FSK (Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle, German meaning "voluntary self control") … Read Full Bio ↴FSK (Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle, German meaning "voluntary self control") is a German band that was formed in Munich in 1980. It became involved in the underground-part of the German New-Wave-Scene of the early 1980s. The band name is a reference to the German motion picture rating organisation Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft, which uses the same acronym. Their records were released on the legendary Zickzack-Label owned by Punk-guru Alfred Hilsberg. Later in the decade, they became favourites of British radio-guru John Peel, and were themselves strongly influenced by the independent British music scene of the 1980s. In the late 1980s they became interested in country music, influenced by bands like the Mekons, who also had a special approach to country music. FSK played a lot with David Lowery of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker and recorded in his Studio in Richmond, VA. In the mid-1990s they discoved Techno and House for themselves. Since then they have been recording in Weilheim in Germany which boasts a rich music scene around bands like the Notwist. Their latest album, First Take Then Shake, was recorded with Detroit House-producer Anthony Shake Shakir.

I Wish I Could
F.S.K. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I hear the words that you're telling me
Taking about all this tragedy
You've got everything
When you're close to me

You're all around
You're surrounding me
Intoxicated by the air you breathe

You've got everything
With me
Oh oh

Like broken pieces of a shattered dream
Or like a movie with a missing scene
You'd like you believe
I'm nothing special

But if I could take you home
If I could take you home
If I could take you home
I'll be all that you need

The trail of broken hearts you left behind
Should send me running girl
But I don't mind
It's not up to me
Where you sleep
oh oh

But you're so good at making casualties
Inflicting pain rather casually
It's easy to see
You'd do it to me
Oh oh

Like broken pieces of a shattered dream
Or like a movie with a missing scene
You'd like to believe
I'm nothing special

But if I could take you home
If I could take you home
If I could take you home
I'll be all that you need

If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh
You think I'm nothing special
But if I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)

Oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh

If I could take you home
If I could take it slow(Oh whoa oh)
If I could let you know
If I could make you see
That I'll be all that you need (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh

You think I'm nothing special
But If I could take you home
If I could take you home
If I could take you home
I'll be all that you need

If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
If I could take it slow (Oh whoa oh)
If I could let you know (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh
You think I'm nothing special
But If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)

Oh whoa oh
I'll be all that you need (Oh whoa oh)

Overall Meaning

In F.S.K.'s "I Wish I Could," the lyrics express the desire to be with someone who is toxic and has a history of leaving a trail of broken hearts. The song highlights the singer's willingness to overlook these flaws and believe that they could be the one to make a difference. The opening lines describe the singer's attraction to this person despite their depressing demeanor as they speak of tragedy. The lines "You've got everything, When you're close to me" suggest that being near this person is enough to make the singer happy.

The chorus emphasizes the singer's willingness to be there for this person despite their history of inflicting pain on others. They describe the person as making casualties and inflicting pain casually, yet they would like to be the exception to the rule. The lines "You'd like to believe, I'm nothing special" show the singer's low self-esteem and how they think they are just another one of the many people chasing this person. The repeated line "If I could take you home, I'll be all that you need" suggests that the singer wants to take care of the person they desire and be everything they need. Overall, the song highlights the dangerous and addictive nature of infatuation and the willingness to overlook one's flaws in a romantic relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

I hear the words that you're telling me
I am listening to what you are saying

Taking about all this tragedy
You are discussing a lot of sad events

You've got everything
You have everything you need

When you're close to me
I feel secure when I am near you

You're all around
I feel your presence all around me

You're surrounding me
You are enveloping me

Intoxicated by the air you breathe
I am captivated by your essence

Like broken pieces of a shattered dream
It feels like my dreams have been broken into pieces

Or like a movie with a missing scene
It feels like something is missing, like a piece of a movie

You'd like you believe
You seem to think that I am not special

I'm nothing special
You don't think that I am anything out of the ordinary

But if I could take you home
If I could bring you to my home

I'll be all that you need
I can provide everything you require

The trail of broken hearts you left behind
You have hurt a lot of people in the past

Should send me running girl
Your history might make me want to leave you

But I don't mind
It doesn't bother me too much

It's not up to me
I can't control where you go or what you do

Where you sleep
Where you lay down to rest

But you're so good at making casualties
You are skilled at causing emotional harm

