Wise Guys - Denglisch

Long time no post! Well, here's a funny song that I actually discovered in one of my German classes. It's about the overuse of English words in German, and is much better if you speak German... but it's fun even if you don't. It's full of references to English slang that young Germans use as well as other words that have crept into the language so much that they are even used on signs. Some Germans actually get very worked up about the overuse of English words being a threat to their language, and there is even a group that divides English words used in German into 3 groups based on how useful and/or threatening they are to the language. It's actually pretty interesting... but here's the song (it starts about a minute into the video):



Oh, and in case you were wondering, in the beginning of the video, the guy who's talking is explaining that the band's name is in English even though they are German and sing in German because they were in school together and back then they thought that English sounded cooler than German. They kind of regret that now, as they show in this song.


Lyrics Translations: (The English words in quotes are in English even in the original lyrics, but everything else is originally in German. The German words in quotes are preserved from the original lyrics to preserve meaning.)

Oh, Lord, please give me my language back
I long for peace and a little piece of happiness
Let us still understand a word in this difficult time
Open our hearts, widen our minds

I ran to the train station and was "a little bit too late"
On my new Swatch it was already just "after eight"
I sought the toilet but only found a "McClean"
I still needed a "Connection" and a "ticket" to Berlin

"Kids" sat outside and had "fun" with a "joint"
I sought an information desk but there was only a "service point"
Unfortunately my train had departed - I could forget about the "traveling"
Then I wanted to eat chicken but they only gave me "McChicken"

Oh, Lord, please give me my language back
I long for peace and a little piece of happiness
Let us still understand a word in this difficult time
Open our hearts, widen our minds

You try to "update" me, but my "feedback" "turned" you away
You say that I desperately need a "wellness weekend"
You say that I'll come back into the "flow" with "good vibrations"
You say that I need "energy" and I think: you say that so...

Instead of news I get the "infotainment flash"
I long for dough but they never give me "cash"
When "communicating" I feel less sure than ever
No "bodyguard" will help me with this
I need "security!"

Oh, "Lord", please give me my "language" back
I long for "peace" and a little piece of happiness
Let us still understand a word in this difficult time
Open our hearts, widen our minds

I want "Kaffeehaus" (lit: Coffee house) to be written above "coffee shops"
Or for "Lufttasche" (lit: Airbags) to come out in "auto crashes"
And it would be great if we called "bodybuilders" "Muskel-Mästers" (lit: Muscle masters)
And if only "Nordisch Gehers" (lit: Nordic skiers) ran across the landscape

Oh, "Lord," "please help, for my "language" is "stressing" me out
I long for "peace" and "a bit of happiness"
Help us, so that we "understand" in this difficult time
"Open" our "hearts", and "make" our minds wide

Oh, "Lord," "please" give me my "language" "back"
I'll soon be fighting "crisis" here, "man", but "it has" no purpose
Let us still understand "a word", "it goes me on the" soul
And make it so that "Microsoft" once again is called "Kleinweich" (lit: Small soft)

Translation by me (but if you speak German, read the German lyrics for the full effect. You can find them easily with Google).

Recommendations: Bodo Wartke, Die Prinzen, Ganz Schön Feist, Pur

Lyrics Translation