Lyrics and translations of Reise, Reise

Translation

Even on the waves there is fighting
Where fish and flesh are woven into sea
One stabs the lance while in the army
Another throws it into the ocean

Ahoy

Arise, arise seaman arise
Each does it in his own way
One thrusts the spear into a man
Another then into the fish

Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their blood a spear is lodged
They bleed softly into the ocean

The lance must be drowned in flesh
Fish and man sink to the depths
Where the black soul dwells
There is no light on the horizon

Ahoy

Arise, arise seaman arise
Each does it in his own way
One thrusts the spear into a man
Another then into the fish

Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their blood a spear is lodged
They bleed softly into the ocean

Arise, arise seaman arise
And the waves cry softly
In their heart a spear is lodged
They bleed themselves dry on the shore

Though written as a noun, Reise is obviously used as a verb in the song. The phrase eise, Reise is used by seamen as a wake-up call and finds its roots in the Middle High German verb "risen", which meant "to rise" (to which it is obviously related as well). This verb has since died out in New High German, though the noun was retained and came to mean "journey" or "voyage". The verb "reisen" was rederived from the noun "Reise", but now means "to journey" or "to travel". It seems the old meaning has been preserved in this phrase in the seaman's language.

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

Looking for a well-built 18 to 30-year-old to be slaughtered
The Master Butcher ⁽¹⁾

Today I will meet a gentleman
He likes me so much he could eat me up
Soft parts and even hard ones ⁽²⁾
Are on the menu

Because you are what you eat
And you know what it is

It is my part – no ⁽³⁾
My part – no
There that's my part – no
My part – no

The dull blade good and proper
I'm bleeding heavily and feeling sick
Although I have to fight to stay awake
I keep eating while in convulsions

It's just so well seasoned and so nicely flambéed
And so lovingly served on porcelain
And with it, a good wine and gentle candlelight
Yeah I'll take my time, you've got to have some culture

Because you are what you eat
And you know what it is

It is my part – no
My part – no
Because that's my part – no
Yes it's my part – no

A cry will ascend to heaven
It will cut through hosts of angels
Feather-flesh will shriekingly fall
From the top of the clouds onto my childhood

It is my part – no
My part – no
Because that's my part – no
Yes it's my part – no

⁽¹⁾ Only present in the single version of the song: This is a direct quote from an online posting made by Armin Meiwes, a man in Germany who found a willing "victim" (Bernd Jürgen Brandes) to slaughter. Before the deed, Brandes wanted his penis cut off, and they ate it together. ⁽²⁾ Weiche Teile is a pun on "Weichteile", which means "genitals" in German. ⁽³⁾ Teil means "part" or "piece", but can also be slang for "penis", similar to "thing" in English.

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

An airplane is in the evening wind
On board is a man with his child as well
They sit secure and warm
And so they fall into the trap of sleep
In three hours they will be there
For mama's birthday ⁽¹⁾
The view is good the sky is clear

Onwards, onwards into destruction
We must live until we die
Humans don't belong in the sky
So the lord in Heaven calls
His sons to the wind
Bring me this human child

The child has still lost time
Then an echo jumps to his ears
A muffled rumbling drives the night
And the driver of the clouds laughs
He shakes the human cargo awake

Onwards, onwards into destruction
We must live until we die
And the child says to the father
Don't you hear the thunder
That's the king of all the winds
He wants me to become his child

From the clouds falls a choir
Which crawls into the little ear
Come here, stay here, we'll be good to you
Come here, stay here, we are your brothers

The storm embraces the flying machine
The pressure falls quickly in the cabin
A muffled rumbling drives the night
In panic the human cargo screams

Onwards, onwards into destruction
We must live until we die
And to God the child pleads
Heaven take back the wind
Bring us unharmed to earth

From the clouds falls a choir
Which crawls into the little ear
Come here, stay here, we'll be good to you
Come here, stay here, we are your brothers

The father is now holding onto the child
And has pressed it tightly against himself
He doesn't notice its difficulty in breathing
But fear knows no mercy
So with his arms the father
Squeezes the soul from the child
Which takes its place upon the wind and sings

Come here, stay here, we'll be good to you
Come here, stay here, we are your brothers

The word Wiegenfest is used, which is an old word for "birthday", but literally translated would be "cradle celebration".

