands,
if you happened to misdial,
there's no patent on panic
Don't waste your talent
And be on your guard if it starts to smell like '33**
Grow old, Newland, feeling doesn't require duty
keep your composure and live for the moment
Don't squander your talent
- from the album MENSCH (2002)
* This is a play on the word verwählen, which usually means to misdial, but also contains the verb wählen, to vote.
** 1933 was the year that Hitler came to power and the start of the 12-year Nazi era.
> Original German Version of this song
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