The lyrics tell the story of a child not born from a womb but in an experiment, thus having no true father or mother. The song was confirmed by Till Lindemann and Richard Kruspe to be a reference to their unhappy childhood relationships with their own mothers. The decidedly depressing lyrics describe a character's plan to kill both the mother "who never gave birth to him" and himself, which he carries out. But ends instead with him still being alive and no better off than before; begging, possibly praying, for strength. The song is similar to Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, in that the character takes revenge for his misfortunes on his 'parent', and then ends up no different than he was before the 'parent' died.
The video for Mutter follows the storyline of the song, whereby the character kills his mother and then dumps her body in a river, ending with the character in a cage or dungeon that is set into the ground.
The single includes an instrumental song, 5/4, that was played as intro for live shows since 2000, but wasn't released until 2002.
It debuted on April 2000 in its demo form, in a concert exclusively for members of the fan area. The only difference between it and the final release was that the demo version was less orchestrated. During the Mutter tour, it was played at every concert, and played in select concerts in the Pledge of Allegiances tour in North America. Mutter didn't make it into the Reise, Reise tour's setlist.
Mutter
Rammstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ich zieh sie auf ein weißes Haar
Werf in die Luft die nasse Kette
Und wünsch mir, dass ich eine Mutter hätte
Keine Sonne die mir scheint
Keine Brust hat Milch geweint
In meiner Kehle steckt ein SchlauchHab keinen Nabel auf dem Bauch
Mutter, Mutter
Mutter, Mutter
Ich durfte keine Nippel lecken
Und keine Falte zum Verstecken
Niemand gab mir einen Namen
Gezeugt in Hast und ohne Samen
Der Mutter die mich nie geboren
Hab ich heute Nacht geschworen
Ich werd ihr eine Krankheit schenken
Und sie danach im Fluss versenken
Mutter, Mutter
Mutter, Mutter
Mutter, Mutter
Mutter, Mutter
In ihren Lungen wohnt ein Aal
Auf meiner Stirn ein Muttermal
Entferne es mit Messers Kuss
Auch wenn ich daran sterben muss
Mutter, Mutter
In ihren Lungen wohnt ein Aal
Auf meiner Stirn ein Muttermal
Entferne es mit Messers Kuss
Auch wenn ich verbluten muss
Mutter, Mutter
Oh gib mir Kraft
Mutter, Mutter
Oh gib mir Kraft
Mutter, Mutter
Oh gib mir Kraft
Mutter, Mutter
Oh gib mir Kraft
The lyrics to Rammstein's "Mutter" are deeply provocative and disturbing, but also incredibly revealing in their portrayal of the singer's troubled relationship with their mother. The opening lines describe the singer's tears for a group of elderly children they are caring for, before expressing their own deeply held desire for a mother figure. This desire is complicated by a sense of rejection and abandonment, as the singer describes a childhood without nurturing or affection; with no mother's breast to suckle, no name to identify them, and no one to provide them with a sense of belonging.
The second verse of the song seems to suggest that the singer has experienced significant medical trauma as well, with a tube stuck in their throat and no umbilical cord on their abdomen. The singer then pledges revenge on the mother who never gave them life, promising to give her a disease and then sink her in a river. The lyrics take a surreal turn in the chorus, with references to an eel living in the mother's lungs, and a birthmark on the singer's forehead that they wish to remove with a kiss from a knife.
Throughout the song, the repeated cry of "Mutter, Mutter" serves as both an anguished plea for maternal love and a bitter accusation of betrayal. Overall, the lyrics of "Mutter" are a raw and intense exploration of the complex emotions surrounding motherhood and family relationships, highlighting the deep psychological wounds that can result from neglect and abuse.
Line by Line Meaning
Die Tränen greiser Kinderschar
The tears of an elderly group of children
Ich zieh sie auf ein weißes Haar
I wipe their tears with a strand of white hair
Werf in die Luft die nasse Kette
I throw their wet chain in the air
Und wünsch mir, dass ich eine Mutter hätte
And wish that I had a mother
Keine Sonne die mir scheint
No sun that shines on me
Keine Brust hat Milch geweint
No breast has ever wept milk for me
In meiner Kehle steckt ein Schlauch
I have a tube in my throat
Hab keinen Nabel auf dem Bauch
I have no belly button
Mutter, Mutter
Mother, Mother
Ich durfte keine Nippel lecken
I was not allowed to suck any nipples
Und keine Falte zum Verstecken
And had no wrinkles to hide behind
Niemand gab mir einen Namen
No one gave me a name
Gezeugt in Hast und ohne Samen
Conceived in haste and without semen
Der Mutter die mich nie geboren
To the mother who never gave birth to me
Hab ich heute Nacht geschworen
I swore tonight
Ich werd ihr eine Krankheit schenken
I will give her a disease
Und sie danach im Fluss versenken
And then sink her in the river
In ihren Lungen wohnt ein Aal
An eel lives in her lungs
Auf meiner Stirn ein Muttermal
I have a birthmark on my forehead
Entferne es mit Messers Kuss
I'll remove it with a knife's kiss
Auch wenn ich daran sterben muss
Even if it means I'll die
Mutter, Mutter
Mother, Mother
Oh gib mir Kraft
Oh, give me strength
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Richard Z. Kruspe, Paul Landers, Till Lindemann, Doktor Christian Lorenz, Oliver Riedel, Christoph Doom Schneider
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Mijangos Pain
on Fried Eis
ich werde immer bei dir sein;
FERTIG - bin ich mit dir, bis zum Morgen sitz ich da.
DU BIST - so ganz allein,
das Schicksal hat mich angelacht;
UNHEIL - hört wie ihr schreit,
sie singen die letzten Melodien.
Uuuuh - you were the night
Holding breath, cause you all remind it
(DU BIST ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - and let me show you,
I am not alone
(DU ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - (???)
horror may remind it
TIEFE - die Einsamkeit,
es ist so weit - Aus Vorbei!
KRAFTLOS - Hab keine Angst,
sie singen die letzten Melodien
Uuuuh - you were the night
Holding breath, cause you all remind it
(DU BIST ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - and let me show you,
I am not alone
(DU ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - (???)
horror may remind it
Du gehörst zu mir, ich zeige wann und wie
du gehst.
Du hast keine and're Wahl, sie sind einsam und allein
allein.
allein
allein
du allein
Laaaahhh
Uuuuh - you were the night
Holding breath, cause you all remind it
(DU BIST ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - and let me show you,
I am not alone
(DU ALLEIN)
Uuuuh - (???)
Horror may remind it
May remind it
Rammstein - Freid Eis
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Sonne
This song reminds me of Gru from Despicable Me, as he is so powerful, that he paralyzed a shark and was able to outrun supersonic missiles.
Ben - Moderator
on Keine Lust
Corrected the music video fact above.
Andrew
on Keine Lust
The music video has them performing in fat suits, not at a funeral.