☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics describe a dark vision of the future in which the world is threatened by black birds.
- It is emphasized the importance of remembering the position of the North Star and etching the pace in the hand to orient oneself and be prepared.
- The singer talks about dresses made of fish skin and asbestos, as well as black glasses that children should wear to protect themselves from the dangers of the world.
- It is hinted that the world has dramatically changed and oracles are consulted to get clues about the future.
- The song lyrics end with the question of who will play the games when the children are awake at night, and urges to remember the position of the North Star before the compass rose breaks.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song 'Hochzeit' by
Franz Josef Degenhardt are about a dark vision of the future, where the world is threatened by black birds and people find themselves in an uncertain and dangerous environment. The lines of the text convey an atmosphere of threat and the need to be vigilant and prepared.
The first lines of the text describe the black birds sitting on the dike and pushing clouds into the land with their hands. This symbolizes an eerie presence and an impending danger. The singer urges the listeners not to close their mouths and to look at the sky to remember where the North Star is before the Big Dipper eats it. This could mean that we should orient ourselves by the few constant elements of the universe and prepare for changes.
Throughout the song, the singer speaks about the future of his children. He demands that they wear clothes made of fish skin and asbestos and have black glasses attached to their ears to protect themselves from the dangers of the world. He wants them to walk close to walls and not look down to be safe. The singer also tells about how he wakes up his children at night and rides with them on the roof to show them the North Star and carve the marching number into their hand. This is meant to help them orient themselves in life and be prepared.
The text also implies that the world, as we know it, has dramatically changed. There are no more cups in the cupboard, and gold is melted and poured into a tank. People throw small pieces of foundation stone into the river to consult an oracle and get hints about the future. The singer warns to remember where the North Star is before the Big Dipper eats it and to carve the marching number into our hand to orient ourselves and be prepared.
The climax of the song is the wedding that is celebrated while the Big Dipper sleeps and shooting stars fall from the sky. The singer wishes to fly in a moonship that doesn't keep its course and continues to fly to the edge of the world. Constellations like Virgo and Cassiopeia are mentioned passing by while the Milky Way is free. The singer urges the listeners to look out the window and remember the position of the North Star.
The song lyrics end with the question of who will ever find out where their bed was and who will play their games when they lie awake at night. The singer once again urges to open the mouth and look up at the sky to remember the position of the North Star and carve the marching number into the hand before the wind rose is broken.
Overall, the song lyrics are about the threat and uncertainty in a dystopian world. They call on the listeners to be vigilant, orient themselves, and be prepared to face the challenges of the future.