It is only fitting that now, while we are having a bit of fun in Cologne, I should be posting during the Musical Friday a German piece of music. This is exactly why today I shall show you one of the groups that I really like, a group that I have seen live in concert in Bucharest: Rammstein! And the chosen piece is none other than Rosenrot - that was actually filmed in Romania! Did you see the twist there?! ;) This song is inspired by and to some extent based upon the poem "Heidenröslein" by Goethe and the story "Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot" from the Brothers Grimm.
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The video portrays the band as travelling monks from different religious orders who have come to a small village, Fundata (nearby Brașov), Romania. The main story of the video shows the bands vocalist Till Lindemann falling in love with one of the local girls, whom he met during a celebratory feast. At her request, he enters her house and murders her parents. As he leaves the house, he smiles to the girl and she smiles back briefly, before crying out, at which the villagers rush upon Till from the darkness and beat him. They tie him up and burn him on a stake; Tills fellow monks and his lover participate in the execution by throwing burning brands onto the woodpile. The girl in the video is portrayed by Romanian model Cătălina Lavric, who was 14 at the time of shooting. ***
The plot partially mirrors the songs lyrics: in both the video and the song, a man is asked to commit a self-destructive yet pointless act by his lover, and dies in the attempt while she is unharmed. In the video the man commits murder and is executed; in the song he attempts to retrieve a rose from a mountain, and falls to his death.Rosenrot - Rammstein
Sah ein Mädchen ein Röslein stehen
Blühte dort in lichten Höhen
Sprach sie ihren Liebsten an
ob er es ihr steigen kann
Blühte dort in lichten Höhen
Sprach sie ihren Liebsten an
ob er es ihr steigen kann
Sie will es und so ist es fein
So war es und so wird es immer sein
Sie will es und so ist es Brauch
Was sie will bekommt sie auch
So war es und so wird es immer sein
Sie will es und so ist es Brauch
Was sie will bekommt sie auch
Tiefe Brunnen muss man graben
wenn man klares Wasser will
Rosenrot oh Rosenrot
Tiefe Wasser sind nicht still
wenn man klares Wasser will
Rosenrot oh Rosenrot
Tiefe Wasser sind nicht still
Der Jüngling steigt den Berg mit Qual
Die Aussicht ist ihm sehr egal
Hat das Röslein nur im Sinn
Bringt es seiner Liebsten hin
Die Aussicht ist ihm sehr egal
Hat das Röslein nur im Sinn
Bringt es seiner Liebsten hin
Sie will es und so ist es fein
So war es und so wird es immer sein
Sie will es und so ist es Brauch
Was sie will bekommt sie auch
So war es und so wird es immer sein
Sie will es und so ist es Brauch
Was sie will bekommt sie auch
Tiefe Brunnen muss man graben
wenn man klares Wasser will
Rosenrot oh Rosenrot
Tiefe Wasser sind nicht still
wenn man klares Wasser will
Rosenrot oh Rosenrot
Tiefe Wasser sind nicht still
An seinen Stiefeln bricht ein Stein
Will nicht mehr am Felsen sein
Und ein Schrei tut jedem kund
Beide fallen in den Grund
Will nicht mehr am Felsen sein
Und ein Schrei tut jedem kund
Beide fallen in den Grund
Sie will es und so ist es fein
So war es und so wird es immer sein
Sie will es und so ist es Brauch
Was sie will bekommt sie auch
So war es und so wird es immer sein
Sie will es und so ist es Brauch
Was sie will bekommt sie auch
Tiefe Brunnen muss man graben
wenn man klares Wasser will
Rosenrot oh Rosenrot
wenn man klares Wasser will
Rosenrot oh Rosenrot
Tiefe Wasser sind nicht still
Unofficial Translation ©2005 Jeremy Williams.
A girl saw a little rose
It bloomed there in bright heights
She asked her sweetheart
if he could fetch it for her
It bloomed there in bright heights
She asked her sweetheart
if he could fetch it for her
She wants it and thats fine
So it was and so it will always be
She wants it and thats the custom
Whatever she wants she gets
So it was and so it will always be
She wants it and thats the custom
Whatever she wants she gets
Deep wells must be dug
if you want clear water
Rose-red, oh Rose-red
Deep waters dont run still
if you want clear water
Rose-red, oh Rose-red
Deep waters dont run still
The boy climbs the mountain in torment
He doesnt really care about the view
Only the little rose is on his mind
He brings it to his sweetheart
He doesnt really care about the view
Only the little rose is on his mind
He brings it to his sweetheart
She wants it and thats fine
So it was and so it will always be
She wants it and thats the custom
Whatever she wants she gets
So it was and so it will always be
She wants it and thats the custom
Whatever she wants she gets
Deep wells must be dug
if you want clear water
Rose-red, oh Rose-red
Deep waters dont run still
if you want clear water
Rose-red, oh Rose-red
Deep waters dont run still
At his boots, a stone breaks
Doesnt want to be on the cliff anymore
And a scream lets everyone know
Both are falling to the ground
Doesnt want to be on the cliff anymore
And a scream lets everyone know
Both are falling to the ground
She wants it and thats fine
So it was and so it will always be
She wants it and thats the custom
Whatever she wants she gets
So it was and so it will always be
She wants it and thats the custom
Whatever she wants she gets
Deep wells must be dug
if you want clear water
Rose-red, oh Rose-red
if you want clear water
Rose-red, oh Rose-red
Deep waters dont run still
Yours truly,
The LadyBug kissing you all the way from Koln