Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.
Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.
She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.
The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.
During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).
Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.
Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.
Die Welt war jung
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Der Wirbel des Lebens ist was mir gefällt,
Ich seh' nie den Tag, nur die Lichter der Nacht,
Ich bin überall wo man trinkt, wo man lacht.
Bin niemals allein, bin nirgends zu Haus
Der Tanz geht weiter tagein und tagaus;
Nur manchmal verschwindet die Wirklichkeit
Und ich sehe ein Bild aus anderer Zeit.
Ah der Apfelbaum, zarter weißer Traum
Der Erinnerung. Sanfte Sommerluft milder
Blütenduft über Zeit und Raum in der
Dämmerung und die Welt war jung.
Ah der Apfelbaum zarter weißer Traum
Der Erinnerung. Ferner Glockenklang und die
Amsel sang in der Dämmerung, wo die Schaukel
Schwang und die Welt war jung.
Wo die Schaukel schwang und die Welt war jung.
The song Die Welt War Jung by Marlene Dietrich is a nostalgic reflection about the passing of time and the beauty of life's moments. The lyrics depict the singer's love for the whirlwind of life, the lights of the night, and the thrill of being in places where people drink and laugh. The singer confesses to never seeing the day, only the night, and being nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Although the dance of life continues incessantly, sometimes the singer glimpses moments of the past, beyond the present reality, evoking a sense of melancholic nostalgia.
In the second half of the song, the singer remembers an apple tree, an image from a distant memory that evokes a gentle and romantic atmosphere. The white and delicate apple tree stands as a symbol of hope, nostalgia, and a time when the world was young. The memories of the past are infused with the scents of summer and mild blooms, and the sound of a distant bell and an Amsel bird singing in the dusk. As the image of a swing emerges, we can imagine the young speaker enjoying lazy afternoons in a carefree world of joy and innocence.
Overall, Marlene Dietrich's song Die Welt War Jung evokes the bittersweet feeling of looking back on the past with fondness, acknowledging that time moves on inexorably, leaving only memories behind. It is a tender and soulful reflection on the beauty and transience of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Die Zeit geht dahin schnell dreht sich die Welt,
Time passes quickly and the world keeps spinning.
Der Wirbel des Lebens ist was mir gefällt,
I enjoy the chaos and whirlwind of life.
Ich seh' nie den Tag, nur die Lichter der Nacht,
I only see the nightlife, never the day.
Ich bin überall wo man trinkt, wo man lacht.
I am wherever there's drinking and laughter.
Bin niemals allein, bin nirgends zu Haus
I am never alone and never feel at home.
Der Tanz geht weiter tagein und tagaus;
The dance goes on day in and day out;
Nur manchmal verschwindet die Wirklichkeit
Sometimes reality disappears
Und ich sehe ein Bild aus anderer Zeit.
And I see an image from a different time.
Ah der Apfelbaum, zarter weißer Traum
Ah the apple tree, delicate white dream
Der Erinnerung. Sanfte Sommerluft milder
Of memories. Gentle summer breeze, mild
Blütenduft über Zeit und Raum in der
Scent of flowers over time and space in the
Dämmerung und die Welt war jung.
Dusk and the world was young.
Ferner Glockenklang und die Amsel sang in der Dämmerung,
In the distance, the sound of bells and the blackbird sang at dusk,
wo die Schaukel Schwang und die Welt war jung.
where the swing swung and the world was young.
Ah der Apfelbaum zarter weißer Traum
Ah the apple tree, delicate white dream.
Der Erinnerung. Ferner Glockenklang und die
Of memories. In the distance, the sound of bells and the
Amsel sang in der Dämmerung, wo die Schaukel schwang und die Welt war jung.
blackbird sang at dusk, where the swing swung and the world was young.
Contributed by Riley K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.