Tocotronic is a German rock band formed in 1993. Similar to Blumfeld or Die… Read Full Bio ↴Tocotronic is a German rock band formed in 1993. Similar to Blumfeld or Die Sterne, Tocotronic not only innovated German language rock music, but also inspired a number of later bands, such as Wir sind Helden. Their influence on pop culture is widespread, from fashion (Tocotronic made the combination of 1970s style track suit tops with cheap second-hand ad-shirts famous in Germany) to the playful and weird look of their early records.

Tocotronic are from Hamburg and are released on L'Age D'Or, together with Die Sterne - forming the so-called Hamburger Schule ("Hamburg school"). However, they dislike this classification; they rather like to see their music as "discursive-rock", which emphasizes their rather intellectual approach to pop music.
Despite having never been overly commercially successful - only "Schall & Wahn" made it to the top of the German charts, most other albums merely in the top 5-, Tocotronic have a steady fanbase in Germany and their records have been reviewed in mainstream newspapers and music magazines alike.
The band members are bassist Jan Müller, drummer Arne Zank, and guitarist and singer Dirk von Lowtzow. Starting with the album "Pure Vernunft darf niemals siegen" a second guitarist and keyboard player, Rick McPhail, has joined the band. He used to play with Tocotronic at live shows before.

Discography:

Studio Albums:
* Digital ist besser (1995) (Digital is better)
* Nach der verlorenen Zeit (1995) (After the lost time)
* Wir kommen um uns zu beschweren (1996) (We're Coming To Complain)
* Es ist egal, aber (1997) (It Doesn't Matter, But)
* K.O.O.K. (1999)
* Tocotronic (2002)
* Pure Vernunft darf niemals siegen (2005) (Pure Reason Must Never Prevail)
* Kapitulation (2007)
* Schall & Wahn (2010)
* Wie wir leben wollen (2013)
* Tocotronic (Das rote Album) (2015)
* Die Unendlichkeit (2018)

Verschwör dich gegen dich
Tocotronic Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Verschwör dich gegen dich
Und deine Schmerzen lindern sich
Sei glücklich, denn du bist allein
Und nah dem wilden Herzen wirst du sein
Verschwör dich gegen dich
Und deine Wunden öffnen sich
Wundere dich nicht, du weißt genau
In diesem Krieg sind alle Tricks erlaubt

Du musst nicht zeigen, was du kannst
Du darfst nicht sagen, was du denkst
Man soll nicht wissen, wie du fühlst
Nimm all dies als dein Geschenk

Verschwör dich gegen dich
Die Gegner, sie ergeben sich
Von selbst, denn du bist machtumweht
Unter dein Bett hat man ein Rosenblatt gelegt
Verschwör dich gegen dich
Und deine Schmerzen lindern sich
Sei glücklich, mach die Augen zu
Niemand, der empfinden wird wie du

Du musst nicht zeigen, was du kannst
Du darfst nicht sagen, was du denkst
Kein Gewissen, das dich quält
Keine fremde Macht, die lenkt

Du musst nicht zeigen, was du kannst
Du darfst nicht sagen, was du denkst
Man soll nicht wissen, wie du fühlst
Nimm all dies als dein Geschenk

Du musst nicht zeigen, was du kannst
Du darfst nicht sagen, was du denkst

Kein Gewissen, das dich quält
Keine fremde Macht, die lenkt

Overall Meaning

The song "Verschwör dich gegen dich" by Tocotronic is a reflection on the idea of self-sabotage and the desire to conceal one's innermost thoughts and feelings. In the first verse, the lyrics suggest that by conspiring against oneself, one can alleviate pain and find solace in being alone. The idea of being close to one's wild heart implies the search for authenticity and freedom from societal norms and expectations.

The second verse emphasizes the importance of hiding one's talents and thoughts, as one must not reveal vulnerability or let others know how one truly feels. This is presented as a gift, as it allows for a sense of detachment and freedom from guilt or the influence of others. The chorus repeats the idea of self-conspiracy as a means of achieving power and control over one's emotions and surroundings.

Overall, the song presents a complex perspective on self-esteem and authenticity, highlighting the struggle between societal pressures and the desire to be true to oneself. The lyrics suggest that there is power in self-concealment and that it can bring relief and a sense of control, but also imply that it comes at a cost of detachment and isolation.

Line by Line Meaning

Verschwör dich gegen dich
Sabotage yourself against yourself

Und deine Schmerzen lindern sich
And your pain will ease

Sei glücklich, denn du bist allein
Be happy, for you are alone

Und nah dem wilden Herzen wirst du sein
And you will be near the wild heart

Und deine Wunden öffnen sich
And your wounds will open

Wundere dich nicht, du weißt genau
Don't be surprised, you know perfectly well

In diesem Krieg sind alle Tricks erlaubt
In this war, all tricks are allowed

Du musst nicht zeigen, was du kannst
You don't have to show what you can do

Du darfst nicht sagen, was du denkst
You must not say what you think

Man soll nicht wissen, wie du fühlst
You should not let anyone know how you feel

Nimm all dies als dein Geschenk
Take all of this as your gift