Diskografie
Grönemeyer (1979)
Zwo (1980)
Total egal (1982)
Gemischte Gefühle (1983)
4630 Bochum (1984)
Sprünge (1986)
Ö (1988)
Luxus (1990)
Chaos (1993)
Bleibt alles anders (1998)
Mensch (2002)
12 (2007)
Schiffsverkehr (2011)
Dauernd jetzt (2014)
Tumult (2018)
Das Ist Los (2023)
White Arrogance
Herbert Grönemeyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all too clear
It's a lament for all the world
No-one wants to hear
Behind unshakeable faith in god
In isolation
Safe behind the barricades
They call it homeland.
White arrogance
The only yardstick
White arrogance
All men are equal
But the whites are somehow better.
And in the camps they cry with rage
The white yoke cuts deep
And we just watch in on TV
What can we do?
We see the truncheons, the black blood
The silent cries
They live their lives down in the mud
We, too, are to blame.
White arrogance
The only yardstick
White arrogance
All men are equal
But the whites are somehow better.
Too cowardly to do a thing
Too cowardly to boycott
Too cowardly to do a thing
Too cowardly to boycott
Holding men in contempt
Shipping men like cattle
Holding men in contempt
Shipping men like cattle.
With brown eyes and black hair
It's difficult life
Here as much as there
There are different shades of white
We see the slogans on the walls
Cash changing hands
Be good to all your fellow men
Who gives a damn?
White arrogance
The only yardstick
White arrogance
All men are equal
But the whites are somehow better.
In "White Arrogance" by Herbert Grönemeyer, the lyrics expose and denounce the existence of white arrogance as a phenomenon that persists in today's society. The first verse sets the tone as a lament for the whole world that nobody wants to hear. It describes the isolation that comes with unshakeable faith in God and the feeling of safety behind barricades. Although the song is centered around the concept of white arrogance, there is a sense of hopelessness as the verse implies that the world is ignoring the cries of people in distress.
The chorus is the crux of the song, as it repeats the phrase "White arrogance, the only yardstick." The repeated line draws attention to white superiority complex, which people often use as a measure of success, power and identity. The line "All men are equal, but the whites are somehow better" implies that equality exists, but the overwhelming influence of white people relegates others to a lower position.
The second verse voices the frustration at the inhumanity of the situation where people of color are held in contempt and treated as cattle. The helplessness of the situation is emphasized in the line "What can we do?". In the final verse, the lyrics describe the reality of human interaction where despite the slogans on the wall and the exchange of cash, people still remain indifferent. In short, Herbert Grönemeyer's "White Arrogance" is a sobering song that calls on listeners to rethink their self-identity and the way they interact with the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a shiver in the air
Something unsettling is happening
It's all too clear
The situation is obvious, but nobody is doing anything about it
It's a lament for all the world
The situation is a tragedy that affects everyone
No-one wants to hear
People are ignoring the problem
Behind unshakeable faith in god
Some people use religion to justify their actions
In isolation
These people are cut off from the rest of the world
Safe behind the barricades
They feel protected and secure in their beliefs
They call it homeland.
They believe they are defending their country
White arrogance
People think being white makes them superior
The only yardstick
This is how people measure their worth
All men are equal
Everyone should be treated the same
But the whites are somehow better.
However, some people think being white makes them better
And in the camps they cry with rage
People are suffering and angry
The white yoke cuts deep
The oppression of white people is causing great pain
And we just watch in on TV
People are passive and not taking action
What can we do?
People feel helpless and don't know how to help
We see the truncheons, the black blood
People are being brutally beaten and killed
The silent cries
Some people are suffering in silence
They live their lives down in the mud
Some people are living in terrible conditions
We, too, are to blame.
People are responsible for allowing this to happen
Too cowardly to do a thing
People are afraid to take action
Too cowardly to boycott
People are afraid to protest by boycotting
Holding men in contempt
Some people despise others based on their race
Shipping men like cattle
Some people are treating humans like commodities
With brown eyes and black hair
People of different races are also suffering
It's difficult life
Life is hard for everyone
Here as much as there
These problems are not just happening somewhere else, they are happening here too
There are different shades of white
Even among white people, there is a diversity of experiences
We see the slogans on the walls
People are expressing their beliefs through graffiti
Cash changing hands
Corruption is happening
Be good to all your fellow men
We should treat everyone with kindness and respect
Who gives a damn?
However, some people don't care about others
Contributed by Cole K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.