Anywho, Rammstein, a somewhat controversial band aus Deutschland, who have somehow managed to be branded both homosexual and fascist almost simoutaneously (figure that one out) have managed to convince me of one of their less spoken of talents: philosophical insight.
Take their song Engel, (query youtube for it). Here are some interpretations of the songs various meanings:
- The song Engel is about not wanting to aim at perfection all the time because oftentimes, something that seems perfect and pleasurable is in fact elusive. What one would think as a blissful existence is actually fearful and lonely: when the angels in the chorus sing: wir haben Angst und sind allein (we are afraid and alone).
- The song can also be interpreted as doubting the existence of God and angels: Den Blick gen Himmel fragst du dann warum man sie nicht sehen kann (you look to the sky and ask why can't you see them).
- Yet a third interpretation can be sexual in nature. Angel (Engel) can be a slang term for a lifelong virgin, that is, a person that dies without ever having sex, and so the song could be seen as the thoughts of someone who doesn't want to die without experiencing at least some really swell oral sex; which by the way I personally consider a chief tenant of stress relief: Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein (God knows i don't want to be an angel). Some other lyrics also support this interpretation: sie müssen sich an Sterne krallen (ganz fest) damit sie nicht vom Himmel fallen (They must cling onto the stars, very tight, so they won't fall from heaven) could be seen as a metaphor for masturbation. Which is also a chief tenant of stress relief. Also, the video made for this song seems to imply through imagery of the main character being teased by a stripper holding a snake (possibly an image of Eve and "Satan" from the Christian Bible) that the man is a virgin fighting off the temptation of lust. Two children also appear in cages dressed as cherubs with black eyes, probably representing the innocence of youth. The woman then turns into the same that was watching her with black around the eyes, possibly representing that his inner sexual urges were leading him astray. He is then trapped in a prison, perhaps of his own design either by succumbing to temptation or by resisting.
- The Fact that a group of who appear to be the main character's friends leading him into a strip club is also reminiscent of a bachelor party thrown by a man's friends before a wedding and this could in fact lead to a fourth interpretation. Perhaps, that of a man who will be getting married in the near future and his friends convince him (perhaps unknowingly) to call it off by bringing the man to a strip club where he decides he'd rather remain single instead of being metaphorically imprisoned by marriage. In either case this seems to work with the Sehnsucht album's theme of Longing (for sex and/or freedom). These are most likely not the true meaning behind the lyrics, but may be deliberate as Rammstein is well-known for their use of puns and double-meanings.
(German Lyrics)
Wer zu Lebzeit gut auf Erden
wird nach dem Tod ein Engel werden
den Blick gen Himmel fragst du dann
warum man sie nicht sehen kann
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn
kann man uns am Himmel sehen
wir haben Angst und sind allein
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein
Sie leben hinterm Sonnenschein
getrennt von uns unendlich weit
sie müssen sich an Sterne krallen (ganz fest)
damit sie nicht vom Himmel fallen
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn
kann man uns am Himmel sehn
wir haben Angst und sind allein
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehnkann
man uns am Himmel sehn
wir haben Angst und sind allein
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein
(English Lyrics)
Who in their lifetime is good on Earth
will become an angel after death
you look to the sky and ask
why can't you see them
Only once the clouds have gone to sleep
can you see us in the sky
we are afraid and alone
God knows I don't want to be an angel
They live behind the sunshine
separated from us, infinitely far
they must cling to the stars (very tightly)
so they don't fall from the sky
Only once the clouds have gone to sleep
can you see us in the sky
we are afraid and alone
God knows I don't want to be an angel
Only once the clouds have gone to sleep
can you see us in the sky
we are afraid and alone
God knows I don't want to be an angel
Poetic, eh?
