Zebrastreifen - Rolf Zuckowski

[Junodog]

Such a beautiful, meaningful song.

It is filled with deep meaning and important lessons about what it means to cross the street.  It has also been stuck in my head for about a day, and with any luck, it is now stuck in yours.

[Rob]

Zebrastreifen?

The strife of the Zebra?

This song sounds like something the "Children of the Damned" would sing while they backed you into the corner with thier glowing eyes.

I have to remember this. It probably doesn't come off this way to you with you in country and hearing it every day but for me...

a group of little kids singing in german sounds Waaaaaayyyy creepy. Next time I want to scare the crap out fo someone I'm going to google "children singing in German" and tell ghost stories while that stuff plays in the background.

That is pants wetting disturbing. And yes it is now stuck in my head.

[Junodog]

Zebra-crossing.  So like the white stripes you cross the street on.

I don't actually hear it other than the times I watch it on youtube, but I used to be obsessed with it when I was really little.  So there's no creepiness factor in it for me.  That, and I know what the lyrics mean, here's a translation:

Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, some people will never understand you
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, but I know better
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, nobody understands you
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, I feel sorry for them

There is a lot of traffic almost everywhere, the cars drive here and there
And I often stand on the side of the road and think, that is a lot**
As I only come over here now, it is still jinxed today***
But then I soon see that the zebra-crossing isn't all that far away

(Refrain)
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, some people will never understand you
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, but I know better
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, nobody understands you
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, I feel sorry for them

I stand next to the blue sign, so that people see what I want now
I visibly raise my hand and look directly at the car
And the car brakes then the driver looks me in the eye****
And he stays in place and then I look, if they all stop then I go across

(Refrain)
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, some people will never understand you
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, but I know better
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, nobody understands you
Zebra-crossing, zebra-crossing, I feel sorry for them




*or the white stripes where you can cross the street
**of traffic
***I'm really not so sure about this line, I'm mostly guessing from context
****Gesicht means face, actually, but 'looks me in the face' doesn't quite sound right 



I guess you didn't listen to enough foreign music when you were a kid.  I sure did.

[Rob]

I barely listened to any music as a kid. My family... not big music lovers.

My mother listens to "light FM" (blech) and my sister (whose poor husband is a huge music fan with one of the biggest music collections I've ever seen and he almost never gets to listen to anymore) claims to get a headache whenever anyone listens to music around her and is exactly the person you expect to say "does that have to be so loud?" just when you are thinking of cranking it up.

It it weren't for my stepfather who liked a little rock and roll I probably wouldn't know much about music at all, probably would have never joined a band and tried to sing in my own mediocre way.

Probably the closest thing I've listened to that can be described as foreign music as a kid was the Beatles (and other British invasion bands).

Although, I've been watching "Bleach" lately and I am really digging the music that show uses for intro and end credits. I have no idea what they are saying but the Japs are rockin' it.

I should play your zebra song for my nephew. He's already taking spanish tutoring (he's 5) as well as having his father talk to him in German from time to time (my brother in law spent some time there in Germany for his last job). He might like it.

[Citi]

I've been listening to a lot of death metal recently  :D

[Junodog]

I've been looking for more kids' music (not a whole lot, though) for the purposes of learning.  Now I'm curious as to how your nephew would like said song.  I know I was obsessed with it as a kid.

Citi: any German death metal?

[Citi]

Nah, just fake cartoon band death metal.