| [Intro] | [Intro] |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| [Strophe 1] | [Verse 1] |
| Wenn die Kinder unerzogen | When the children are uneducated |
| Schon der Vater hat gedroht | The father already has threatened |
| „Der schwarze Mann, er wird dich holen | “The Black Man, he’ll get you |
| Wenn du nicht folgst meinem Gebot“ | If you don’t follow my commandment” |
| [Pre-Refrain] | [Pre-Chorus] |
| Und das glauben wir bis heute | And we believe that to this day |
| So in Angst sind Land und Leute | So scared are the country and its people |
| Etwas Schlimmes wird gescheh’n | Something bad will happen |
| Das Böse kommt, wird nicht mehr geh’n | The evil comes, won’t go anymore |
| [Refrain] | [Chorus] |
| Und die Furcht wächst in die Nacht | And the fear grows into the night |
| Tür und Tore sind bewacht | Door and gates are guarded |
| Die Rücken nass, die Hände klamm | The back’s wet, the hands clammy |
| Alle haben Angst vorm schwarzen Mann | Everyone is afraid of thе Black Man |
| [Post-Refrain] | [Post-Chorus] |
| (Du) | (You) |
| [Strophe 2] | [Verse 2] |
| In Dunkelheit schleicht er heran | In the dark, he sneaks up |
| Bist du nicht brav, fasst er dich an | If you’rе not good, he’ll touch you |
| Traue keinem Fremden dann | Trust no stranger then |
| So viel Albtraum, so viel Wahn | So much nightmare, so much craze |
| [Pre-Refrain] | [Pre-Chorus] |
| Und so glauben wir bis heute | And so we believe to this day |
| Schwer bewaffnet ist die Meute | The pack is heavily armed |
| Ach, sie können es nicht lassen | Oh, they can’t stop it |
| Schreien Feuer in die Gassen | Scream fire in the alleys |
| [Refrain] | [Chorus] |
| Und die Furcht wächst in die Nacht | And the fear grows into the night |
| Gar kein Auge zu gemacht | Not a wink of sleep at all |
| Die Rücken nass, die Hände klamm | The back’s wet, the hands clammy |
| Alle haben Angst vorm schwarzen Mann | Everyone is afraid of the Black Man |
| [Post-Refrain] | [Post-Chorus] |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) | (You) |
| [Bridge] | [Bridge] |
| Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann? | Who is afraid of the Black Man? |
| Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann? | Who is afraid of the Black Man? |
| Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann? | Who is afraid of the Black Man? |
| Wer hat Angst? | Who is afraid? |
| [Refrain] | [Chorus] |
| Und die Furcht wächst in die Nacht | And the fear grows into the night |
| Gar kein Auge zugemacht | Not a wink of sleep at all |
| Die Rücken nass, die Hände klamm | The back’s wet, the hands clammy |
| Alle haben Angst | Everyone is afraid |
| [Outro] | [Outro] |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) Schwarzer Mann | (You) Black Man |
| (Du) | (You) |
| (Du) Schwarzer Mann | (You) Black Man |
This is another classic example of Rammstein having lyrics that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. You think they wrote this and didn’t think people could read black man as African? Of course there’s the other meaning familiar to native Germans but Rammstein is well known for their double meanings so no sense in arguing one over the other, that’s the beauty of these effing legends.
I think the lyrics are based on Martin Ney, the Germany “Black Man” serial killer and of course it’s mixed in with the angst of society in general.
From Martin Ney’s wiki: Between 1992 and 2004, Ney murdered three German boys and has been linked to the sexual abuse of 45 others. Ney wore a mask and dark clothing when committing the crimes, leading him to be known as the Masked Man or the Black Man. He carried out his offences in camps, private homes and school grounds.
Yep.
They’re calling out people insisting something is evil because the internet tells them it is.
