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This is another good German song, not by Blumfeld this time but a much older song (apparently from 1810) about how thoughts are free and can't be contained. The English Wikipedia has a translation of the song and that's where the middle column comes from, but I've also added a few explanations for some of the words that appear there. Let me know if any of them are weird or if you think anything else should be added to the explanation on the right.
and another version:
As with all good songs about freedom and the rest, it's been banned a few times too:
During the German Revolution (1848/1849) and in Nazi Germany, the song was forbidden. It also was used by the White Rose anti-Nazi resistance movement in Germany.
Die Gedanken sind frei, wer kann sie erraten,
sie fliehen vorbei wie nächtliche Schatten.
Kein Mensch kann sie wissen, kein Jäger erschießen
es bleibet dabei, Die Gedanken sind frei!
Thoughts are free, who can ever guess them?
They just flee by like nocturnal shadows.
No man can know them, no hunter can shoot them,
with powder and lead: Thoughts are free!
die Gedanken: plural of der Gedanke, thought
erraten - guess
fliehen - fly
vorbei - by
nächtlich - like the night (lit. nightly)
der Schatten - shadow
der Jäger - hunter
erschießen - shoot
Pulver und Blei - powder and lead
Ich denke was ich will und was mich beglücket,
doch alles in der Still', und wie es sich schicket.
Mein Wunsch und Begehren kann niemand mir wehren,
es bleibet dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!
I think what I want, and what makes me happy,
but always discreetly, and as it is suitable.
My wish and desire, no one can deny me
and so it will always be: Thoughts are free!
beglückt (beglücken) - make happy
in der Stille - quietly, secretly
sich schicken - be suitable
der Wunsch - wish
das Begehren - desire
niemand - nobody
wehren - deny/hinder
Und sperrt man mich ein im finsteren Kerker,
das alles sind rein vergebliche Werke.
Denn meine Gedanken zerreißen die Schranken
und Mauern entzwei, die Gedanken sind frei!
And if I am thrown into the darkest dungeon,
all this would be futile work,
because my thoughts tear all gates
and walls apart. Thoughts are free!
sperrt...ein (einsperren) - throw in
finster - dark
der Kerker - dungeon
rein - simple/simply
vergeblich - futile
die Werke - plural of das Werk - work
zerreißen - tear
die Schranken - plural of die Schranke - gate
die Mauern - plural of die Mauer - wall
entzwei - in two
Drum will ich auf immer den Sorgen absagen
und will mich auch nimmer mit Grillen mehr plagen.
Man kann ja im Herzen stets lachen und scherzen
und denken dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!
So I will renounce my sorrows forever,
and never again will torture myself with some fancy ideas.
1 comments:
Hey, thanks a lot! Posts like that one are a great help for us beginners in German. :)
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