Lyrics of Traurige Lieder - Söhne Mannheims

Traurige Lieder (original)

Denk doch mal nach, warum wir traurig sind.
Denk doch mal nach, wie war das Kind.
Als deine Eltern stritten, du eigentlich schliefst.
Eine unbekannte Angst,
als du die Treppe runterliefst.
Was ist da passiert?
Was hörst du da?
So entstand tiefste Traurigkeit im Alter von drei Jahren.
Ihr fragt, warum wir traurige Lieder singen?
Weil wir traurig sind,
weil wir traurig sind.
Ihr fragt, warum wir aggressive Lieder singen?
Weil wütend sind,
weil wir wütend sind.
Ungerechte Behandlung der Hautfarbe wegen
war durch dumme Menschen
und ihr Handeln immer zugegen.
Es gab böse Blicke und es gab harte Worte.
Ein Mensch bist du vielleicht,
aber eine andere Sorte.
Ein 'Neger', ein 'Nigger'
oder 'Bimbo'1, das bist du.
Manchmal kommen zu den Worten
auch noch Schläge hinzu.
Aus der Angst wird Wut
und Hass ist nicht weit
und dann findest du den Weg,
der deine Seele befreit.
Ihr fragt, warum wir traurige Lieder singen?
Weil wir traurig sind,
weil wir traurig sind.
Ihr fragt, warum wir aggressive Lieder singen?
Weil wütend sind,
weil wir wütend sind.
The ghetto streets for me
I know that’s where it all began
These racist cats hating me
‘cause I’m an African
I married white,
racial times had my life in danger
I grew up all alone
and that became the perfect stranger
1980 when the war was almost at its peak
Like helicopters in the sky, coming down the streets
I saw them kill a lot of people right before my eyes
I fought the white mob,
black, had me picking sides
‘Cause no one wants you when you’re mixed
I was caught between a game of chess
Nightmares every time I dreamed
The day he struck was sucking blood like apartheid
I couldn’t cry
so I bottled it inside
These crazy dogs biting flesh off my people
I grew up wondering
why we weren’t born equal
Fight the power, yeah, let the battle start
A lonely soldier in the war,
we’re torn apart

(translation)

Just think why we are sad.
Just think how was the kid.
When your parents argued, you were actually asleep.
an unknown fear
as you ran down the stairs.
What has happened there?
What are you listening to?
This is how deepest sadness arose at the age of three.
You ask why we sing sad songs?
because we are sad
because we are sad.
You ask why we sing aggressive songs?
Because are angry
because we are angry.
Unfair treatment because of skin color
was by stupid people
and their actions always present.
There were angry looks and there were harsh words.
Maybe you are a human
but a different kind.
A 'negro', a 'nigger'
or 'Bimbo'1, that's you.
Sometimes come to the words
also added punches.
Fear turns into anger
and hatred is not far
and then you find the way
that frees your soul.
You ask why we sing sad songs?
because we are sad
because we are sad.
You ask why we sing aggressive songs?
Because are angry
because we are angry.
The ghetto streets for me
I know that's where it all began
These racist cats hating me
'cause I'm an African
I married white,
racial times had my life in danger
I grow up all alone
and that became the perfect stranger
1980 when the war was almost at its peak
Like helicopters in the sky, coming down the streets
I saw them kill a lot of people right before my eyes
I fought the white mob,
black, had me picking sides
'Cause no one wants you when you're mixed
I was caught between a game of chess
Nightmares every time I dreamed
The day he struck was sucking blood like apartheid
I couldn't cry
so I bottled it inside
These crazy dogs biting flesh off my people
I grow up wondering
why we weren't born equal
Fight the power, yeah, let the battle start
A lonely soldier in the war,
we're torn apart