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

I don't feel like it
I don't feel like it
I don't feel like it
I don't feel like it

I don't feel like not hating myself
Don't feel like touching myself
I would feel like masturbating
Don't feel like trying it
I would feel like getting undressed
Don't feel like seeing myself naked

I would feel like it with big animals
Don't feel like risking it
Don't feel like going from the snow
Don't feel like freezing

I don't feel like it
I don't feel like it
I don't feel like it
No I don't feel like it

I don't feel like chewing anything
Because I don't feel like digesting it
Don't feel like weighing myself
Don't feel like lying in fat

I would feel like it with big animals
Don't feel like risking it
Don't feel like going from the snow
Don't feel like freezing
I'll just keep lying here
And I'll count the flies again
I listlessly touch myself
And notice I've been frigid for a long time already ⁽¹⁾
So frigid, I'm frigid

I don't feel like it

Kalt here is used not to mean temperature, but temperament.

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

We were nameless
And without songs
We were never again
Really wordless
Still we are
A little songless ⁽¹⁾
Yet we're not toneless
You can hear us
After a gust of wind
Began a storm
Simply matchless
It was time
-less ⁽²⁾

They were speechless
So totally shocked
And totally powerless
What happened
Somewhat composureless ⁽³⁾
And surely
Understandingless ⁽³⁾
That will be censored
They said groundless
Too bad about the music
So shameless
That should be forbidden
It's witless
What they're trying there
So tasteless
How they're making music
Is it hopeless
Senseless
Helpless
They are godless ⁽⁴⁾

We were nameless
We have a name
We were wordless
The words came
Still we are
A little songless
Yet we're not toneless
You do hear it
We aren't flawless
Just a bit anchorless
You will become soundless
You'll never get rid of us

We were nameless
And without songs
We were never again
Really wordless
Still we are
A little songless ⁽¹⁾
Yet we're not toneless
You can hear us
After a gust of wind
Began a storm
Simply matchless
It was timeless

We were "-less" ⁽⁵⁾

This song has several puns or double meanings that just don't work in English. As a suffix, "-los" is the same as "-less" in English. As an adjective, "los" is more like "off" or "loose". As a command, "Los!" means "go".

⁽¹⁾ Another pun. The German saying "sang- und klanglos" means "simply", "unnoticed", or "without any ado or fuss". It comes from the fact that there is no singing (Gesang) or bell ringing (Glockenklang) at simple funerals. The word "sanglos" is only used in this phrase in German. The lyrics mean that they are one part, yet not the other, and therefore are not going to simply be unnoticed.

⁽²⁾ And another. Because it is written and said apart, it can be seen as "Es wurde Zeit. Los!" ("It was time, go!") as well as "Es wurde Zeitlos" (It became timeless").

⁽³⁾ Not a real word, I know, but it fits.

⁽⁴⁾ "Sie sind Gott. Los!" means "They are God. Go!" while "Sie sind gottlos" is "they are godless".

⁽⁵⁾ And finally, "Wir waren los" can been seen as "We were -less" or "We were off".

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America

When there's dancing I want to lead
Even if you're whirling around alone
Let yourselves be controlled a little
I'll show you how it really goes
We're making a nice round dance
Freedom is playing on all violins
Music is coming out of the White House
And Mickey Mouse is standing in front of Paris

We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America

I know moves that are very useful
And I will protect you from missteps
And whoever doesn't want to dance at the end
Doesn't know yet that they must
We're making a nice round dance
I will show you the way
Santa Claus is coming to Africa
And Mickey Mouse is standing in front of Paris

We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America

We're all living in America
Coca-Cola, Wonderbra
We're all living in America
America, America

This is not a love song
This is not a love song
I don't sing my mother tongue
No, This is not a love song

We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America

We're all living in America
Coca-Cola, sometimes war
We're all living in America
America, America

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

This song is about the most beautiful city in the world
Moscow

This city is a prostitute
She has red spots on her forehead
Her teeth are made of gold
She's fat and yet so lovely
Her mouth falls to my valley
When I pay her for it
She takes off her clothes but only for money
The city that keeps me in suspense

Moscow
One, two, three
Moscow
Look
Pioneers are walking around there ⁽¹⁾
Singing songs to Lenin

She is old and nevertheless beautiful
I can't resist her
I can't resist
She powders her old skin
And has gotten her breasts rebuilt
Rebuilt
She makes me horny I suffer torment
She dances for me I have to pay
I have to pay
She sleeps with me but only for money
It's still the most beautiful city in the world

Moscow
One, two, three
Moscow
Look
Pioneers are walking around there
Singing songs to Lenin

I see something, that you don't see
When you sleep deeply in the night
I see something, that you don't see
When you lie before me
I see something, that you don't see
When you talk to me
I see something, that you'll never see
One, two, three!

