☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics describe the painful experience of saying goodbye and the associated anguish.
- The song contains a metaphor of life as a 'raging river', symbolizing constant change and the inevitability of progress.
- It is emphasized that the time we have with certain people or situations is short, and describes encounters as temporary meetings of ships at sea.
- The singer emphasizes the importance of memories of the person they are saying goodbye to. These memories bring them light and warmth in dark times.
- Overall, the song is an emotional confrontation with the difficulty of saying goodbye and the constant presence of the loved one in the singer's thoughts and feelings.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song 'Abschied' by
Reinhard Mey are about the painful experience of saying goodbye. They describe the feeling of being torn apart when one has to bid farewell to someone or something ('I have never said goodbye / Without being torn apart'). It is a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of change. The metaphor of life as a 'raging river' is used multiple times to symbolize the constant, unstoppable movement of life that forces us to keep moving forward even when we arrive at a pleasant or beloved place ('Life is like a raging river / That carries me further, that never stands still').
The second verse mentions the short time that is given to us with certain people or situations ('Yes, I know, the hours were / Only borrowed for a short time'). The encounter with others is compared to ships meeting at high sea and greeting each other before continuing their journey.
The third verse speaks of the memory of the person from whom farewell is taken. The singer talks about how these memories - the name, the face, the voice, the smile of the person - accompany him and give him light and warmth in dark times ('Your name will accompany me / Your voice, your face / Your smile is deeply imprinted in my memory').
Overall, the song is an emotional expression of the difficulties of saying goodbye, but also an acknowledgment of the memories and the ongoing presence of the loved one in the singer's thoughts and feelings.