☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about the power and influence of people in the world.
- It shows how people exploit natural resources and destroy the environment.
- There are also people who resist the rule of the lords and demand their rights.
- The song lyrics express the ambivalence of human power: on one hand, people have the ability to dominate the world, but on the other hand, this domination leads to exploitation and destruction.
- It is also emphasized that people believe to be the masters of this world and demand loyalty from others.
Interpretation
The song lyrics 'The Masters of This World' by
Hildegard Knef are about the power and influence that humans have on the world. It is made clear that humans believe themselves to be the masters of this world. They have conquered the land and ruled the sea. They feel invincible and demand loyalty from others.
The lyrics describe how humans exploit the Earth's natural resources and destroy the environment. The riverbed has dried up and the fish have disappeared. The seas have receded and the rain is no longer enough. The plants refuse to continue growing. Humans have taken over and become the masters of this world.
But there are also people who resist the rule of the masters. Farmers, scholars, and the outraged stand up against them and demand their rights. They swear revenge and pursue the masters to the ends of the earth. Their hatred drives them and they follow the lions, symbolic of power, and wave to the masters.
Overall, the song lyrics express the ambivalence of human power. On one hand, humans have the ability to dominate and change the world, but on the other hand, this domination leads to exploitation and destruction.