Schönste Zeit – Bilingual Lyrics German/English

• By: Bosse
• Album: Sunnyside

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the evocative lyrics of Bosse's "Schönste Zeit" to connect with universal themes of youth, first love, and the enduring power of music. This song offers a poignant glimpse into personal history and the transition from adolescence to adulthood, making it a special piece for anyone who has experienced the intense emotions of their formative years.

[English]

There was only you and me out there

Wide fields and lakes, but nothing more

It was 1994 and we didn't know where to go

So we went into your bed

And shared our Walkman

The first beer, my moped, and the frustration

The moon in the night bus window

The first kiss was strawberry punch and spit

Like a Polaroid in the rain, a little blurry

That was the best time (the best time)

Because everything started there (the best time)

And Berlin was like New York

A city far away

And your tears were kajal

On the day Kurt Cobain died, you were in my arms

That was the best time (the best time)

Because everything started there (the best time)

Your first tattoo was the chorus

"It's better to burn out than to fade away, my mind, hey, hey"

And I bought a Neil Young and Nirvana shirt

When you moved away later, I broke down secretly

I played guitar nonstop, cried on paper

You were a Polaroid in the rain and my first song

That was the best time (the best time)

Because everything started there (the best time)

And Berlin was like New York

A city far away

And your tears were kajal

On the day Kurt Cobain died, you were in my arms

That was the best time (the best time)

(Hey, hey, my mind)

...

What we can't do is repeat anything

No moment, no second can ever be repeated

What we can't do is repeat anything

We can't go back and why should we, anyway?

...

That was the best time (the best time)

Because everything started there (the best time)

And Berlin was like New York

A city far away

And your tears were kajal

On the day Kurt Cobain died, you were in my arms

That was the best time

Oh well, whatever, nevermind

I dreamed of you last night

And of the best time (the best time)

Where it all began (the best time)

...

[German]

Es gab nur dich und mich da draußen

Große Felder und Seen doch viel mehr nicht

Es war 1994 und wir wussten nicht wohin

Also gingen wir in dein Bett

Und wir teilten uns unseren Walkman

Das erste Bier, mein Mofa und den Frust

Im Nachtbusfenster der Mond

Der erste Kuss war Erdbeerbowle und Spucke

Wie ein Polaroid im Regen, leicht verschwomm'n

Das war die schönste Zeit (die schönste Zeit)

Weil alles dort begann (die schönste Zeit)

Und Berlin war wie New York

Ein meilenweit entfernter Ort

Und deine Tränen war'n Kajal

An dem Tag, als Kurt Cobain starb, lagst du in mein'n Arm'n

Das war die schönste Zeit (die schönste Zeit)

Weil alles dort begann (die schönste Zeit)

Dein erstes Tattoo war dann der Refrain

"It's better to burn out than to fade away, my mind, hey, hey"

Und ich kaufte mir 'n Neil Young- und ein Nirvana-Shirt

Als du später wegzogst, brach ich heimlich zusamm'n

Ich spielte unentwegt Gitarre, heulte auf Papier

Du warst ein Polaroid im Regen und mein erstes Lied

Das war die schönste Zeit (die schönste Zeit)

Weil alles dort begann (die schönste Zeit)

Und Berlin war wie New York

Ein meilenweit entfernter Ort

Und deine Tränen war'n Kajal

An dem Tag, als Kurt Cobain starb, lagst du in mein'n Arm'n

Das war die schönste Zeit (die schönste Zeit)

(Hey, hey, my mind)

Was wir nicht könn'n, ist irgendwas wiederhol'n

Kein Augenblick, kein Moment kann sich je wiederhol'n

Was wir nicht könn'n, ist irgendwas wiederhol'n

Wir könn'n nicht zurück und warum sollten wir auch?

Das war die schönste Zeit (die schönste Zeit)

Weil alles dort begann (die schönste Zeit)

Und Berlin war wie New York

Ein meilenweit entfernter Ort

Und deine Tränen war'n Kajal

An dem Tag, als Kurt Cobain starb, lagst du in mein'n Arm'n

Das war die schönste Zeit

Oh well, whatever, nevermind

Hab letzte Nacht von dir geträumt

Und von der schönsten Zeit (die schönste Zeit)

Da, wo alles begann (die schönste Zeit)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
teilen /ˈtaɪlən/ B1	verb - to share
beginnen /bɪˈɡɪnən/ B1	verb - to begin
sterben /ˈʃtɛrbn̩/ B2	verb - to die
Kuss /kʊs/ A2	noun - kiss
Fotografie /foˈtɔɡʁaˌfiː/ B2	noun - photograph
Träne /ˈtʁɛːnə/ A2	noun - tear (from the eye)
Nacht /naχt/ A1	noun - night
Lied /liːt/ A2	noun - song
Weg /veːk/ A1	noun - way / path
Zeit /tsaɪt/ A1	noun - time
Traurig /ˈtʁaʊʁɪç/ B2	adjective - sad, sorrowful
Schön /ʃøːn/ A2	adjective - beautiful, nice

Key Grammar Structures

• Es gab nur dich und mich da draußen

  ➔ Imperfect tense (Präteritum) of 'geben'

  ➔ The imperfect tense, "gab", is used to describe a past state or situation. It indicates that "there was" only you and me out there. The *Präteritum* is common for narration and describing past conditions.

• Wie ein Polaroid im Regen, leicht verschwomm'n

  ➔ Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) - potential

  ➔ Although not explicitly a Konjunktiv II form here, the implied comparison to something that *would be* or *could be* blurred suggests a sense of potentiality and unreality often conveyed by Konjunktiv II. It describes a simile. "leicht verschwomm'n" functions as a past participle used adjectivally.

• An dem Tag, als Kurt Cobain starb, lagst du in mein'n Arm'n

  ➔ Relative clause with 'als'

  ➔ The word "als" introduces a relative clause specifying a particular point in time. "An dem Tag, *als* Kurt Cobain starb" means "On the day *when* Kurt Cobain died".

• Was wir nicht könn'n, ist irgendwas wiederhol'n

  ➔ Inversion of subject and verb (emphasizing the object)

  ➔ Normal word order would be "Wir könn'n irgendwas nicht wiederhol'n". The sentence structure "Was wir nicht könn'n, ist..." inverts the subject and verb in the second clause to emphasize *what* cannot be repeated.

• Da, wo alles begann

  ➔ Relative clause with 'wo' (place)

  ➔ The word "wo" introduces a relative clause that specifies a location. "Da, *wo* alles begann" translates to "There, *where* everything began". "Da" refers to a previously mentioned or understood location.