It has struck me before that any cover of a Rammstein song, be it executed in German or using my English version, or someone else's, will never quite measure up without The Voice. Since I've been working on Rein Raus that idea has become more insistent. I guess that's the beauty (and the pain for cover bands) of having such an outstanding vocalist. Lindemann in full voice is spectacular, and even when he's growling he's outstanding. Rammstein does defy imitation, both in their music and their stage shows.
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Glad to have you in our fandom -- I love how thoughtful you are about the lyrics. And yes, Till is a force of nature. He's beyond anything any other band has -- no matter the language. This coming new CD and tour should be fantastic. Once again, welcome!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I appreciate your feedback :)
ReplyDeleteI have to be thoughtful about this. If the lyrics weren't clever they'd be much easier to adapt to English. As it is I'm constantly trying to work out exactly what's being implied, punned, and out-and-out said in every line, because if I miss something my work will fall short of the original. That's something I want to avoid at all costs.
I read somewhere that Till doesn't publish his intended meanings, because he wants listeners to extract from it what they can. That's a great idea, and is what art is all about, but it REALLY doesn't help me to accurately extend his work to non-German-speaking people.
Here's to Till stepping over that line one day soon, and telling us (or me) WTF was in his head at the time he composed all these mind-shattering lyrics!