DU HAST DEN FARBFILM VERGESSEN by NINA HAGEN

GERMAN POP LYRICS

Angela Merkel has just left her position as chancellor of Germany after 16 years in office. In her leaving ceremony she was allowed to choose three songs. The most traditional was “Großer Gott, wir loben dich“, an old hymn. Another was “Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen“ by Hildegard Knef. More interestingly, her third choice was “Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen“.

Credited to Nina Hagen & Automobil, this single reached #1 in the GDR in 1974. A few years later Hagen defected to West Germany, embracing punk and new wave, and launched a succesful international career. That notwithstanding, did she ever record a better song than this? The wry lyrics are generally considered to be a satire of the grey life behind the iron curtain, where colour film was hard to get told of. However, they were indirect enough to be tolerated by the authorities. The idea that life was more colourful in the west was certainly potent, and apparently many people who grew up in the GDR can still recite the lyrics of this song. Angela Merkel is one of them!

DU HAST DEN FARBFILM VERGESSEN Hoch stand der Sanddorn am Strand von Hiddensee Micha, mein Micha, und alles tat so weh Dass die Kaninchen scheu schauten aus dem Bau so laut entlud sich mein Leid in's Himmelblau So böse stampfte mein nackter Fuß den Sand und schlug ich von meiner Schulter deine Hand Micha, mein Micha, und alles tat so weh tu das noch einmal, Micha, und ich geh (Refrain:) Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen, mein Michael nun glaubt uns kein Mensch, wie schön's hier war (haha, haha) Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen, bei meiner Seele alles blau und weiß und grün und später nicht mehr wahr Nun sitz ich wieder bei dir und mir zu Haus und such' die Fotos für's Fotoalbum aus Ich im Bikini und ich am FKK Ich frech im Mini, Landschaft ist auch da - ja Aber, wie schrecklich, die Tränen kullern heiß Landschaft und Nina und alles nur schwarzweiß Micha, mein Micha, und alles tut so weh tu das noch einmal, Micha, und ich geh! (Refrain)

YOU FORGOT THE COLOUR FILM The sea buckthorn stood high (1) On the beach at Hiddensee (2) Micha, my Micha, and everything hurt so much The rabbits were looking shyly out of their burrow As my sorrow was released into the blue sky My bare foot stomped angrily on the sand And I pushed your hand off my shoulder Micha, my Micha, and everything hurt so much If you do that again, Micha, I'm leaving! (Chorus:) You forgot the colour film, my Michael Now nobody will believe us How beautiful it was here (haha, haha) You forgot the colour film, good grief! Everything blue and white and green And later no longer true Now I'm sitting back at home, you and me Picking the photos for the album Me in a bikini and me on the nudist beach (3) Me in a saucy miniskirt You can see the landscape as well! But how awful, hot tears are rolling down The landscape and Nina And everything just black and white Micha, my Micha, and everything hurts so much If you do that again, Micha, I'm leaving! (Chorus)

(1) Sea buckthorn is an evergreen shrub native to colder parts of Europe.
(2) Hiddensee is an island in the Baltic sea, west of Rügen. It was a popular destination for East German tourists during the GDR era, and it continues to attract tourists today.
(3) FKK stands for Freikörper-Kultur, here referring to a nudist beach. Apparently, these were popular in East Germany.