Knebel (Gag)
Ich mag die Sonne, die Palmen und das Meer Ich mag den Himmel schauen, den Wolken hinterher Ich mag den kalten Mond, wenn der Vollmond rund Und ich mag dich mit einem Knebel in dem Mund Ich mag volle Gläser, die Straßen wenn sie leer Ich mag die Tiere, Menschen nicht so sehr Ich mag dichte Wälder, die Wiesen blühen sie bunt Und ich mag dich mit einem Knebel in dem Mund Das Leben ist einfach, einfach so schwer Es wäre so einfach, wenn es einfacher wär Ist alles Bestimmung, hat alles seinen Grund Und du bist ganz still, hast einen Knebel in dem Mund Ich mag leichte Mädchen und weine wenn sie schwer Ich mag deine Mutter, den Vater nicht so sehr Ich mag keine Kinder, ich tue es hier kund Und ich mag dich mit einem Knebel in dem Mund Ich mag die Tränen auf deinem Gesicht Ich mag mich selber, mag mich selber nicht Das Herz ist gebrochen, die Seele so wund Und du schaust mich an mit einem Knebel in dem Mund Das Leben ist traurig, das Leben ist schwer Ich würde es mögen, wenn es einfacher wär Die Welt dreht sich weiter, die Erde ist rund Um dich dreht sich nichts, hast einen Knebel in dem Mund In dem Mund - ja! Ich hasse dich Ich hasse dich Ich hasse dich Ich hasse dich Leben ist einfach, einfach so schwer Es wäre so einfach, wenn es einfacher wär Ist alles Bestimmung, hat alles seinen Grund Und du bist ganz still, hast einen Knebel in dem Mund In dem Mund Lyric © Lindemann |
I like the sun, the palm trees and the sea I like to watch the sky, the clouds behind I like the cold moon when the full moon is around And I like you with a gag in the mouth I like full glasses, the streets when they're empty I like the animals, people not so much I like dense forests, the meadows are colorful And I like you with a gag in your mouth Life is simple, simply so hard It would be so easy if it were easier If everything is destiny, everything has a reason And you are very quiet, you have a gag in your mouth I like light girls and cry when they are heavy I like your mother, your father not so much I do not like children, I do it here And I like you with a gag in your mouth I like the tears on your face I like myself, I do not like myself My heart is broken, my soul so sore And you look at me with a gag in your mouth Life is sad, life is hard I would like it if it were easier The world keeps turning, the earth is round Nothing revolves around you, you have a gag in your mouth In the mouth - yes! I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you Life is simple, simply so hard It would be so easy if it were easier If everything is destiny, everything has a reason And you are very quiet In your mouth Translation © Affenknecht.com |
One of the explanations submitted by u/HauptmannAish on Reddit:
in this song the narrator is portraying himself as an otherwise normal person who just like any other person enjoys the sun, the trees, the seas, the night sky and everything else nature has to offer and just like that he feels it’s also normal to bound and gag his partner, that I’m interpreting here as his wife. Sex according to him is meaningless without pain, torture and brutality. He wants his wife to obey him at all times and hence also in the video we find the images of Till dragging the naked girl through the woods on a metal leash. The small replica of the ruins she carries in the glass orb is highly suggestive. In this relationship it is her duty to take care of the home with everything she has, so she’s nude because she has got no other identity, and at other times she is just treated as an animal who will just submit to the sexual demands of her partner. She doesn’t have a say in anything, she is only living because she is useful to somebody for sex. “Und du bist ganz still, hast einen Knebel in dem Mund – And you are very quiet, you have a gag in your mouth.” Also there are a few lines which says the world revolves around.., the earth is round, but nothing revolves around you because “you have a gag in your mouth” just goes to show how useless he thinks his wife’s existence really is. But coming to that this song may also be saying a thing or two about any people in general who are not able to say anything and protest when they see something objectionable is happening, they just stay silent like they’re having some sort of a “gag in their mouth”. The world doesn’t care about those people who silently observes and doesn’t protest, accepts the order, and plays the role of a submissive person. The narrator here wants you to get up and protest and make your voice heard, how difficult it may be, against whomever you may have to go, hurt anybody you have to, but if you intend to have freedom in this life, don’t have a “gag in your mouth”. That’s exactly what the girl did in the video, as Till woke up to find himself chained and tethered inside the cold waters, submerged in the ruins of his home, as his home is in shambles. He will now always be alone, left in the void and his days numbered.
