Bap - Kristallnaach

The song 'Kristallnaach' (Kristallnacht) by BAP was released in 1982 and the title refers to the events that took place in the night of 9./10. September 1938. The song is written in the dialect of Cologne and the band's official website graciously offers not only the lyrics but also a 'High German' translation both of which are reproduced below. Additionally, I tried my hand (and mind) at cobbling together an English translation - it's not necessarily literal but to the best of my understanding should bring the point across. Of course, any corrections, comments and revisions are very welcome and greatly appreciated ~

... no Cavalry to save the day,
No Zorro is there to take care
That one just pees a "Z" in the snow
And -babbling nonchalantly- topples over
"So what?"- Kristallnacht!

Hope you opt to listen and to have a look at the lyrics -

Kristallnaach
BAP

1) Et kütt vüür, dat ich mein, dat jet klirrt,
dat sich irjendjet en mich verirrt,
e Jeräusch, nit ens laut,
manchmol klirrt et vertraut,
selden su, dat mer et direk durchschaut.

Dramtreeo - Song of Patriotic Prejudice

I don't think it requires British humor to find one or two LOL moments listening to the lyrics of this song by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann ~ especially if you are like me and firmly believe that, sadly, irony far too often is an underrated art ... Remember: Laughing is healthy! ... Cheers :-) 

A Song Of Patriotic Prejudice
by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann

Gotye / Kimbra - Somebody That I Used To Know

At times, when hitting rock bottom life throws out a lifeline ~ at least that's how it felt when I first heard Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" featuring Kimbra.

A fantastic song, a phenomenal video ~ addictive ...

Somebody That I Used To Know

By Gotye

Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

Leonard Cohen -- The Guests

... hung up on Leonard Cohen, and for whatever reason 'The Guests' are playing on my mind ...

And "welcome, welcome" cries a voice
"Let all my guests come in"

The Guests
Leonard Cohen

One by one, the guests arrive
The guests are coming through
The broken-hearted many
The open-hearted few

Bruce Springsteen - Worlds Apart

Surfing around the web something about a poll on religious freedom caught my eye. What's there to poll you may ask, as I was wondering, shouldn't everybody just be pro? I continued scanning and found out that apparently the majority was for more religious freedom ... for Christians not so much for other religions. Of course, the outcome of any poll depends of a variety of factors including, but certainly not limited to, the demographics and the manner in which questions are phrased. Nonetheless, things like that poll are scary, I think. Doesn't it makes a wasted effort out of the struggles of those who have fought hard -and even given their lives- to ensure liberties such as freedom of religion ... Of course, I'm well aware that such issues are rarely if ever painted in black and white and there are infinite nuances and facets adding to the total picture. Alas, the weeks past have been rather trying and I'm feeling utterly wretched tonight ...

"May the living let us live before the dead tear us apart" ~ "Let's let love give what it gives"

Worlds Apart (The Rising)
Bruce Springsteen

I hold you in my arms, yeah that's when it starts
I seek faith in your kiss and comfort in your heart
I taste the seed upon your lips, lay my tongue upon your scars
But when I look into your eyes we stand worlds apart

Where the distant oceans sing and rise to the plain
In this dry and troubled country your beauty remains
Down from the mountain road where the highway rolls to dark
'Neath Allah's blessed rain we remain worlds apart

Sometimes the truth just ain't enough

Or is it too much in times like this
Let's throw the truth away we'll find it in this kiss
In your skin upon my skin in the beating of our hearts
May the living let us live before the dead tear us apart

We'll let blood build a bridge over mountains draped in stars
I'll meet you on the ridge between these worlds apart
We've got this moment now to live then it's all just dust and dark
Let's let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives

Fever Ray / Karin Dreijer Andersson - Keep The Streets Empty For Me

It is the type of music that sneaks up on me and burrows deeply into my mind to be fully anchored there before I'm even aware of it. Just some song accompanying scenes in a "Bones" episode well prior to the crescendo and yet ... the steady rhythm kept beating in my veins well into the night. It took me a while to identify the song as "Keep the Streets Empty for Me" by "Fever Ray" which is an alias of "Karin Dreijer Andersson". I've since discovered quite a number of other Fever Ray songs with an equally compelling rhythm and melody that, in my mind, speaks of darkness and inevitability ...

Keep The Streets Empty For Me
By Karin Dreijer Andersson

Memory comes when memory's old
I am never the first to know
Following the stream up North
Where do people like us float

Gordon Lightfoot - Whispers of the North

Seven weeks between the old job and the new one. Seven weeks to my own; time to unwind, to relax, to renew, and to take a deep breath. For reasons I wouldn’t know how to put into words Canada always was a land I wanted to visit and finally there was my chance. 

My memory of the first day heading into Canada is fuzzy thanks to an uninvited travel companion: a severe cold no doubt caught on the flight over to Seattle. Surely, my nose then was as big and red as that of Rudolph the Reindeer, dripping remnants of the brain that was being pounded to mush by a headache without equals – ‘nough said … Although the recollection of that first day is spotty at best, two things stand out bright and clear.

Avicii - Hey Brother

Such a soothing song, Avicii's "Hey Brother" ...

... for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do ~

R i P


Hey Brother
Avicii

Hey brother! There's an endless road to rediscover
Hey sister! Know the water's sweet but blood is thicker
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do

Pentangle - Reflection

Artists have an immense amount of tools at their disposal to paint their mental picture of the world and convey it to their audience. Be it the colors of the rainbow and the texture of the brushstroke used to paint a picture, the words, syntax and possibly the rhyme to tell a story, the melody, the rhythm and instrument to perform music. A song can expand the palette of the artist by adding words.

Reflection by Pentangle to me is a perfect amalgam of words and music, voices and instruments. It is hard to believe that it dates back to 1971 – more than 45 years ago.

Gregorian - Hymn (Barclay James Harvest)

There are days when the music stage in my mind wants to play nothing but angry or sad songs. Sometimes that's just fine with me. Right now, however, considering the root of my anger and sadness, I seek a calming balm to ground myself again. 

One song that has long had the ability to ease my mind is "Hymn", for tonight performed by Gregorian. The song was originally performed by Barclay James Harvest and released in 1977 in the album "Gone to Earth". Reading about it I was astonished to learn that "the song is primarily about the dangers of drug abuse, contrasting their illicit thrill with the spiritual 'high' of Christianity."

Hymn

Valley's deep and the mountain's so high
If you want to see God you've got to move on the other side
You stand up there with your head in the clouds
Don't try to fly you know you might not come down
Don't try to fly, dear God, you might not come down

Roger Waters - Amused To Death

Strolling through the magical forests of the internet I stumbled over an article by Rina Marie Doctor in Tech Times which contemplated establishing a new geological epoch marked by the impact of human activity, the Anthropocene.

Fascinating! Have humanity’s footprints on our planet become so big that the instigated environmental changes exceed the natural development? I’m not a geologist so I’m uncomfortable to comment one way or another on the concept. It just made me wonder –again- about the carbon dioxide emissions which are increased thanks to humanity, and the eventual demise of our world: being swallowed by the sun when it is in its red giant stage.

Humanity will have left the stage long before that time and, perhaps, some alien anthropologists will have had the opportunity to investigate the remnants of our cultures …

Amused to Death
Roger Waters

Doctor Doctor what is wrong with me
This supermarket life is getting long
What is the heart life of a colour TV
What is the shelf life of a teenage queen