After dropping out of high school, he started an apprenticeship as a construction draftsman. He soon changed plans and was admitted to the Duisburg conservatoire to study piano, after passing an entrance exam for particularly gifted applicants (it later turned out that his diploma was invalid since he dropped out of high school too early). He then toured as a little-known jazz musician and as entertainer, basically as stand-up comedian in local clubs. Schneider plays various instruments such as the Hammond organ, acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, drums, piano, accordion, trumpet and others.
He became a popular comedian in the 1990s and still is among the best known German comedians. He toured and still tours (alone and with his bands "Hardcore", "The Firefuckers" and others) through major concert halls with a mixture of music and comedy. He frequently appears on German TV, and is probably best known for his song Katzenklolied (Kitty Litter Box Song): "Katzenklo, Katzenklo, ja das macht die Katze froh" ("Kitty litter box, kitty litter box, that makes the cat happy."), a number one hit in 1994. He wrote, directed and starred in four movies. In 2007 he appeared as Adolf Hitler in a satirical film: Mein Führer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler.
Schneider has written nine books, including an autobiography ("There is my whole life in this book, up to right now. The second part comes in thirty, forty years") and a musical, "Mendy - das Wusical", which appeared at Bochum Theatre in 2004.
His comic techniques include parody, use of the local Ruhr area dialect, surprising use of infantile language and other unexpected changes in style, slapstick/physical humour, Dada like absurdities, sudden and unexpected use of crude/sexual humour, references to national and international highbrow and lowbrow culture, and phonetic and declamatory playfulness and exaggeration. Most of his material is heavily language dependent and therefore does not translate well into other languages.
Clown
Helge Schneider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh schon spät naja hähä was soll man machen
Mein Gott wie sieht das hier die schmeißen auch alles weg
Ich bin nur euer Clown
Nachts geh' ich über'n Friedhof
Mit einem Stock picke Papier auf
Weil ich einen Sauberkeitsfimmel habe
Ihr schmeißt auch wirklich alles weg
Ob Kaugummi oder Butterbrotpapier
Ich bin nur euer Clown
Da klebt noch ein Kaugummi unter der Bank
Aber einer muß es ja machen, Ich!
Ich bin nur euer Clown
Jemand hat hier außenrum
Seinen Müll einfach hingelegt in die Ecke
Matratzen Batterien das kann doch nich wahr sein
Ich hab keine Lust mehr heute trotzdem
Ohne mich wär die Welt nicht ganz so perfekt
Da ein altes Butterbrot mit Schinken
Ich werd es mal aufheben
Vielleicht kann man's sogar noch verwerten
Scheiße da 'ne Ratte
Hier, friß
Ja ich bin nur euer Clown
Hier an der Bushaltestelle der Papierkorb quillt über
Jetzt ruf' ich Verstärkung
Na euch gefällt wohl mein orangener Umhang
Was ihr Schüler
Lacht nur
Ich bin der Straßenfeger
Ohne mich geht nichts
Ich picke Papier auf
Ich sammel Mist ein
Damit ihr denkt die Welt ist sauber und rein
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Googled by Houston Power
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The song "Clown" by Helge Schneider is a humorous and satirical commentary on the idea of responsibility and societal norms. The lyrics describe a character, who refers to themselves as the "clown," who takes it upon themselves to clean up the streets and public spaces of trash and litter that others neglect to pick up. The clown is portrayed as someone who takes pride in their work and sees it as their duty to maintain cleanliness and order in the world.
The first verse sets the scene, as the clown walks down a street, remarking on the time and the state of the area. The clown comments on the litter and garbage that is strewn about, and then identifies themselves as the "clown." The rest of the song continues with this theme, as the clown describes their various cleaning and maintenance activities, from picking up papers on a graveyard to ensuring that discarded food is not wasted. The chorus, "Ich bin nur euer Clown" ("I am only your clown"), reinforces the idea that the clown sees themselves as a servant or helper to society, even though their efforts are often unappreciated or laughed at by others.
Overall, the lyrics of "Clown" can be interpreted as a critique of societal apathy and the need for personal responsibility. The clown is a symbol of the individual who takes it upon themselves to make things better, even if it means going against the grain or doing things that others find strange or ridiculous.
Line by Line Meaning
Ach ich geh' mal hier lang
I am wandering around with no particular purpose
Uh schon spät naja hähä was soll man machen
It's getting late, but I don't really care
Mein Gott wie sieht das hier die schmeißen auch alles weg
This place is a mess, people are littering everywhere
Ich bin nur euer Clown
I am just a clown, here to make you laugh
Nachts geh' ich über'n Friedhof
I walk through the cemetery at night
Mit einem Stock picke Papier auf
I use a stick to pick up trash
Weil ich einen Sauberkeitsfimmel habe
Because I have a cleanliness obsession
Da, noch eins
Oh, there's another piece of trash
Ihr schmeißt auch wirklich alles weg
People really do throw everything away
Ob Kaugummi oder Butterbrotpapier
Whether it's gum or sandwich wrap
Da klebt noch ein Kaugummi unter der Bank
There's still gum stuck under the bench
Aber einer muß es ja machen, Ich!
But someone has to pick it up, and that person is me!
Jemand hat hier außenrum
Someone has left garbage lying around
Seinen Müll einfach hingelegt in die Ecke
They just left it in a corner
Matratzen Batterien das kann doch nich wahr sein
Mattresses and batteries? This is ridiculous
Ich hab keine Lust mehr heute trotzdem
I don't feel like doing this anymore, but
Ohne mich wär die Welt nicht ganz so perfekt
Without me, the world wouldn't be as clean and orderly
Da ein altes Butterbrot mit Schinken
There's an old ham sandwich lying here
Ich werd es mal aufheben
I'll pick it up
Vielleicht kann man's sogar noch verwerten
Maybe it can still be salvaged
Scheiße da 'ne Ratte
Oh crap, there's a rat here
Hier, friß
Here, eat this
Ja ich bin nur euer Clown
Yes, I am still your clown
Hier an der Bushaltestelle der Papierkorb quillt über
The trash can at the bus stop is overflowing
Jetzt ruf' ich Verstärkung
Now I'll call for backup
Na euch gefällt wohl mein orangener Umhang
You all seem to like my orange cape
Was ihr Schüler
What are you students doing
Lacht nur
Go ahead and laugh
Ich bin der Straßenfeger
I am the street sweeper
Ohne mich geht nichts
Without me, everything falls apart
Ich picke Papier auf
I pick up litter
Ich sammel Mist ein
I collect garbage
Damit ihr denkt die Welt ist sauber und rein
So that you can believe the world is clean and pure
Contributed by Aria T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.