☝️ Key Points
- The song deals with the romanticized idea of a sailor's love at sea and in the harbor.
- The sailor in the song longs for a woman he has strong feelings for and plans to return to her.
- The chorus emphasizes the beauty and contradiction of love both at sea and in the harbor, as well as the fleeting and novel nature of love in the harbor.
- Despite the instability of relationships in the harbor, the sailor wouldn't trade his lifestyle.
- The song illustrates the joys and challenges of a sailor's life and his different experiences with love.
Interpretation
The song 'Schön ist die Liebe im Hafen' is about the feelings and experiences of sailors when they return to port after a long time at sea. The lyrics convey a romantic view of sailing and love.
The first verse opens with a sailor warning a woman to be cautious because they will soon be going ashore. He longs for what lies ahead and when she hears a siren, it is meant only for her. This implies that he has strong feelings for her and wants to be with her.
The chorus, 'Schön ist die Liebe im Hafen, Schön ist die Liebe zur See, Einmal im Hafen nur schlafen, Sagt man nicht gerne: Ade', emphasizes the sailor's appreciation for the beauty of love both at sea and in port. It also shows his conflict between his love for the sea and the temptation of earthly love in port.
The second verse speaks of loyalty and the transience of love. The sailor warns the girl to protect her heart as their relationship may be short-lived. However, he also expresses his hope for a reunion and imagines 'dropping anchor' at her 'burning heart', signifying that he feels a strong connection to her and plans to return.
The repeated chorus once again highlights the beauty of love in port and at sea, and the line 'Schön sind die Mädel im Hafen, Treu sind sie nicht aber neu' expresses the excitement and novelty of love in port. The sailor makes it clear that despite the fickleness of relationships in port, he would not trade his lifestyle for that of a prince or count.
Overall, the song describes the joys and challenges of a sailor's life and how love is experienced in different contexts - at sea and in port.