The Same Old Song

Изпълнител: Unheilig
Песен: Die Alte Leier
Превод Немски → Английски
Submitted by brightswan on Съб, 07/04/2012 - 11:30
Преводи: Английски

Немски

Die Alte Leier

Ich seh den Regenbogen,
wenn er durch die Wolken fällt.
Die Blätter wehen im Wind vorbei.
In einer frühen kalten Welt.

Ein Schatten streift fast unerkannt
Die Symphonie.
Wenn der Nebel sich vom Boden hebt
Dreht er seine Melodie.

Ich seh ihn an.
Mit der Leier in der Hand.
Dreht er seine Melodie.
Leblos und ohne Ziel.
Immerzu die alte Weise.
Lauschen Ihm nur noch die Greise.
Leblos und ohne Ziel.
Dreht er seine eigene Melodie.

Ich seh die fremden Blicke.
Die mit Abscheu übersehen.
Nur im Alibi aus Zeit.
Ruhelos einfach weitergehen.

Sein leerer Blick erzählt vom Fall,
so stark wie nie.
Wenn der Nebel sich vom Boden hebt
Dreht er seine Melodie.

Ich seh ihn an.
Mit der Leier in der Hand.
Dreht er seine Melodie.
Leblos und ohne Ziel.
Immerzu die alte Weise.
Lauschen Ihm nur noch die Greise.
Leblos und ohne Ziel.
Dreht er seine eigene Melodie.

Immerzu die alte Weise.
Lauschen Ihm nur noch die Greise.
Leblos und ohne Ziel.
Dreht er seine eigene Melodie.

Ich seh den Regenbogen,
wenn er durch die Wolken fällt.

Английски

The Same Old Song

Versions: #1#2

I see the rainbow
when it breaks through the clouds
The leaves blow by in the wind
in a young cold world

Almost unrecognized,
a shadow grazes the symphony ¹
When the mist lifts off the ground
he grinds his melody ²

I watch him
With his grind organ in hand,
he grinds his melody
Lifeless and without purpose,
always the same old song
Only the old men listen to him
Lifeless and without purpose,
he grinds his own melody³

I see strange looks
which look away in disgust
just in the excuse of time,⁴
just restlessly moving on

His empty look tells of the fall
so strong as no other
When the mist lifts off the ground
he grinds his melody

Always the same old song
Only the old men listen to him
Lifeless and without purpose,
he grinds his own melody

I see the rainbow
when it breaks through the clouds

Коментар на автора:

The title of this song, Die Alte Leier, is a German saying, which means “The Same Old Story.” I decided to use "The Same Old Song" because of the many reference to the melody the organ grinder is grinding.
“Leier” in this song means “grind organ,” and the following link shows a picture with a caption beneath it referring to it as a “Leier.” Caption: „Immer dieselbe Leier?“ = „always the same old story.” I think "Always the same old song" would fit too. A more complete German term for this instrument is: Leierkasten.
http://www.luxist.de/luxist/2007/04/18/die-eigene-drehorgel/
barrel organ picture:
http://www.berolinchen.de/en/chicago.htm
synonyms: http://www.synonymfor.com/barrel-organ

¹ Streift = lightly touches, grazes.
² dreht = grinds. I think “cranks out“ would work well too, but I wanted to keep the translation fairly tight.
³ “he grinds to his own tune” would also make sense here.
⁴ Alibi = alibi = excuse: 2. Usage Problem: An explanation offered to avoid blame or justify action; an excuse.
2. Informal: an excuse
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/alibi

thanked 3 times