Whoever said Germans are not funny? There is an old stereotype that Germans are stoic or humorless. However, to find great German comedy, one must look no further than German music! From the Comedian Harmonists to Die Ärzte to Nina Hagen, comedy in German music has spanned both many decades and genres. Now, up-and-coming German alternative rock bands are carrying on this great tradition. Bands like AnnenMayKantereit, Faber, Von Wegen Lisbeth, BLOND, and Lampe each offer vibrant, unique stylizations while thematizing a diverse range of topics. These bands tackle themes of modern youth, politics, social justice, technology, apathy, optimism, love, loss, and more. To form or underscore their messages, these bands have woven threads of humor, bitter sarcasm, and blatant absurdity throughout some of their songs. Three songs that demonstrate this fantastic trend are “Schlimmer” by Lampe, “Es könnte grad nicht schöner sein” by BLOND, and “Alexa gib mir mein Geld zurück” by Von Wegen Lisbeth.
“Schlimmer,” or “Worse,” by Lampe mixes stream of consciousness scenarios with buoyant instrumentals to highlight a joyously pessimistic message that, “es kann immer, immer noch schlimmer, noch schlimmer kommen”/”Things can always, always get even worse, even worse” (Lampe). The vocals build an absurd narrative clause-by-clause, with drawn out instrumental pauses in-between, so that each new ridiculous detail hits the listener with a surprised belly laugh. The second verse demonstrates this beautifully:
Du schenkst ihr Pralinen. Sie schenkt dir ein Kind, dass sie irgendwo gefunden hat Es wird später ein Nazi Und ihr trefft euch, auf kitschigen Grußkarten, denn Liebe ist die Dominanz positiver Effekte! Doch eure Liebe ist zerbrechlich, so zerbrechlich… wie eine hässliche Porzellankatze Jetzt hat sie dich betrogen, mmmmm, mit zwei Nazis | You gift her pralines She gifts you a kid, that… she found somewhere It will grow up to be a Nazi And you meet each other on kitschy greeting cards, because love is the dominance of positive effects! But still your (pl.) love is breakable, so breakable… like an ugly porcelain cat Now she cheated on you, mmmmm, with two Nazis |
This song leaves the listener with an Ohrwurm and lingering considerations of how to laugh at the often ridiculous challenges and hardships life throws our way.
“Es könnte grad nicht schöner sein” or “It could not be any better right now” by BLOND is a slow burn alternative rock song, which builds from sanitized acoustics and lyrics to a scathing rock ballad which confronts the social stigma surrounding menstruation. This song, and particularly the music video, use a rapid change in tempo, subject matter, and tone to shock the audience. By the end of the first chorus, the listener may be left laughing in horror or surprise:
Es könnte grad nicht schöner sein Mein Leben ist grad ziemlich geil Ich habe eine gute Zeit Alles cool im Allgemeinen Es könnte grad nicht schöner sein Mein Leben ist grad ziemlich geil Ich habe eine gute Zeit Und genau dann kicken meine Tage rein | It couldn’t be any better right now My life right now is pretty cool I’m having a good time Everything’s generally cool It couldn’t be any better right now My life right now is pretty cool I’m having a good time And right then my time of the month kicks in |
This song challenges the listener in fun ways which may scandalize them or fill them with the need to scream, “meanwhile in my uterus, bloody storm in my uterus!” right along with BLOND.
Underscored by bubbly, fun acoustics, “Alexa gib mir mein Geld zurück” or “Alexa give me my money back” by Von Wegen Lisbeth explores and critiques what it is like to be young and listless in our modern technological landscape. The character, or perhaps caricature, of German youth constantly asks rhetorical questions, bouncing between thoughts and topics with no direction or goal. The second verse practically drips with sarcasm:
Wann lern’ ich endlich aus meinen Fehlern? Ja, guten Tag, wie heißt denn hier das WLAN? Wann ist hier eigentlich wieder was los und Warum gibt’s so viel Wettbüros? Warum war früher alles viel schöner? Warum macht ihr Mayonnaise in den Döner? Und warum ist die AfD immer noch da Obwohl ich heut’ beim Yoga war? Mach’ ich noch ein Praktikum? | When will I finally learn from my mistakes? Yes, hello, what’s the name of the Wifi here? When will something finally happen here again and Why are there so many betting offices? Why was everything better before? Why do you put mayonnaise on your Döner? And why is the AfD still there Even though I went to yoga today? Should I do another internship? |
With great instrumentals, consistent social commentary, and multiple lines that made me laugh out loud, this song truly embodies what I find so exciting about humor in new German alternative rock.
Comments
Post a Comment