Babylon – Bilingual Lyrics German/English

• By: Bilderbuch
• Album: Softpower

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Bilderbuch's Art-Pop track "Babylon" to explore a compelling vocabulary of social criticism in German. The lyrics brilliantly use contemporary slang alongside profound cultural metaphors, blending religious references and consumerist themes to describe modern life. Listen for the repeated refrain and vivid imagery to grasp how the German language can be used to critique and celebrate the complexities of a privileged, decadent world.

[English]

Rock am Ring is Sunday evening!

And on Sundays people usually go to church, right?

Well, well.

But Rock am Ring. Give me an amen!

Amen!

Amen!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Yeah!

The next song is a very critical song.

Religion‑critical.

It's called Babylon.

Christ says "Come, have a drink"

and I have a drink

Christ says "Let's dance"

and I start dancing

Christ says "Relax"

and I feel relaxed

Christ says I need more friends

I add whoever I know

I add whoever I know

I add whoever I know

I add whoever I know

Ooh, I live in Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon

(It's all for love)

(Who needs my love?)

I give you love

I buy myself love

And that's fine like that!

Woohoo!

Hey!

Tell the motherfucker to face me

Yeah

Mohammed says "Come, have a drink"

and I have a drink

Mohammed says "Let's dance"

and I start dancing

Mohammed says "Relax"

and I feel relaxed

Mohammed says "Yeyey"

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Hey, I live in Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon

(It's all for love)

(Who needs my love?)

I give you love

I buy myself love

And that's fine

Rock am Ring lifts its hands for the first time

Yeah

Woohoo

Say peace to the motherfucker

Give, call his name

Give, call his name

Yeah!

Doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo doo

Come on

Doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo doo

Yeah

Hey

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Come on

Oh!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Luja! Hallelujah!

Luja! Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Luja! Hallelujah!

Luja! Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Luja! Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Sing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Amen, Rock am Ring!

[German]

Rock am Ring ist Sonntagabend!

Und am Sonntag geht man normalerweise in die Kirche, oder?

Na, na.

Aber Rock am Ring. Gib mir ein Amen!

Amen!

Amen!

Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Yeah!

Das nächste Lied ist ein sehr kritisches Lied.

Religionskritisch.

Das heißt Babylon.

Christus sagt "Komm drink"

und ich trinke Drink

Christus sagt "Let's dance"

und ich mach den Dance

Christus sagt "Relax"

und ich bin entspannt

Christus sagt ich brauch mehr Friends

Ich adde wen ich kenn

Ich adde wen ich kenn

Ich adde wen ich kenn

Ich adde wen ich kenn

Ooh, ich lebe in Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon

(Das ist alles für die Liebe)

(Wer braucht meine Liebe?)

Ich gebe dir Liebe

Ich kauf mir Liebe

Und das ist gut so!

Wohoo!

Hey!

Say face to the motherfucker

Yeah

Mohammed sagt "Komm drink"

und ich trinke Drink

Mohammed sagt "Let's dance"

und ich mach den Dance

Mohammed sagt "Relax"

und ich bin entspannt

Mohammed sagt "Yeyey"

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Yeyeyo

Hey, ich lebe in Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon

(Das ist alles für die Liebe)

(Wer braucht meine Liebe?)

Ich gebe dir Liebe

Ich kauf mir Liebe

Und das ist gut so

Rock am Ring hebt die Hände zum ersten Mal

Yeah

Wohoo

Say peace to the motherfucker

Give call his name

Give call his name

Yeah!

Doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo doo

Come on

Doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo doo

Yeah

Hey

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Doo doo doo

Come on

Oh!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Luja! Halleluja!

Luja! Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Luja! Halleluja!

Luja! Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Luja! Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Sing Halleluja!

Halleluja!

Amen Rock am Ring!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
kritisch kriˈtɪʃ B1	adjective - critical
Religionskritisch ʁeliɡi̯oːnsˈkriːtɪʃ B2	adjective - critical of religion
Babylon baˈbyːlɔn A1	noun - Babylon
trinke ˈtrɪŋkə A1	verb - to drink
entspannt ɛntˈʃpan t A2	adjective - relaxed
adde ˈadə B1	verb - to add
Liebe ˈliːbə A1	noun - love
kauf kaʊf A1	verb - to buy
gut ɡuːt A1	adjective - good
motherfucker ˈmʌðərfʌkər B2	noun - motherfucker
peace piːs A1	noun - peace
Halleluja haləˈluːja A1	exclamation - hallelujah
Amen ɑːˈmɛn A1	exclamation - amen
Christus ˈkʁɪstʊs A1	noun - Christ
Mohammed moˈhamɛt A1	noun - Muhammad

Key Grammar Structures

• Christus sagt 'Komm drink' und ich trinke Drink

  ➔ Indirect speech with modal verbs

  ➔ The phrase uses indirect speech with 'sagt' (says) followed by a command ('Komm drink'). The response 'ich trinke Drink' shows the action taken based on the command.

• Ich adde wen ich kenn

  ➔ Colloquial language and verb conjugation

  ➔ The phrase 'Ich adde' is a colloquial form of 'Ich addiere' (I add), showing informal language. 'Wen ich kenn' is a shortened form of 'wen ich kenne' (whom I know).

• Ooh, ich lebe in Babylon, Babylon, Babylon...

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of 'Babylon' emphasizes the speaker's connection to the place or concept.

• (Das ist alles für die Liebe)

  ➔ Parentheses for additional information

  ➔ The parentheses are used to add an afterthought or additional comment without disrupting the main sentence.

• Sing Halleluja! Halleluja!

  ➔ Imperative mood for commands

  ➔ The phrase 'Sing Halleluja!' uses the imperative mood to give a direct command to the audience.