☝️ Key Points
- Lola, the main character of the song, is a confident woman who is aware of her attractiveness to men and holds it under her control.
- Lola's self-playing piano, the Pianola, stands as a metaphor for her independence and self-sufficiency.
- Lola's rejection of male dominance is evident in the line where she threatens to physically harm a man who wants to accompany her.
- The repeated line 'Lola, Lola - everyone knows who I am' emphasizes her fame, the fact that she is an object of desire, and her distance from the men who desire her.
- Lola's invitation to the audience to sing with her 'and alone at the piano, sing the lines with me' shows that she is willing to enter a relationship on her own terms.
Interpretation
The song 'Ich bin die fesche Lola' was performed by
Marlene Dietrich in the film 'Der blaue Engel' and is a portrayal of fascinating yet unattainable femininity. The main character, Lola, is a confident woman who is aware of her allure to men, as the lyrics 'Ich bin die fesche Lola, mich liebt ein jeder Mann!' (I am the charming Lola, every man loves me!) show.
She owns a pianola, a self-playing piano, which in this context can be seen as a metaphor for her independence and self-sufficiency, as she doesn't let any man 'get near my pianola'. This means that she doesn't need a man to entertain herself or to satisfy her.
The lyrics 'Und will mich wer begleiten da unten aus dem Saal, Dem hau' ich in die Seiten und tret' ihm auf's Pedal!' (And if someone wants to accompany me from down there in the hall, I'll hit them on the sides and step on their pedal!) show Lola's rejection of male dominance and her desire to maintain her independence. She is not willing to give up her freedom to meet the expectations of men.
The repeated line 'Lola, Lola - jeder weiß wer ich bin' (Lola, Lola - everyone knows who I am) emphasizes her fame and her role as an object of male desire, but also her distancing from these men. She doesn't kiss any man 'and alone at the piano, sings the lyrics with me' is an invitation to the audience to join her, but only on her terms.
In summary, 'Ich bin die fesche Lola' is a song about a strong, independent woman who is aware of her allure to men but is not willing to give up her independence for them.