Rammstein Engel lyric with English translation

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Wer zu Lebzeit gut auf Erden Who in their lifetime is good on Earth
wird nach dem Tod ein Engel werden and will become an angel after death
den Blick gen Himmel fragst du dann you look to the sky and ask
warum man sie nicht sehen kann why can’t you see them
 
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn First if the clouds have gone to sleep
kann man uns am Himmel sehn you can see us in the sky
wir haben Angst und sind allein we are afraid and alone
 
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein God knows I don’t want to be an angel
 
Sie leben hinterm Sonnenschein They live behind the sunshine
getrennt von uns unendlich weit separated from us, infinite expanse
sie müssen sich an Sterne krallen (ganz fest) they must cling to the stars (very tightly)
damit sie nicht vom Himmel fallen so they won’t fall from the sky
 
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn First if the clouds have gone to sleep
kann man uns am Himmel sehn you can see us in the sky
wir haben Angst und sind allein we are afraid and alone
 
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein God knows I don’t want to be an angel
 
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn First if the clouds have gone to sleep
kann man uns am Himmel sehn you can see us in the sky
wir haben Angst und sind allein we are afraid and alone
 
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein God knows I don’t want to be an angel

This song is about how some people believe in angels, and that good people become them after death, but we wonder why we never can see them. The lyrics of this song can also be seen as doubting the existence of God. Near the end of each chorus, Till states, “God knows I don’t want to be an angel.”

 

72 COMMENTS

  1. The most important part and soul of this song all of the translators are missing is the whistle in between lyrics so let me translate it
    See Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee
    See Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee
    And the last one was
    See Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee Tee.

  2. I see everyone arguing over lyrics in english, but to be honest, the song was written and performed in German, and we can translate it like other songs, but in my view the song is really only amazing and means something in german. therefore you need to understand it.

    Same thing when they translate afrikaans music here in South Africa, it doesnt have the same affect when you try to translate it.

    Anyway the music is awesome

  3. Wieso hore ich nur gerade?: ‘Da zu weiss wollte ich keine Engel sein’
    Ich weiss dass es nicht sehr gutes Deutsch ist, aber es ist wass ich glaub zu horen.

    I dunno.. There seems to be general consensus that it’s ‘Gott weiss’ but that doesn’t change my perceptions.

  4. Here’s the other side of the story of Rammstein’s lyrics …. The angels looked at Rammstein, impressed from the poetic piece and replied :

    The fox looked up and saw a batch of grapes hanging from the vine ….and since it was too high for him to get any …he said: ,,well, it most probably tastes sour”.

  5. I would like to suggest the following alternative translation to Engle.
    I believe it uses better English and captures better the spirit of the song.

    — Angel —
    The good and righteous on this earth
    becoming angels after death
    You search the heaven wondering why
    Why don’t we see them in the sky?

    But when the clouds all sleep at night
    Up in the sky we’re shining bright
    We’re so afraid and so alone
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want

    Behind the sunshine they reside
    So far away and so apart
    They must cling fiercely to the stars (full force)
    Or from the sky they’ll fall apart

    But when the clouds all sleep at night
    Up in the sky we’re shining bright
    We’re so afraid and so alone
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want

    But when the clouds all sleep at night
    Up in the sky we’re shining bright
    We’re so afraid and so alone
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want
    God knows to be an angel I don’t want

      • I agree. This ‘runs’ smoother. And the comment that Rammstein use ‘versions’ of German is right. For example Bavarian German is different from the general use of German. And to those folks who are concerned with whether angels exist or not, tha’st not the point! The song is about the belief of angles and how they fit in moments of ‘angst’, to use a German word – and most of Till’s writings are about collective / cultural ideas not just personal. So it’s not about you (entirely). I got an idea that the Engels that Rammstein are suggestively referring to (in a very sideward glance), is the Philosopher Frederick Engles; especiallyif you consider the Mein Herz Brent videos. Engels was banned by Hitler in 1933, with many other un-German authors. The public burning of books is seen in the video Deutschland. The book burning memorial at Bebelplatz can be easily found on Google.

      • Okay this song is amazing gotta say. Rammstein is a great German rock artist in my opinion. IS IT JUST ME OR THE WISTLE IN THE BIGGING IS THE BEST PART OF THE SONG? IT JUST ADDS SO MUCH DEPTH TO IT. This song isn’t my number one favorite from Rammstein since he has a bunch of other good songs but this will always be a good song as memory when listening to it in the car.

  6. Wrong. Gott (God) weiß (knows) ich (I) will (want) kein (not) Engel (Angel) sein (to be). It’s basic german you fucking morons, there is no mystery, LEARN IT if you want to know what the lyrics ARE. You all make me sick, guessing…

  7. What a load of shit. Humans become angels? Where did you get this from dickhead? Did you just guess or do you have some secret special knowledge? If you don’t know what you’re talking about, shut ya mouth cunt.

  8. ,,wenn” can mean “if” or “when” in German. ,,Erst” is used for emphasis as in “Erst wenn die Wolken…” to stress the fact that you can see the angels only after the clouds have gone to sleep. I think the translation of ,,wenn” to mean “if” is incorrect. Wenn die Wolken schlafengeh(e)n is more neutral. Adding ,,erst” seems to go along with the idea that it is quite difficult to see angels and that this only occurs under specific circumstances.

  9. I think this song is about how lonely and isolated and distant to society purely innocent people get after a while. because this is the jungle not heaven. and they would basically have nothing in common with anybody

    • You probably have a point. You could even read a reference to autism and autistics into the lyrics – whether consciously intended or just imbibed from cultures that sometimes present autistic people (and people who show autistic traits – like {many} scientists) as secular angels of some kind. The reality, of course, is that they’re just as benighted as everyone else, with Till implying they’re probably more so.

    • That’s precisely an ultracrepidarian opinion. Please provide your expertise in this matter or move on. Name calling only makes one look even more ignorant. Good day.
      And yes, some of us *do* believe in a power greater than ourselves. Peace.

      • I’ve heard it said, ‘When you resort to insults, it only goes to demonstrate that you’ve lost the argument’. I think Valour’s words prove this beyond a doubt.

  10. lisa is right, those are indeed the lyrics in german. when you translate to english it totally changes because of sentence structure and they need to make it rhyme. if you listen to the english version,james has it right word for word

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