The Cabinet
Das Kabinette Lyrics


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The mysterious Doctor Sonol
Over the asylum now presides
And his alias is Doctor Caligari
The fairground's a dark place to hide
In the cabinet lies Cesare
Who has slept these 25 years
Cesare knows all secrets
Ask him to look into your future

How long shall I live?
Until Dawn
How long shall I live?
Until Dawn

In the cabinet of Doctor Caligari
Lies Cesare with his black leaded eyes
The somnambulist awaits the Doctor's commands
And obeys as another man dies
In Doctor Caligari's cabinet
Cesare knows all secrets
In Doctor Caligari's cabinet
Cesare knows all secrets

Over the rooftops of Holstenwall
Ceasare carries off a girl named Jane
The ensuing downfall of the Doctor comes
When they find that he himself is insane
In the cabinet

Until Dawn
Over the rooftops of Holstenwall
Cesare carries off a girl named Jane
The ensuing downfall of the Doctor comes
When they find that he himself is insane
In the cabinet

How long shall I live?
Until Dawn
How long shall I live?
Until Dawn





Until Dawn

Overall Meaning

The Cabinet by Das Kabinette is based on the 1920 silent horror film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". The lyrics describe the mysterious Doctor Sonol who presides over an asylum under the alias of Doctor Caligari. The fairground is presented as a dark hiding place, and in the cabinet we find the character Cesare who has slept for twenty-five years. Cesare is portrayed as a somnambulist, and he serves as Doctor Caligari's obedient puppet. Cesare is said to know all secrets, and one can ask him about their future.


The song's lyrics create a spooky atmosphere that reflects the eerie mood of the film. The use of the character's names and the detailed description of the cabinet emphasize the story's horror elements. The lyrics also present a sense of inevitability, as the Doctor's downfall eventually takes place. The repetition of the question, "How long shall I live?", further highlights the theme of death that is prevalent throughout the song.


Overall, The Cabinet by Das Kabinette is an intriguing and eerie song that successfully captures the atmosphere of its source material. The lyrics are both descriptive and ominous, telling the story of Doctor Caligari and his obedient puppet Cesare.


Line by Line Meaning

The mysterious Doctor Sonol
There is a mysterious doctor by the name of Sonol


Over the asylum now presides
This doctor is now in charge of the asylum


And his alias is Doctor Caligari
However, he goes by the name Doctor Caligari


The fairground's a dark place to hide
People hide in the fairground due to its mysterious and obscure nature


In the cabinet lies Cesare
Inside a cabinet lies a man named Cesare


Who has slept these 25 years
Cesare has been in this cabinet asleep for 25 years


Cesare knows all secrets
Cesare is aware of all the secrets that Doctor Caligari is keeping


Ask him to look into your future
One can ask Cesare to predict their future


How long shall I live?
A question regarding one's life expectancy


Until Dawn
The answer to the previous question is until dawn


In the cabinet of Doctor Caligari
Cesare is still in the cabinet with Doctor Caligari


Lies Cesare with his black leaded eyes
Cesare has dark and ominous eyes


The somnambulist awaits the Doctor's commands
Cesare, being a somnambulist, awaits Doctor Caligari's commands


And obeys as another man dies
Cesare follows Doctor Caligari's commands, even if it means causing someone's death


In Doctor Caligari's cabinet
Cesare is still inside the cabinet which belongs to Doctor Caligari


Over the rooftops of Holstenwall
A scene where Cesare is seen on the rooftops of Holstenwall


Ceasare carries off a girl named Jane
Cesare kidnaps a girl named Jane


The ensuing downfall of the Doctor comes
The doctor's downfall comes next


When they find that he himself is insane
It is found out that Doctor Caligari is insane himself


Until Dawn
The answer to the question of life expectancy is still until dawn




Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@Keltic619

I love how the lyrics are basically the storyline of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

@a.n2488

And you can't even complain about spoilers because the movie is literally one hundred years old.

@s.b.3775

​@@a.n2488 And even so, the song lyrics still doesn't spoil a very significant part of the film.

@DDDD-yv4cr

Caligarissssss!!!

@CMaier-pi2gr

Dejavus

@antonioskoutsoyiannis5319

After djing one night, I went to a mini market for my cigarettes and there it was a magazine for theatre and movies, with this as an extra dvd. Sometimes you get so unexpectedly lucky. I was looking for this movie for almost... forever. Tony, Greece.

@Elysionist1

Nobody I´ve known in the 80´s owened this vinyl-single. But everybody wanted it. Great Song, and one of my alltime-favs.

@Ben-nx7yy

This song is from the 80’s?

@Phrogjuiceman

@@Ben-nx7yy 1983

@lavaga4909

Never did I see a more perfect song/video combo

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