Born In The GDR
Sandow Lyrics

The song "Born in the GDR" by Sandow is a reflection on growing up in East Germany during the years of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the changes that came with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The lyrics express the feeling of being trapped in a society that was heavily controlled by the government, where personal freedom and expression were strictly limited. The repetition of the lines "Now I'm alive, now I drink, now I stink, now I smoke, now I need you" juxtaposes the limitations of the past with the newfound freedom of the present.

The point-of-view shifts in the second half of the song to a larger perspective, questioning the idea of national borders and the potential for unity beyond them. The line "we can go to our borders, have you ever looked beyond them?" addresses the idea of a divided Germany, with its people on both sides constantly separated by the wall. The climax of the song, "I've seen 160,000 people singing so beautifully," suggests the potential for people to come together and create something beautiful despite their differences.

Overall, "Born in the GDR" is a reflection on the challenges and restrictions of growing up in East Germany, the difficulties of overcoming the division caused by the wall, and the hope for a future where people can come together despite their differences.