Racist blue left wing non germans keep translating der schwarze Mann as black man and insisting racism and refusing to accept that what rhe bogeyman is called there and has been before they had ever seen an African
‘Red means this red means thatched is a colour theme. The entire band is connected to computers and controlled by a man in a straight jacket with brainless crippled cheerleaders cheering it on telling everyone to hate what the newspaper and media tell you to hate, and the newspaper tells you yo hate who you believe is right wing/red/nazi.
That’s you people. Rammstein is accurately depicted brain-dead racist the sky is falling left wingwrs who regurgitate what they read without thought.
Wow, it is amazing how insular / myopic your take on this really is. By lashing out at ‘left wingwrs’ you’re building up your own brick wall as you get worked up about ‘blue left’… the message was about how consuming antagonistic rhetoric from propped up (in this case red pilled) idols will only result in you literally buying into the insecurity and grief for sale. Ultimately your distorted view of others will end in violence against your own neighbors and they on you. Meanwhile; the ‘others’ (impoverished Africans and or the rest of the world) watch as you burn yourselves down as you let yourselves get taken to the cleaners by messianic con men that are getting rich off of you, all while they continue to oppress others they can’t exploit any further (the poor) and use them as the boogeymen to be afraid of.
And here’s the important point: EVERYONE is susceptible to this con. You, me, EVERYONE. Even refugees with mobiles are being sold ideas about others (us) on the devices they have. I’m embarrassed for you in that you don’t see how you’ve deflected the criticism you should be taking to heart. Literally the song is about us all; we’re not special nor enlightened, just a product, a consumer, a mark. By implying you know better and you think it’s all about you’re particular villain de jour (in your case: leftism) – you’re entirely missing the point… and that point is:
Get out of your own little circle, touch grass, then bring the lawnmower to smash the media box before it’s too late.
No need for me to say anything, I can’t improve on your post. Hit the nail on the head perfectly
Honey, with all due respect… Take a listen at Links 2 3 4 and why Rammstein wrote it, and then think about if this comment still makes any sense.
Rammstein IS left wing. Rammstein IS anti-racism, and it is (purposefully) a possible interpretation of the song.
You’re delusional. You’re, so ironically, claiming the song is making fun of the con of which you fell for. People call stuff nazi/red/right wing because it is, not because they are told to.
Grow up.
I believe it’s a representation of the division of Rammstein in the video. White picket fences that separate Rammstein members. The fences turn into walls with barbed wire fence around it. If you saw the walls and fence from above it would look like that circle. With the center circle being the hate and media they consume. The TV’s and computer they use are in the circle. Red is the predominate color in the video besides black and white. Red was the color Nazi’s used. Republicans in the US.
Other countries with Red? China, former Soviet Union (now Russia), Denmark, Switzerland, and worst of all, Canada.
Majority of countries in world have red? Atleast most of Europe, nearly all of Africa, the americas, every British owned territory throughout time, quite a few of Asia too.
I think it’s more to do with the black, white and red being the most visually contrasting plus red can symbolise everything from bravery, passion, to anger and violence.
As on the 2023 live tour, the introduction ‘lyrics’ are simply sounds, shown on screen as “huh”
The cheerleaders are limping and only stepping forward with their right foot. That may be an over-analysis on my part, it may be intentional by the band. Right foot = right wing. Very similar to the effect of “dann schlägt es links.”
Very cleverly they use German to English translation for wordplay. “Schwarzen Mann” translating to bogeyman in this context, but a literal translation is “black man.” At the surface it’s a song about the fear of the unknown. A deeper dive and it’s commentary on racism and putting up walls within society. The video spells this out so blatantly. Zombie cheerleaders bringing guns, there are literal brick walls replacing picket fences, a black woman and her child in rags surrounded by barbed wire. An insane person speaking from a podium. The video starts with the band sitting at a table with plates — eating what is fed to them.
A few more details from the music video that add to the message: there’s the six-sided icon on the podium (and throughout the video) that almost looks like a swastika, and there’s the black-white-red colour scheme used throughout, also borrowed from the swastika. Yep, they’re not subtle at all about the hate they’re calling out.