Verdamp lang her – Bilingual Lyrics German/English

• By: Bap

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant lyrics of BAP's "Verdamp lang her," a Kölschrock classic. This song offers a profound look at reflection, loss, and the passage of time, allowing listeners to connect with universal themes of change and self-discovery through its evocative storytelling.

[English]

Damn long time ago, that I took almost everything at face value

Damn long time ago, that I believed in something

And then the shock, when it came at me differently

Strange, how many rabbits run on for a long time

Not resigned, just richly disillusioned

I've understood a little bit

Who all runs after you, if things are going well for you

Pats you on the back, who doesn't usually suck up to you

Calls himself your friend without blushing

And simply ignores you the very next day

It's been a long time, that I stood there helplessly in front of such things

And really couldn't do anymore because of disappointment

...

I still remember how I only dreamt of it

Of what I didn't know how I should seek

Almost missed finding it because of all the searching

And generally, what I even wanted to find

A head full of nothing, only those few instinctive tricks

It takes a long time until you see through things

...

That was the time, when I didn't even have bad luck yet

Not even that, I wasn't even fed up with it yet

Here was John Steinbeck, there stood Joseph Conrad

In between me, just relatively checkmated

It's been a few years, but the memory isn't hard

Today it feels like it was yesterday

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

...

Ask me, when I last painted a picture

If a song is really enough for me now

If I'm there now, where I wanted to go

If I'm not ruining my colors on this tour

I think I know, whether you paint loudly or quietly now

Only matters, that you do it

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

...

Damn long time ago, that I was at your grave

Damn long time ago, that we spoke

And that something from one also arrived at the other

So long ago, that I can barely remember

You firmly believed, that someone in heaven is waiting for you

"I grant it to you", I said

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

Damn long time ago, damn long

Damn long time ago

...

[German]

Verdamp lang her, dat ich fass alles ähnz nohm

Verdamp lang her, dat ich an jet jejläuv

Un dann dä Schock, wie et anders op mich zokohm

Merkwürdich, wo su manche Haas langläuf

Nit resigniert, nur reichlich desillusioniert

E bessje jet hann ich kapiert

Wer alles, wenn dir et klapp, hinger dir herrennt

Ding Schulder klopp, wer dich nit all hofiert

Sich ohne ruut ze weede dinge Fründ nennt

Un dich daachs drop janz einfach ignoriert

Et ess lang her, dat ich vüür sujet ratlos stund

Un vüür Enttäuschung echt ni' mieh kunnt

Ich weiß noch, wie ich nur dovun gedräump hann

Wovunn ich nit woss, wie ich et sööke sollt

Vüür lauter Söökerei et Finge jlatt versäump hann

Un övverhaup, wat ich wo finge wollt

Ne Kopp voll nix, nur die paar instinktive Tricks

Et duhrt lang, besste dich durchblicks

Dat woor die Zick, wo ich noch nit ens Pech hat

Noch nit ens dat, ich hatt se nit ens satt

He woor John Steinbeck, do stund Joseph Conrad

Dozweschen ich, nur relativ schachmatt

Et ess paar Johr her, doch die Erinnerung fällt nit schwer

Hück kütt mer vüür, als wenn et jestern wöör

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Frööchs mich, wann ich zoletz e Bild jemohlt hann

Ob mir e Leed tatsächlich jetz jenüsch

Ob ich jetz do benn, wo ich hinjewollt hann

Ob mir ming Färv op die Tour nit verdrüsch

Ich jläuv, ich weiß, ob du nu laut mohls oder leis

Kütt nur drop ahn, dat de et deiß

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, dat ich bei dir ahm Jraav woor

Verdamp lang her, dat mir jesprochen hann

Un dat vum eine och jet beim andere ahnkohm

Su lang, dat ich mich kaum erinnre kann

Häss fess jejläuv, dat wer em Himmel op dich waat

"Ich jönn et dir", hann ich jesaat

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Verdamp lang her, verdamp lang

Verdamp lang her

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lang /laŋ/ A1	adjective - long
her /hɛr/ A1	pronoun - her (referring to a female)
kapiert /kaˈpiːʁt/ B1	verb - understood
Enttäuschung /ɛntˈtɔʏʃʊŋ/ B2	noun - disappointment
Erinnerung /ɛˈʁɪnəʁʊŋ/ B2	noun - memory
Färv /fɛʁf/ B2	noun - color
Bild /bɪlt/ A2	noun - picture
Schock /ʃɔk/ B1	noun - shock
Haas /ha:s/ B2	noun - hate
Söökerei /ˈzøːkəʁaɪ/ B2	noun - search
Kopp /kɔp/ B2	noun - head
Ding /dɪŋ/ A2	noun - thing
Fründ /fʁʏnt/ B1	noun - friend
jet /jɛt/ A2	adverb - yet
vüür /fyːʁ/ B2	adverb - before
zokohm /zoˈkoːm/ B2	verb - to come

Key Grammar Structures

• Verdamp lang her, dat ich fass alles ähnz nohm

  ➔ Subordinate Clause with "dat"

  ➔ This line uses the subordinate conjunction "dat" (that) to introduce a clause describing something that happened a long time ago. "Verdamp lang her, dat..." translates to "It's been a damn long time that...". The word order in the "dat" clause follows German subordinate clause rules, with the verb ("nohm") at the end.

• Nit resigniert, nur reichlich desillusioniert

  ➔ Parallel Structure

  ➔ This line uses parallel structure to contrast two adjectives: "nit resigniert" (not resigned) and "reichlich desillusioniert" (amply disillusioned). The structure emphasizes the distinction: the speaker is not resigned, but very disillusioned.

• Wer alles, wenn dir et klapp, hinger dir herrennt

  ➔ Conditional Clause with "wenn"

  ➔ This line uses a conditional clause introduced by "wenn" (if). The structure "wenn dir et klapp" (if it works for you) sets the condition for the main clause "Wer alles... hinger dir herrennt" (everyone runs after you). The sentence highlights the opportunistic behavior of people who are only interested when someone is successful.

• Ding Schulder klopp, wer dich nit all hofiert

  ➔ Relative Clause

  ➔ This line uses a relative clause "wer dich nit all hofiert" (who doesn't flatter you at all) to describe the type of person who pats you on the shoulder ("Ding Schulder klopp"). The relative pronoun "wer" refers to those who are not genuinely flattering, highlighting their insincerity.

• Sich ohne ruut ze weede dinge Fründ nennt

  ➔ Infinitive Clause with "ze"

  ➔ This line uses an infinitive clause with "ze" (to) "ohne ruut ze weede" (without turning red) to describe how someone calls you their friend ("dinge Fründ nennt"). The phrase implies that the person is shamelessly lying, without even blushing.

• Et ess lang her, dat ich vüür sujet ratlos stund

  ➔ Subordinate Clause with "dat" (repeated from earlier example)

  ➔ Similar to the first example, this line uses "dat" to introduce a subordinate clause. "Et ess lang her, dat..." (It's been a long time that...) precedes the clause "ich vüür sujet ratlos stund" (I stood clueless before such a thing). This again uses the German subordinate clause word order with the verb at the end.

• Ich weiß noch, wie ich nur dovun gedräump hann

  ➔ Indirect Question with "wie"

  ➔ This line uses "wie" to introduce an indirect question. "Ich weiß noch, wie..." translates to "I still remember how...". The following clause, "wie ich nur dovun gedräump hann" (how I only dreamed of it), functions as the object of the verb "weiß". German grammar places the verb at the end of the indirect question clause.