Moscow
One, two, three
Moscow
Look
Pioneers are walking around there
Singing songs to Lenin

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

She's so ugly that it gets dark ⁽¹⁾
When she looks into the sky
Then the light is frightened
It shines into her face from below
So she must hide during the day
She just doesn't want to scare the light
She lives in the shadows until the glow fades
She sees a star shining in the twilight and pleads
Paint beauty onto my cheeks

Morningstar, oh shine
Onto the visage of mine
Cast a warm light
Onto my frightening face ⁽²⁾
Tell me I'm not alone

Ugly, you are ugly

I went alone in the night
The late birds no longer sang
I saw children of the sun in the throng so
I cried into the starry heavens

Morningstar, oh shine
Onto the beloved of mine
Cast a warm light
Onto her frightening face
Tell her she's not alone

Morningstar, oh shine
Onto the soul of mine
Cast a warm light
Onto a heart that's breaking
Tell her that I'm crying
Because you, you are ugly
You are simply ugly
Humans are just creatures of the eye
Beautiful things are what I want
But you, you aren't beautiful, no

Morningstar, oh shine
Onto the beloved of mine
Cast a warm light
Onto her frightening face
Tell her she's not alone

And the star wants to shine
Onto the beloved of mine
It warms my breast and shakes
Where life beats
To see with the heart
She is simply beautiful

⁽¹⁾ The verb grauen has two meanings in German. The one that fits with the sentence has been used here, but in the context of the song, it could easily be interpreted the other way too before the second line is said: "She so ugly that it's horrifying".

[2] Ungesicht is a made up word, and most likely a play on "Angesicht" (Face). The "Un-" prefix in German is sometimes used with nouns to mark them as bad, wrong, nasty, etc.

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

I have plans big plans
I'm going to build you a house
Every stone will be a tear
And you'll never move out again
Yeah I'm going to build a little house for you
With no windows no door
It'll be dark inside
No light will get in at all

Yeah I'll make you a home
And you are to be a part of it all

Stone by stone
I wall you in
Stone by stone
I'll always be with you

Without clothes without shoes
You watch me working
With your feet in cement
You brighten up the foundation
Outside there will be a garden
And no one will hear you scream

Stone by stone
I wall you in
Stone by stone
I'll always be with you

What a pounding what a hammering
Outside it's starting to get dark ⁽¹⁾
All of the nails stand at attention
When I ram them into your body-wood ⁽²⁾

Stone by stone
I wall you in
Stone by stone
And nobody will hear you scream

⁽¹⁾ The verb dämmern actually means "to get light (at dawn)" or "to get dark (at dusk)", and as there is no mention of time, it is not clear which is meant.

⁽²⁾ There is a pun in this line. The verb rammen means "to ram". Because of the German conjugation and word order, the line is ended with "ramm'". When connected with the next word Till sings, it becomes "Ramm-STEIN".

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

I'm going to go into the fir trees
There where I last saw her
But the evening is throwing a cloth upon the land
And upon the ways behind the edge of the forest
And the forest it is so black and empty
Woe is me, oh woe
And the birds sing no more

Without you I cannot be
Without you
With you I am alone too
Without you
Without you I count the hours
Without you
With you the seconds stand still
They aren't worth it

On the branches in the ditches
It's now silent and without life
And breathing becomes oh so hard for me
Woe is me, oh woe
And the birds sing no more

Without you I cannot be
Without you
With you I am alone too
Without you
Without you I count the hours
Without you
With you the seconds stand still
They aren't worth it without you

Translation Jeremy Williams

Translation

Love is a wild animal
It breathes you it looks for you
It nests upon broken hearts
And goes hunting when there are kisses and candles
It sucks tightly on your lips
And digs tunnels through your ribs
It drops softly like snow
First it gets hot then cold in the end it hurts

Love, love ⁽¹⁾
Everyone just wants to tame you
Love, love in the end
Caught between your teeth

Love is a wild animal
It bites and scratches and kicks towards me
It holds me tightly with a thousand arms
And drags me into its love nest
It devours me completely
And retches me back out after many years
It drops softly like snow
First it gets hot then cold in the end it hurts

Love, love
Everyone just wants to tame you
Love, love in the end
Caught between your teeth

Love is a wild animal
You fall into its trap
It stares into your eyes
Spellbound when its gaze hits you

Please please give me poison

⁽¹⁾ Amour is French for "love".

Translation Jeremy Williams and RammsteinWorld.com