Arbeit Macht Frei
The Libertines Lyrics
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The guard said he could stay alive
But he has to shovel
And burn his friends to die, people to die
And the gate read:
"Arbeit Macht Frei"
In her rollers
And a gasper
She's leaning the steps in a mean street
Where no policeman walks the beat
Her old man
He don't like blacks or queers
Yet he's proud we beat the Nazis?
How queer
Arbeit Macht Frei
The Libertines's song Arbeit Macht Frei speaks about the horrors that took place in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The song begins with a reference to the harsh working conditions in the concentration camps where prisoners were forced to work under brutal conditions. The phrase "Arbeit Macht Frei," meaning "work sets you free," was a cruelly ironic slogan placed at the entrance of the concentration camps to deceive those arriving as well as hide the truth about the atrocities that were committed there.
The second verse of the song focuses on a girl who is smoking a cigarette and leaning against the steps of a mean street where no police officer walks. She seems unconcerned with the world around her, but the lyrics suggest she is a victim of neglect and oppression. Her father is a bigot who despises black and queer people. He's proud of his country for defeating the Nazis, but the irony is not lost on the singer, given the parallels of oppression between the people his father hates and the victims of the concentration camps.
In summary, the song is a commentary on how ordinary people are affected by the ideologies of those in power and how they can be cruelly oppressed as a result.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll a gasper
Light up a cigarette
The guard said he could stay alive
A guard offered him a chance at life
But he has to shovel
In order to live, he must work
And burn his friends to die, people to die
He is forced to incinerate the bodies of those who have died
And the gate read: 'Arbeit Macht Frei'
The gate reads 'work sets you free,' a cynical message given the concentration camp setting
In her rollers
She is wearing hair rollers
And a gasper
She is smoking a cigarette
She's leaning the steps in a mean street
She is hanging out in a dangerous area
Where no policeman walks the beat
There is no police presence in this area
Her old man
Her boyfriend/husband
He don't like blacks or queers
He is racially and sexually prejudiced
Yet he's proud we beat the Nazis?
He is hypocritical for being proud of beating the Nazis despite holding discriminatory beliefs
How queer
Ironic use of the word 'queer' to emphasize the hypocrisy of the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER DOHERTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind