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Het Klein Orkest - Over the wall
Dutch songs with English translation, translated in English
Het Klein Orkest - Over the wall
Lyrics: Harrie Jekkers and Koos Meinderts / Music: Harrie Jekkers
(1984)
Het Klein Orkest - Over de muur
Tekst: Harrie Jekkers en Koos Meinderts / Muziek: Harrie Jekkers
(1984)
© copyright translation
Dutch song Klein Orkest - Over de muur
with lyrics, music, video and English translation songtext
East-Berlin: 'Unter den Linden'
A lane full of flags where the people are strolling
Here Lenin and Marx are still on a pedestal
Oost-Berlijn: Unter den Linden
Er wandelen mensen langs vlaggen en vaandels
Waar Lenin en Marx nog steeds op een voetstuk staan
And everyone works, hammers and sickles
The changing guard is parading, marching with firm steps
Forty years socialism, so much is achieved in those years
En iedereen werkt, hamers en sikkels
Terwijl in parade-pas de wacht wordt gewisseld
Veertig jaar socialisme, er is in die tijd veel bereikt
But what means this ideal state when big walls mean you're locked up
When you are scared and cautious with expressing opinions
Well, what means that ideal state, what's the value, I ask
When a person who's different is seen as insane
Maar wat is nou die heilstaat als er muren omheen staan
Als je bang en voorzichtig met je mening moet omgaan
Ach, wat is nou die heilstaat, zeg mij wat is hij waard
Wanneer iemand die afwijkt voor gek wordt verklaard
Just the birds are flying, flying from East- to West-Berlin
They are not hindered, hold back, they're not fired at, shot down
Over the wall, over the Iron Curtain fence
Because they want to be sometimes in the West and sometimes in the East
Because they want to be sometimes in the West and sometimes in the East
En alleen de vogels vliegen van Oost- naar West-Berlijn
Worden niet teruggefloten, ook niet neergeschoten
Over de muur, over het IJzeren Gordijn
Omdat ze soms in het westen, soms ook in het oosten willen zijn
Omdat ze soms in het westen, soms ook in het oosten willen zijn
West-Berlin: the 'Kurfürstendam'
Here everyone strolls along porno and peepshow
And Mercedes and Cola are still on a pedestal
West-Berlijn: de Kurfürstendamm
Er wandelen mensen langs porno en peepshow
Waar Mercedes en Cola nog steeds op een voetstuk staan
And the glittering neon sign adverts are luring
Come dance here, come eat here, come booze up, come gambling
The gain of forty years freedom, so much is achieved in those years
En de neonreclames die glitterend lokken
Kom dansen, kom eten, kom zuipen, kom gokken
Dat is nou veertig jaar vrijheid, er is in die tijd veel bereikt
But what means all this freedom, without house, without job
Many Turks live in Kreuzberg, who hardly earn anything
Right, you can demonstrate here, but with your back against the wall
Only when you have money, all freedoms are payable
Maar wat is nou die vrijheid zonder huis, zonder baan
Zoveel Turken in Kreuzberg die amper kunnen bestaan
Goed, je mag demonstreren, maar met je rug tegen de muur
En alleen als je geld hebt dan is de vrijheid niet duur
Just the birds are flying from West- to East-Berlin
They are not hindered, hold back, they're not fired at, shot down
Over the wall, over the Iron Curtain fence
Because they want to be sometimes in the East and sometimes in the West
'Cause they find crumbs sometimes near the 'Gedächtniskirche'
Sometimes at 'Alexandersquare'
En de vogels vliegen van West- naar Oost-Berlijn
Worden niet teruggefloten, ook niet neergeschoten
Over de muur, over het IJzeren Gordijn
Omdat ze soms in het oosten, soms ook in het westen willen zijn
Omdat er brood ligt, soms bij de Gedächtniskirche
Soms op het Alexanderplein
© copyright translation
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Het Klein Orkest ('The Little Orchestra', 1978-1985), was a Dutch 'Nederpop'-band ('Netherpop'). This word refers to the sudden growth of Dutch language pop music in the Netherlands in the eighties (with bands like Doe Maar, Het Goede Doel, Drukwerk, Frank Boeijen Group and Toontje Lager). Singer and songwriter of the band was Harrie Jekkers (1951).
Most well-known hits of Het Klein Orkest include: 'Just leave me alone'/'Laat mij maar alleen' (1982); 'Koos Unemployed'/'Koos Werkeloos' (1983); and above song 'Over the wall'/'Over de muur' (1984). Harrie Jekkers also had a hit with 'Oh, oh, The Hague'/'O, o, Den Haag' (1982).
The above song 'Over the wall'/'Over de muur' (1984) is a protest song about the Berlin Wall in Berlin and the Iron Curtain dividing West and East Europe during the Cold War (1945-1991). The song was first sung during a peace demonstration on the Malieveld in The Hague in 1984.
Harrie Jekkers wrote the song after he visited East-Berlin. While he was waiting for hours to cross the border, he saw a dog passing the checkpoint unnoticed. That inspired him to write the song, but he changed the dog into birds. He deliberately criticizes both the suppression in the East and the freedom in the West. The achieved freedom can be superficial and hollow, and brings no advantages for the poorest.
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Germany and it's capital Berlin were divided since the end of World War II (1945). West-Germany was occupied by America/England/France (bringing capitalism and freedom), East-Gemany was occupied by the Soviet Union (bringing enforced communism and closed borders). 'Unter den Linden' ('under the lime trees') is a big avenue in former East-Berlin. The 'Kurfürstendamm' is a big shopping avenue in former West-Berlin.
The 'Gedächtniskirche' ('remembrance church') is a church that was bombed in World War II and still, as a ruin, is a famous monument (in former West-Berlin). 'Alexanderplatz' is a square in the center of former East-Berlin, with all the government buildings of that time. East- and West-Germany are united again since 1990 - so the song changed from a protest song into a historical song.
The song was in 1984 in the Top 40 for nine weeks and again in 1989 (after the fall of the Berlin Wall) for four weeks. It's still voted every year into the Top 2000 (traditionally broadcasted on the radio the last week of the year), as high as place 32/2000.
 More translated Dutch songs in the genre 'pop song' and more with the theme 'songs about society' or 'songs about foreign cities'. See also the list of Dutch artists with all their songs on this website.
 Lyrics 'Over de muur' on Dutch website: Nederlandse songteksten.
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© copyright translation
(2016)
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