Was Ich Liebe by Rammstein Lyrics Meaning – Delving into the Paradox of Passion
Lyrics
Weil es Unglück in sich trägt
Muss ich es vernichten
Was ich liebe, will ich richten
Dass ich froh bin, darf nicht sein
Nein (nein, nein)
Ich liebe nicht, dass ich was liebe
Ich mag es nicht, wenn ich was mag
Ich freu’ mich nicht, wenn ich mich freue
Weiß ich doch, ich werde es bereuen
Dass ich froh bin, darf nicht sein
Wer mich liebt, geht dabei ein
Was ich liebe
Das wird verderben
Was ich liebe
Das muss auch sterben, muss sterben
So halte ich mich schadlos
Lieben darf ich nicht
Dann brauch’ ich nicht zu leiden (nein)
Und kein Herz zerbricht
Dass ich froh bin, darf nicht sein
Nein (nein, nein)
Was ich liebe
Das wird verderben
Was ich liebe
Das muss auch sterben, muss sterben
Auf Glück und Freude
Folgen Qualen
Für alles Schöne
Muss man zahlen, ja
Was ich liebe
Das wird verderben
Was ich liebe
Das muss auch sterben, muss sterben
Was ich liebe
In the shadowy realm of Rammstein’s discography, a song emerges that beautifully conflates love with destruction, pleasure with pain, and ultimately introduces a dialogue on the nature of human affection and its inherent doom. ‘Was Ich Liebe’ (What I Love), a track from their self-titled 2019 album, encapsulates the dichotomy between the joy of love and the fear of its eventual demise.
At first glance, ‘Was Ich Liebe’ might appear as a darkly pessimistic anthem, a resignation to the futility of emotional investment. However, a deeper assessment reveals a complex emotional landscape rife with philosophical questioning and a profound understanding of the human condition. This article examines the layers beneath its enigmatic lyrics and the stark resonance they hold.
Enigmatic Echoes: The Inescapable Curse of Affection
Central to the song is the theme of love’s joy being inextricably linked with its potential for suffering. The track opens with a paradoxical stance towards happiness itself, the lead vocalist, Till Lindemann, declaring an ability to live without joy as it harbors its own downfall. It’s an acknowledgment that to love something, or someone, is to expose oneself to the pain of eventually losing it.
Through Lindemann’s haunting baritone, the lyrics assert the need to preemptively destroy what he loves in order to ‘correct’ it, underlining the futility and self-destructiveness of love. In many ways, this reflects a belief that the beauty of life and the intimacy of love are transitory, and the only way to mitigate loss is to renounce attachment altogether.
The Symphony of Self-Preservation: Rejecting Joy to Avoid Despair
Rammstein is well-known for their nuanced take on the human psyche, and in ‘Was Ich Liebe’, they delve into the notion that renouncing happiness can be a form of self-preservation. In avoiding attachment and joy, the individual shields themselves from future heartbreak. It is a somber meditation on the protective measures one might take against the inherent vulnerability that comes with loving.
Ironically, Lindemann’s vocals convey both the strength and the sorrow of this self-imposed isolation. The strategy for emotional survival proposed by the song—remaining untouched and unbroken—comes at the palpable cost of never experiencing true connection or happiness.
The Lyrical Labyrinth: A Journey Through Memorable Lines
‘Was Ich Liebe’ is a treasure trove of thought-provoking verses. Among the most poignant is the repeated line ‘Was ich liebe, das muss auch sterben, muss sterben’ (What I love must also die, must die). It’s a haunting refrain that underscores the ephemerality of all things cherished and the eventual surrender to the cycle of life and death.
Equally memorable is the line ‘Auf Glück und Freude folgen Qualen’ (With happiness and joy come torments). It captures a universal truth about the double-edged nature of our most treasured emotions, and it resonates with anyone who has experienced the bittersweet tang of temporality in moments of deep connection.
Decoding the Heart’s Doom: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
Beyond the overt themes of joy and despair, ‘Was Ich Liebe’ delves into the psychological defense mechanisms that humans erect against the inevitability of loss. The song speaks to a deeper, more unconscious level of our psyche, posing a challenge: dare we seek happiness knowing its cost, or do we cocoon ourselves in numbness to avoid the price of passion?
This cryptic exploration serves as an homage to the German Romantic tradition, which often dealt with the beauty of fleeting moments and the melancholy that accompanies them. Rammstein’s introspective approach suggests their recognition of love as an almost mythic force, capable of elevating and destroying with equal potency.
Epic and Elegiac: The Soundscape of ‘Was Ich Liebe’
Musically, ‘Was Ich Liebe’ accompanies its profound lyrics with an instrumental backdrop that’s both epic and elegiac. The song builds from hauntingly subdued verses to a towering chorus that juxtaposes the gentle with the aggressive—akin to the themes of love and death grappling within the song’s narrative.
The orchestration underpins the lyrical content perfectly, with the driving guitars and the primal pounding of the drums creating a sonic landscape that is at once mighty and morose. It’s a testament to Rammstein’s ability to craft music that complements and amplifies the depth and darkness of their storytelling, making ‘Was Ich Liebe’ a compelling and intricate piece of art.
