Es brennt – Bilingual Lyrics German/English
Lyrics & Translation
But no one knows why
Whether in the ice of Alaska or the sun of Soweto
Is it the warmth or the light
That it gives to your face
Light it up, pay attention
It keeps the wolves away at night
We throw a match into the volcano
What we love, we write on slips of paper, light them up
I'm the one who runs to you at night with the torch
And it burns and it burns and it burns
The fire keeps the wolves away at night
And in the morning only ashes remain where you spent the night
The flame flickers and almost goes out when you run
But it burns and it burns and it burns and it burns and it burns
Fire burns under the spoon
Fire burns in the fireplace
The lamp shines in the dark on the wagon
While the settlers move west
You were cold (you were cold)
I was warm (I was warm)
I put my jacket over your arm
You were alone
And I watched over you
I keep the wolves away at night
We throw a match into the volcano
What we love, we write on slips of paper, light them up
I'm the one who runs to you at night with the torch
And it burns and it burns and it burns
The fire keeps the wolves away at night
And in the morning only ashes remain where you spent the night
The flame flickers and almost goes out when you run
But it burns and it burns and it burns and it burns and it burns
Everyone is staring at the fire
But no one knows why
We stare spellbound at the flames and we remain silently together
Light it up and pay attention
It keeps the wolves away at night
We throw a match into the volcano
What we love, we write on slips of paper, light them up
I'm the one who runs to you at night with the torch
And it burns and it burns and it burns
The fire keeps the wolves away at night
And in the morning only ashes remain where you spent the night
The flame flickers and almost goes out when you run
But it burns and it burns and it burns and it burns and it burns
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
|
Feuer /ˈfɔʏɐ/ A2 |
|
|
Wölfe /ˈvœlfə/ B2 |
|
|
Nacht /nakxt/ A2 |
|
|
Licht /lɪçt/ A2 |
|
|
brennen /ˈbrɛntən/ B1 |
|
|
Zettel /ˈtsɛtəl/ B2 |
|
|
lieben /ˈliːbən/ B1 |
|
|
werfen /ˈvɛrfən/ B2 |
|
|
Morgens /ˈmɔʁɡŋs/ A2 |
|
|
bleiben /ˈblaɪbən/ A2 |
|
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Haupt /haʊpt/ B2 |
|
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Auge /ˈaʊgə/ A2 |
|
|
sehen /ˈzeːən/ A2 |
|
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Key Grammar Structures
-
Alle Menschen starren auf das Feuer
➔ Subject-Verb Agreement, Use of the accusative preposition 'auf' with 'starren'
➔ "Alle Menschen" is plural, so the verb is "starren". "auf das Feuer" shows where they are staring. 'auf' requires the accusative case here because of the motion implied in 'starren'.
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Ob im Eis von Alaska oder der Sonne von Soweto
➔ Use of 'ob' to introduce an alternative, Genitive case ('von Alaska', 'von Soweto')
➔ 'Ob' introduces two possibilities. 'von Alaska' and 'von Soweto' are in the genitive case, indicating 'of Alaska' and 'of Soweto'.
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Zünd es an, gib drauf Acht
➔ Imperative Mood, separable verb 'anzünden', prepositional phrase 'Acht geben auf'
➔ "Zünd es an" is the imperative of "anzünden" (to ignite). "Gib drauf Acht" is the imperative of "Acht geben auf" (to pay attention to). 'drauf' refers back to the implicit object.
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Es hält die Wölfe fern in der Nacht
➔ Subject-Verb Agreement, Accusative Case ('die Wölfe'), word order (adverb 'fern')
➔ "Es" (it) is singular, so the verb is "hält". "die Wölfe" is the object of the verb "hält" and is in the accusative case. The adverb "fern" comes at the end of the phrase modifying the verb.
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Und Morgens bleibt nur die Asche, wo man die Nacht verbracht hat
➔ Relative clause with 'wo', Perfect Tense ('verbracht hat')
➔ 'Wo' introduces a relative clause describing the location. 'verbracht hat' is the perfect tense of 'verbringen' (to spend time), indicating a completed action in the past.
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Die Flammer lodert und erlischt fast wenn man rennt
➔ Conjunction 'wenn', verb conjugation ('lodert', 'erlischt', 'rennt')
➔ 'Wenn' introduces a conditional clause ('when one runs'). The verbs 'lodert', 'erlischt', and 'rennt' are all conjugated in the present tense to describe what happens when running.
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Dir war kalt (dir war kalt)
➔ Use of Dative case ('Dir')
➔ "Dir" is the dative form of "du" (you), indicating that "cold" is happening *to* you. 'Dir war kalt' means 'You were cold'.
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Ich leg dir meine Jacke über den Arm
➔ Dative case ('dir'), accusative preposition 'über' with motion
➔ "dir" is dative, showing to whom the jacket is being given. 'über den Arm' indicates the motion of placing the jacket *over* the arm. 'über' takes the accusative case here because of the movement involved.