My interpretation of this great song is singer declaim he hates who are faint to speak the desires of their heart (ich hasse dich) or anything obvious for that matter, as till says: ich mag die sonne.
Simply speak out of heart is something but surely the figurative knebel one put on their mouth stopst them.
Like the singer says I speak about some forbidden issues and you just look at me with youe mouth shut
I am sort of shocked that people in the Rammstein fan community find the main song character/narrator “a sick person” or “crazy.” Sure, you can read various things into the song, like with most of Till’s lyrics. But it can be simply a portrayal of complex/contrasting emotions of a Dominant and his view of his Submissive during partner BDSM play. The sudden switch in the song subconsciously transcends this really well. It doesn’t necessarily has to extend itself into everyday life. His “hate” and the switch in the video when she has him on the leash can be a metaphor for the emotional control she as a sub has over him, that he feels chained and weighted down by the lust, and ultimately that he is terrified of the possibility of her leaving. Although, as u/HauptmannAish suggested in his interpretation, the video does point out to a dysfunctional relationship, not necessarily even BDSM-consensual, but possibly a traditional patriarchal one as it seems that Till is reading a Bible out loud as they are walking in the river. Because in reality, the view of women in all misogynistic religions is the master-slave relationship (but without any fun in bed). I think that the song and the video could represent either (and both) of these views.
Hi,
couple of lyric and translation improvements:
Lyrics:
(Format: As is – Should be – new translation)
As is: Ich mag den Himmel schauen, den Wolken hinterher
Should be: Ich mag den Himmel, schau den Wolken hinterher
New translation: I like the sky, watch the clouds go by
Ich mag den kalten Mond, wenn der Vollmond rund
Ich mag den kalten Mond, wenn er voll und rund
I like the cold moon, when it’s full and round
Das Leben ist einfach, einfach so schwer
Das Leben ist einfach, einfach zu schwer
Life is simple, simply too hard
Die Welt dreht sich weiter, die Erde ist rund
Die Welt dreht sich weiter, die Erde ist wund
The world keeps turning, the earth is sore
(makes less sence then rund, but pretty sure he says wund)
————
Translations:
Lyric: Ich mag dichte Wälder, die Wiesen blühen sie bunt
Your Translation: I like dense forests, the meadows are colorful
Better: I like dense forests, the meadows when they’re blooming colorful
Ich mag leichte Mädchen und weine wenn sie schwer
Your Translation: I like light girls and cry when they are heavy
Better: I like easy/light girls and cry when they are heavy
(bit of a play on words here: leicht means both ‘light’ and ‘easy’. At first you think he is talking about easy girls, but after he mentions heavy girls aswell the association of leicht changes to light)
Ich mag keine Kinder, ich tue es hier kund
Your Translation: I do not like children, I do it here
Better: I do not like children, I proclaim it here
(from kundtun: to proclaim, announce, state, confess)
Why I relate so much with this song. Lovely and even could kinda understand it before even knowing the english lyrics of it. I love Till and Rammstein só much..
I like and agree with the interpretation. I think the first half is his normal everyday side and the second half his crazy side. This song jarred me when I first heard it. Not the screaming part or the bloody video but because, as you noted, the guy feels his deviant views are perfectly normal. They are in the same league as the pretty sky or warm sun. Till sure knows how to write in a way that even I feel some…oh I don’t know….”compassion” for an obviously sick man. Great song.