The song is comprised of two parts; "Drøm hardt", a four-minute song in typical verse form and the "Requiem", four minutes of a string section playing an instrumental version of the song. The "Part I" suffix appears to denote that other requiems are to follow, however, no mention of these, if they were even composed to begin with, have been made by the band.
Drøm hardt
Kaizers Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La oss drikke som svin
Noge å sove på
Det blir ei lang natt
så drøm hardt
Stjernene sa: du får et langt liv
Du sko ikkje hørt på dei
Kun ei natt igjen,
så mangt du sko ha drømt
Alt me kan gjer er å hjelpa deg på vei
Vår så snill og send meir brennevi
La oss drikke som svin
Noge å sove på
Det blir ei lang natt
så drøm hardt
I mårå må du ta de siste stegå
Ja, i mårå må du ta de siste stegå
Og eg forstår at du spør:
Var dette livet? Var dette alt?
Var dette livet? Var dette alt?
The lyrics of Kaizers Orchestra's song Drøm hardt convey a sense of resignation and melancholy, anchored in a context of excessive drinking and a long night ahead. The lyrics begin with the request for more alcohol and the suggestion to drink heavily, perhaps to numb the sense of impending dread that comes with facing the end of the road. The verse suggesting that the stars had promised a long life, but that they should not be trusted and that it is better to stick to one's own path, reinforces the sense that the singer is at a crossroads where the mistakes of the past cannot be undone. The repetition of the refrain "så drøm hardt" (so dream deeply) echoes as a comforting invitation to hold onto the dream life can offer even in the face of mortal uncertainty, and the line "Var dette livet? Var dette alt?" (Was this life? Was this everything?) highlights the sense of unfulfilled expectations and social stagnation.
The song, therefore, describes the emotional turmoil and despair of someone who realizes that their life may be ending soon, and who is trying to make sense of what they have accomplished in that time. The drinking and the long night ahead may be seen as a coping mechanism, a way to deal with the unknown, and the invitation to "dream deeply" reminds us that hope can still exist even in the darkest of moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Vår så snill og send meir brennevin
Be kind and send more liquor
La oss drikke som svin
Let's drink like pigs
Noge å sove på
Something to sleep on
Det blir ei lang natt
It's going to be a long night
så drøm hardt
So dream hard
Stjernene sa: du får et langt liv
The stars said: you will have a long life
Du sko ikkje hørt på dei
You should not have listened to them
Du sko holdt din sti rein
You should have kept your path clean
Kun ei natt igjen,
Only one night left,
så mangt du sko ha drømt
so much you should have dreamed
Alt me kan gjer er å hjelpa deg på vei
All we can do is help you on your way
I mårå må du ta de siste stegå
Tomorrow you must take the final steps
Ja, i mårå må du ta de siste stegå
Yes, tomorrow you must take the final steps
Og eg forstår at du spør:
And I understand that you ask:
Var dette livet? Var dette alt?
Was this life? Was this all?
Contributed by Ryan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Linnea H
flawless. absolutely flawless.