They are considered to have been the first genuine German-language rock band, together with Udo Lindenberg. Their first big-stage appearance was at an Open-Air on 6 September 1970 on the Fehmarn stage where Jimi Hendrix had had his last appearance directly before. The stage went up in flames while they were still playing; probably it had been set on fire by people around Hendrix who had just received news that the event's organizers had disappeared with all the cash, but many people believed that Ton Steine Scherben had set the stage on fire, which gave them tremendous credibility in the radical scene.
Their style can be described as somewhere between the Rolling Stones and yet-to-be-invented Punk rock. All their Albums were self-published; they published few singles and are still very rarely played on most German radio stations. Their lyrics were at the beginning quite anti-capitalist and pro-socialist. They didn't think the socialism of the Soviet Union was anywhere near real socialism, but they had connections to the squatter scene and the German Red Army Faction terrorists during the time before the latter turned to violent crime and murder. Later Ton Steine Scherben toned down on socialism and added themes like freedom, love, drugs, and sadness. Most of their songs can be described as slightly mad, sometimes in a funny way, sometimes in a rather scary way. Ton Steine Scherben disbanded in 1985.
Menschenjäger
Ton Steine Scherben Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sie würden uns gern zum Teufel jagen
Der Teufel will uns gar nicht haben
Wartet auf sie schon seit paar tausend Jahren
Ich mein die Menschenjäger und die Schreibtischtäter
Die uns Millionen mal ermordet haben
Sie zittern schon um ihren weißen Kragen
Wenn der Führer ruft, sind sie dabei
Sie sind zum Kaufen für die schlecht'ste Schweinerei
Und sie killen und denken nicht dabei
Sie sind der Grund für jede Schießerei
Ich mein die Menschenjäger und die Schreibtischtäter
Die uns Millionen mal ermordet haben
Die spüren schon die Schlinge um ihren weißen Kragen
Menschenjäger, werdet ihr's kapieren?
Ich weiß nicht, wie viel heut durch euch alle krepieren
Aber eins kann ich euch garantieren:
Eure MGs werden nicht ewig regieren
Ihr könnt uns verfolgen und massakrieren
Doch für jeden, denn ihr kriegt, werden zwei andere marschieren
Ihr könnt gehorchen, ihr könnt kommandieren
Und kämpft ihr gegen uns alle, so werdet ihr verlieren
Menschenjäger, Schreibtischtäter, Vopos, Kripos, NPD, Faschisten, Sadisten, CIA
Neckermänner, Genscher, Springer, Krupp, alle Kriegsgewinnler
Neubauer, Ruhnau, Nixon, Hübner, Schreiber und wie sie alle heißen
Franz-Joseph, Rainer,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, seht die Zeiger auf der Uhr
Papiertiger
The first stanza of the song "Menschenjäger" by Ton Steine Scherben talks about the desire of oppressors to bury and get rid of the rebellious people, but the Devil is not interested in them, and has been waiting for them for thousands of years. The second stanza identifies the oppressors as "Menschenjäger" (people hunters) and "Schreibtischtäter" (desk criminals) who have murdered millions of innocent people. They may be trembling in fear for their safety and their "weißen Kragen" (white collar) jobs. The third stanza exposes the blind obedience of these oppressors to the calls of the "Führer" (leader), who makes them commit the worst atrocities without any remorse or reflection. They are responsible for every "Schießerei" (shooting) and will face the consequences of their actions.
The fourth stanza addresses the Menschenjäger and questions whether they will ever realize the gravity of their inhumane actions. They do not know how many people have died because of them, but they can be sure that their reign of terror will come to an end. In the fifth and final stanza, the singer pronounces that the oppressors can continue to pursue and massacre the rebellious people, but for each one they kill, two more will rise up in their place. The people can march on, continue to resist their oppressors, and ultimately emerge victorious.
Line by Line Meaning
Sie würden uns gern im Knast begraben
The oppressors want to bury us in jail
Sie würden uns gern zum Teufel jagen
The oppressors want to drive us away
Der Teufel will uns gar nicht haben
The devil doesn't want us
Wartet auf sie schon seit paar tausend Jahren
The oppressors have been waiting for the devil for thousands of years
Ich mein die Menschenjäger und die Schreibtischtäter
I mean the people who hunt us and the bureaucrats
Die uns Millionen mal ermordet haben
Who have killed millions of us
Sie zittern schon um ihren weißen Kragen
They are already trembling for their white-collar jobs
Wenn der Führer ruft, sind sie dabei
When the leader calls, they are in
Sie sind zum Kaufen für die schlecht'ste Schweinerei
They are ready to buy into the worst nonsense
Und sie killen und denken nicht dabei
They kill without thinking
Sie sind der Grund für jede Schießerei
They are the reason for every shootout
Die spüren schon die Schlinge um ihren weißen Kragen
They are already feeling the noose around their white-collar jobs
Menschenjäger, werdet ihr's kapieren?
People who hunt others, will you understand it?
Ich weiß nicht, wie viel heut durch euch alle krepieren
I don't know how many people die because of you today
Aber eins kann ich euch garantieren:
But one thing I can guarantee you:
Eure MGs werden nicht ewig regieren
Your machine guns will not reign forever
Ihr könnt uns verfolgen und massakrieren
You can pursue and massacre us
Doch für jeden, denn ihr kriegt, werden zwei andere marschieren
But for everyone you get, two others will march
Ihr könnt gehorchen, ihr könnt kommandieren
You can obey, you can command
Und kämpft ihr gegen uns alle, so werdet ihr verlieren
And if you fight against all of us, you will lose
Menschenjäger, Schreibtischtäter, Vopos, Kripos, NPD, Faschisten, Sadisten, CIA
People who hunt others, bureaucrats, police, Nazi party, fascists, sadists, CIA
Neckermänner, Genscher, Springer, Krupp, alle Kriegsgewinnler
Necker, Genscher, Springer, Krupp, all war profiteers
Neubauer, Ruhnau, Nixon, Hübner, Schreiber und wie sie alle heißen
Neubauer, Ruhnau, Nixon, Hübner, Schreiber and all the others
Franz-Joseph, Rainer,
Franz-Joseph, Rainer
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, seht die Zeiger auf der Uhr
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, look at the clock hands
Papiertiger
Paper tigers
Contributed by Kayla M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.