Inflicting pain rather casually
You hurt people quite easily

It's easy to see
It's clear to me

You'd do it to me
You might inflict pain on me too

If I could take it slow
If I could proceed at a leisurely pace

If I could let you know
If I could make you understand

That I'll be all that you need
That I can provide everything you require

You think I'm nothing special
You do not believe that I am remarkable in any way

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MATTHEW RYAN HOOPES, MATTHEW THIESSEN, FERNANDO GARIBAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

banjo jobby

12y↑19

I've hummed the chorus to this song for years. Ever since I heard it just the once that night John Peel played in 86. Ahh, the memories of being a teenager listening to Peel at nights. Brilliant, great song.

Matt Hulse

4y↑3

I could have written this comment :)

Codi Serville

seems like quite the time and place to be alive

Gavin

12y↑7

Als Engländer, der Deutsch lernt, ist dieses Lied ein Anthem geworden! Dass es von John Peels Rundfunkprogramm aufgenommen wurde, ist für mich sogar noch besonders!

LULUBELLE III

14y↑5

Another band I have to thank John Peel for - I'd never have heard them otherwise!

terrypussypower

10y↑3

I'm amazed that there's so little FSK on YouTube, they're a great band. "Goes Underground" is an essential 80's indie album with some of my favourite FSK tunes on, such as "Dancing In The Dawn" (which isn't even on YT !).

pessoa70

12y↑5

I used to have this on a C90 tape off the radio, long since lost. Fondly remembered song and so good to hear this again-cheers!

WardCo

5y↑2

Bought the vinyl on a whim decades ago. Love this and "Gotta get over that wall."

someblokecalleddave1

14y

I have this somewhere on cassette tape and I've been looking out for it for years, I still sing it around the house now and today at last I've found it. Just need to find 'The Funny Gi' and 'Bad memory' more John Peel obscure tracks.

Claudia Katz-Palme

6y↑4

Hey Leute, ich freue mich ganz dolle, dass dieses Lied es bis zu euch geschafft hat. Das kenne ich von einem gewissen
Eddie Wilson, der gar kein Ami ist, aber das so wunderbar intoniert hat. Von 1961 ist das. Viel Spaß, und ich singe mit euch mit.
Lieben Gruß aus Berlin

Jan Cohen

10y↑7

If you like this version of the FSK song, you should see if you can get your hands on the original version, which Peel couldn't air on British Radio. The full length, original version closes out with what you'd swear was the sound of breaking glass on Kristalnacht, followed by what sounds like a troop of SS soldiers goose-stepping into the distance. I used to play this song as one of my closing songs as a DJ in a somewhat radical German bar back in the 80s, while I was stationed in Southern Germany. (ja, Ich koennte Deustch sprechen in den Tagen klar und un-deutlich :^)

mike soundcity

10y↑20

Great song! Written by my Father Billy 'Uke' Scott (circa 1958!) :-)

Last Name

3y↑1

I saw them years ago when they toured America (1992 I think). Thought they were a great band and friendly (was able to say hello for a minute after the show).

Cowleys Bein

1y↑1

Were they together on tour with David Lowery or Cracker?

Last Name

1y↑1

@Cowleys Bein I think David Lowery was acting as their tech and possibly helped guide them across the states...I think it must have been a nice gesture. Remember it as being a good band.

Alberto L'escargot

10y↑8

Ha Ha, this is brilliant and turns the racist stereotype of humourless Germans completely upside down.German indie/activist/arts band covers country song by US GI based in Germany after WW2 about how he can only speak tourist Deutsch,do it totally deadpan, and persuade ppl in fake 'Bierkeller' chain pubs to sing along to a 'traditional' German beer drinking song.The ironies keep rolling over like a Moebius strip,fucking love this.

Mike Spurgeon

6y↑1

Saw these in 1984 Adelphi club Hull. Class act and Blue Yodel is a fine tune indeed.

Martin Spiegler

3y↑1

Schöne Menschen singen schön und deutsch und der Himmel ist blau. Danke!

swerve1960

5y↑1

I don't half miss the John Peel show!

Nigel Longhurst

14y↑3

Meistens Bavaria. Meine erste Frau war halb-Deutsch, also hab ich oft ihre Onkeln un Tanten besucht. (Ich kann Deutch viel besser verstehen als sprechen, leider...) I love it when German bands sing in English (eg. Kraftwerk, Udo Lindenberg) - there's something beautiful and charming in their enunciation of words (sorry, I couldn't translate that - I wish I could Sprechen Sie Deutsch!)

