Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof
Wolfgang Ambros Lyrics


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Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof
Und olle seine Toten
Der Eintritt is' für Lebende
Heit' ausnahmslos verboten,
Weü da Tod a Fest heit' gibt die gonze lange Nocht,
Und von die Gäst' ka anziger a Eintrittskort'n braucht

Wann's Nocht wird über Simmering
Kummt Leben in die Toten,
Und drüb'n beim Krematorium tan's Knochenmork ohbrot'n
Dort hinten bei der Marmorgruft, durt stengan zwa Skelette,
Die stess'n mit zwa Urnen on und saufen um die Wette

Am Zentralfriedhof is' Stimmung, wia's sei Lebtoch no net wor
Weu olle Tot'n feiern heite seine erscht'n hundert Johr'
Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof, und seine Jubilare
Sie lieg'n und sie verfeul'n scho durt
Seit über hundert Jahre
Drauß't is' koit und drunt' is' worm
Nur monchmol a bissel feucht
A-wann ma so drunt' liegt, freut man sich, wenn's Grablaternderl leucht'

Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof
Die Szene wirkt makaber
Die Pforrer tanz'n mit die Hur'n
Und Juden mit Araber
Heit san olle wieder lustich,
Heit lebt ollas auf
Im Mausoleum spü't a Band, die hot an Wohnsinnshammer d'rauf
(Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)

Am Zentralfriedhof is' Stimmung, wia's sei Lebtoch no net wor
Weu olle Tot'n feiern heite seine erscht'n hundert Johr'
(Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)

Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof, auf amoi mocht's an Schnoiza,
Da Moser singt's Fiakerliad, und die Schrammeln spü'n an Woiza
Auf amoi is' die Musi stü, und olle Augen glänz'n,
Weu dort drü'm steht da Knoch'nmonn und winkt mit seiner Sens'n
Am Zentralfriedhof is' Stimmung, wia's sei Lebtoch no net wor




Weu olle Tot'n feiern heite seine erscht'n hundert Johr'
(Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)

Overall Meaning

The song "Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof" by Wolfgang Ambros is a witty and ironic tribute to the Viennese Central Cemetery. The lyrics describe the cemetery as a place where life meets death and where the deceased come back to life. The song celebrates the 100th anniversary of the cemetery and portrays it as a place full of excitement and joy, where even the priests dance with prostitutes and the Jews with the Arabs.


The opening lines set the tone for the song, declaring the celebration of the cemetery and all its deceased. The entrance is forbidden to the living, and only the dead can attend the festivity. The cemetery comes to life at night, and the bones come out of the crematorium to dance and drink with each other. This scene is vividly described in the second verse, where two skeletons are seen competing in a drinking game while sitting on top of two urns.


Despite the surrealism of the setting, there is an underlying sense of respect and reverence for the dead throughout the song. The emotional climax is reached in the final verse, where the music suddenly stops, and the Knoch'nmonn (death) appears, waving his sickle and reminding everyone of the finality of life.


Overall, the song is a clever and humorous take on death and the afterlife, and it showcases Ambros's ability to blend irony and pathos into his music.


Line by Line Meaning

Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof
Long live the Central Cemetery


Und olle seine Toten
And all of its dead


Der Eintritt is' für Lebende
Admission is for the living


Heit' ausnahmslos verboten
Today, strictly prohibited


Weü da Tod a Fest heit' gibt die gonze lange Nocht,
Because Death celebrates all night long,


Und von die Gäst' ka anziger a Eintrittskort'n braucht
And none of the guests need an entry ticket.


Wann's Nocht wird über Simmering
When night falls over Simmering


Kummt Leben in die Toten,
Life comes to the dead


Und drüb'n beim Krematorium tan's Knochenmork ohbrot'n
And over by the crematorium, the bone marrow dances


Dort hinten bei der Marmorgruft, durt stengan zwa Skelette,
Back there at the marble mausoleum, two skeletons stand


Die stess'n mit zwa Urnen on und saufen um die Wette
Both balancing two urns and drinking in competition.


Am Zentralfriedhof is' Stimmung, wia's sei Lebtoch no net wor
There's an atmosphere on the Central Cemetery like there has never been before


Weu olle Tot'n feiern heite seine erscht'n hundert Johr'
Because all the dead are celebrating their first hundred years today


Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof, und seine Jubilare
Long live the Central Cemetery and its jubilarians


Sie lieg'n und sie verfeul'n scho durt
They already rest and rot there for over a century.


Seit über hundert Jahre
For over a hundred years


Drauß't is' koit und drunt' is' worm
It's cold outside and warm down below


Nur monchmol a bissel feucht
Sometimes a bit damp


A-wann ma so drunt' liegt, freut man sich, wenn's Grablaternderl leucht'
When you lay down there, you're happy to see a grave candle


Die Szene wirkt makaber
The scene seems eerie


Die Pforrer tanz'n mit die Hur'n
The priests dance with the whores


Und Juden mit Araber
And Jews with Arabs


Heit san olle wieder lustich,
Today, everyone's happy again


Heit lebt ollas auf
Today, everything comes to life


Im Mausoleum spü't a Band, die hot an Wohnsinnshammer d'rauf
In the mausoleum, a band plays, they have the madness of dwelling on them


(Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)
(Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)


Auf amoi mocht's an Schnoiza,
Suddenly, there's a loud noise


Da Moser singt's Fiakerliad,
Moser sings the song of the coachman


und die Schrammeln spü'n an Woiza
And the Schrammel musicians play a tune


Auf amoi is' die Musi stü, und olle Augen glänz'n,
Suddenly, the music is silent, and all eyes gleam


Weu dort drü'm steht da Knoch'nmonn und winkt mit seiner Sens'n
Because over there, the skeletal man stands and waves his scythe


Am Zentralfriedhof is' Stimmung, wia's sei Lebtoch no net wor
There's an atmosphere on the Central Cemetery like there has never been before


Weu olle Tot'n feiern heite seine erscht'n hundert Johr'
Because all the dead are celebrating their first hundred years today


(Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)
(Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!)




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Wolfgang Ambros, Josef Prokopetz

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Bobo-yk1yh

Ich hatte das Glück, Wolferl einige Male live zu sehen. Er ist und wird immer einer der besten und größten Musiker sein. Ich wünsche dir noch ein langes Leben, ich begleite dich im Herzen

@JasminBaumgartner-if8uv

Ja,ich habe meine Liebsten dort💞🍀🙏

@IloveMENOT

Da haben die Leute noch richtig mitgesungen. Das waren tolle Zeiten.

@karloarsch1579

Mussten auch keine Handys halten!

@lisaw150

​@Karl Oarsch hält man sein handy mit dem mund?

@E.N.E.

Geil! It's too sad that probably I'll never be able to learn Austrian dialect completely, this sounds so good

@austrorus

be glad about it. Austria has 9 Provinces and each has her own dialect. And in each province there are many valleys and towns, who them selves have their own dialect. Wolfgang Ambros by the way comes from Vienna and sings Viennese Dialect.

@xanthippe9757

Why aren`t you able to learn Austrian dialect completely? It`s easy...Try it! It will be good for your soul!

@squaretriangle9208

@Xanthippe genau

@rikiastly4078

it is not necessary to understand everything, in vienna people love death, it is part of life! Mr. Ambros well-known read Wolferl, as well as Mozart sings from the largest cemetery in Austria and also unique in the world! Every 100 years the dead and the whores celebrate their anniversary! bones are fried, danced and celebrated ...,

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