Latein
Wise Guys Lyrics


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Er war nicht besonders witzig,
und er war nicht sehr gut gebaut.
Er hatte keine schicken Sachen an.
Er war nicht sportlich und nicht laut
stach nicht hervor aus der Masse
und die Jungs aus seiner Klasse
verstanden's einfach nicht:
Denn die Mädels zog es trotzdem zu ihm
wie die Motten zum Licht

Er war der Beste in Latein,
der Allerbeste in Latein
Wie er die Verben konjugierte
Substantive deklinierte -
das konnt' nur er allein ...

Er war exakt wie 'ne Maschine
Er wusste sogar, wenn er schlief:
Auf a, ab, e, ex, de, cum, sine,
und pro und prae folgt Ablativ
Er rezitierte ganze Fabeln
beherrschte die Vokabeln
und war immer hellwach.
Und die Mädels aus der Klasse
wurden reihenweise schwach

Er war der Beste in Latein
Er schrieb nur Einsen oder Zwei'n
Und sang er ein Klagelied
von Horaz oder von Ovid,
fing'n die Mädels an zu weinen ...

Doch dann bekam er sein Latinum
Sein Leben nahm 'ne böse Wende
Denn dadurch war er in der Schule
mit sein'm Latein total am Ende





Er war der Beste in Latein
Er war Experte unter Laien ...

Overall Meaning

The Wise Guys’s song “Latein” talks about a student who was not particularly witty, well-built, rich, sporty or loud. However, he was exceptional when it came to Latin. He was great in conjugating verbs, declining nouns and knew all the rules of Latin grammar. He was like a machine, reciting whole fables, mastering vocabulary and getting straight A's in Latin.


Despite his lack of popularity among his male peers, girls were drawn to him because of his brilliance in Latin. They would cry when he sang sad poems by famous Roman poets like Ovid and Horace. However, things changed after he received his Latinum, which is the certificate of Latin proficiency in German schools. His life took a turn for the worse because he was now completely consumed by Latin and had forgotten about other aspects of life. He became an expert in Latin among laymen, but could not communicate effectively in other subjects, leading to the decline of his grades in other subjects.


The song is a humorous take on the obsessive nature of some students, who become too engrossed in a particular subject to the detriment of other areas of their life. It also highlights the fact that students who excel in less glamorous subjects can still be attractive to others.


Line by Line Meaning

Er war nicht besonders witzig,
He wasn't particularly funny,


und er war nicht sehr gut gebaut.
and he wasn't very well-built.


Er hatte keine schicken Sachen an.
He didn't wear fancy clothes.


Er war nicht sportlich und nicht laut
He wasn't athletic and wasn't loud,


stach nicht hervor aus der Masse
Didn't stand out from the crowd,


und die Jungs aus seiner Klasse
And the boys in his class,


verstanden's einfach nicht:
Just didn't get it quite right:


Denn die Mädels zog es trotzdem zu ihm
Girls were attracted to him on a whim,


wie die Motten zum Licht
Like moths to a bright light.


Er war der Beste in Latein,
He was the best in Latin,


der Allerbeste in Latein
The very best in Latin,


Wie er die Verben konjugierte
How he conjugated verbs was quite admired,


Substantive deklinierte -
and his declension of nouns was desired-


das konnt' nur er allein ...
only he was capable of doing so fine...


Er war exakt wie 'ne Maschine
He was precise like a machine,


Er wusste sogar, wenn er schlief:
He even knew it while he was asleep:


Auf a, ab, e, ex, de, cum, sine,
'On, from, to, with, without, about, around,' he knew the line,


und pro und prae folgt Ablativ
and how to use 'pro' and 'prae' followed the ablative.


Er rezitierte ganze Fabeln
He recited whole fables,


beherrschte die Vokabeln
and mastered his vocabulary well,


und war immer hellwach.
And he was always awake like a gazelle.


Und die Mädels aus der Klasse
And the girls in his class,


wurden reihenweise schwach
fell for him in a flash.


Er war der Beste in Latein
He was the best in Latin,


Er schrieb nur Einsen oder Zwei'n
He only got ones or twos, a win,


Und sang er ein Klagelied
And when he sang a sad ballad,


von Horaz oder von Ovid,
from Horace or Ovid, it was never maladroit,


fing'n die Mädels an zu weinen ...
the girls started crying without denying...


Doch dann bekam er sein Latinum
But then he got his Latinum,


Sein Leben nahm 'ne böse Wende
His life took a turn for the worse, it was amend,


Denn dadurch war er in der Schule
Because of that he was, in school,


mit sein'm Latein total am Ende
and with his Latin, he had to blend.


Er war der Beste in Latein
He was the best in Latin,


Er war Experte unter Laien ...
An expert among the laymen ...




Contributed by Brooklyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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