Michael Wendt

2y↑1

Thank you John Peel!

twsdswbcegbmsit

12y↑1

Gigantisch. Wie alles von der Band.

Chris Turner

11y

ah,that's great ,heard it on radio six a few months ago, just remembered to see if I could find it... hey presto... that's the power of the net

Balmaha Rifles

13y↑2

nice, I recorded peel back then also and have some fsk!:)

Nigel Longhurst

14y↑2

Danke Schone, mein freind, fur diese wunderbare lied. I hab' Deutch an der Schule nicht sehr gut gelernt, aber hab Deutchland oft besucht. so I can relate, basically... Wiedersehen! :) (RIP Peelie)

WomensFootballChannel

12y

Have you got the other tracks from the 1985 & 86 Peel sessions???

clive keeling

8y↑23

FSK were more important than the Beatles.

duckula

4y↑3

Komm... gib mir deine hand

KT Kee

9y↑1

I had no idea this was a cover. I should have guessed, it's a bit tuneful for a Peel band.

guwest2

12y

Should have been higher than 33 in the '86 Festive 50.

Don Goldwyn

8y↑1

FUntastic Luv it

Ursula DAngelo

8y↑4

Ach du lieber!! This is hilarious!

Steve Barclay

6y↑1

Written and performed by Billy UKe Scott 1950's

tomschillingonUtube

13y↑1

and thats the KLASSIKER

Frank Wright

40w

Words to l wish l could sprechen sie
dauch

enibas adnuf

12y

Herr wirf Hirn vom Himmel, er brauch es so dringend. Mama hat nen Klugscheisser gross gezogen der bis zur Schuhspitze denken dann.

MartinsKleineWelt

12y

Können Sie das näher erläutern?

blonde7000

11y↑1

Freiwillige Selbst-Kontrolle

Sarah Thomas

9y↑1

sprecken sie deutsch

Sarah Thomas

sprechen sie deutsch

Sarah Thomas

9y↑1

is speak german in school

Hans Müller

9y↑2

Is it my fault or is in the sentence " I Wish I Could Sprechen sie Deutsch " no sence? i think the Sie is not necessary. In German it would mean "Ich wünschte ich könnte Deutsch sprechen" and in English " I wish i could speak german " and not " ich wünschte ich könnte sprechen sie deutsch " or "I wish i could speak you german" so grammar and vocabular aee

Günther Petrides

9y↑4

This is precisely the explanation of this English text, which is exactly the language that GIs talked in the 50's and 60's when they wanted to lead a conversation with Germans. Mind you, these were the US guys, which had interest in the land in which they lived for the moment, to communicate. All respect for these people and full understanding when so many did not work so well. I knew a lot of these people and loved by you. Even today, in retrospect.

KT Kee

9y↑6

This is a very German response.

RYKE

I think its actually intentionally mixed up. (You're the english speaking guy, I'm the german bartender:)
You: "Hi ma frend. I'm hungrey an verey thirstey. Pleas gimme some nice tastey food an make sure that I get drunk in verey shoat time."
Me: "Es tut mir leid, aber ich spreche absolut kein Ausländisch, schließlich ist das hier Deutschland. Unser Angebot ist klein, dafür aber sehr gut. Wir haben hier drei verschiedene deutsche Pils und ein Dunkles aus Tschechien im Angebot. Außerdem haben wir Erdnüsse, belegte Brötchen, falschen Hasen und wenn die Chefin gut gelaunt ist, gibt es auch Toast Hawaii. - Sprechen Sie deutsch? - Dann kann ich Ihnen auch etwas anbieten."
You (didn't understood a word but the question and repeat it in your head): "Dayum, I wish I could sprechen Sie deutsch just to get something, anything, whateva."
(I'm german, hope my english is good enough. :-D)

RYKE

Well, I think I just wrote what FSK is singing... 😂

Arne Nemo

12y↑1

musst du da gleich so pissig werden??? da machts das siezen auch nich besser...

Nusrat Rizvi

Heard it in 1962 on US Forces Network by Paul Anka, not sure if it was Anka, so many years ago. Love to buy the record not sure how.
Anyone has advice?