This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Auf lautlosen Schwingen,
zieht die Leere durch mein Land
Durch Träume der Sehnsucht,
die ich niemals fand
Träume eines Menschen,
den ich einmal kannte
Es war jemand
den man bei meinem Namen nannte
Du hast ihn getötet,
hast ihn erstickt mit deinen Taten
Ihn verstossen,
ausgenutzt und sein Gefühl verraten
Er liebte doch so stark,
wie ein Mensch nur lieben kann
5 Jahre lang hab ich dich geliebt
5 Jahre lang, gegen alles was es gibt
5 Jahre lang, meiner Liebe Untertan
5 Jahre lang zur Hölle fahren
Ein Fluch der ohne Namen ist,
lastet nun auf ihm
Auf seinem kranken Herz,
das ach so sicher schien
Ein Fluch der jahrelang
in seiner Brust sanft wuchs
Fest verankert
auf der allerletzten Seite dieses Buchs
Den Namen den der Tote trägt,
er gleicht meinem Namen
Die Seele hier in seiner Brust,
sie kennt kein Erbarmen
Ich sehe nun auf ihn herab,
und sehe er gleicht mir
Durch seinen Tod werde ich leben,
ich und nicht mehr wir
zieht die Leere durch mein Land
Durch Träume der Sehnsucht,
die ich niemals fand
Träume eines Menschen,
den ich einmal kannte
Es war jemand
den man bei meinem Namen nannte
Du hast ihn getötet,
hast ihn erstickt mit deinen Taten
Ihn verstossen,
ausgenutzt und sein Gefühl verraten
Er liebte doch so stark,
wie ein Mensch nur lieben kann
5 Jahre lang hab ich dich geliebt
5 Jahre lang, gegen alles was es gibt
5 Jahre lang, meiner Liebe Untertan
5 Jahre lang zur Hölle fahren
Ein Fluch der ohne Namen ist,
lastet nun auf ihm
Auf seinem kranken Herz,
das ach so sicher schien
Ein Fluch der jahrelang
in seiner Brust sanft wuchs
Fest verankert
auf der allerletzten Seite dieses Buchs
Den Namen den der Tote trägt,
er gleicht meinem Namen
Die Seele hier in seiner Brust,
sie kennt kein Erbarmen
Ich sehe nun auf ihn herab,
und sehe er gleicht mir
Durch seinen Tod werde ich leben,
ich und nicht mehr wir
Lyrics submitted by Lücie
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On silent wings The Emptiness pushes through my land Through dreams of yearning that I never found Dreams of a person that I once knew It was someone whom everyone called by my name
You killed it You choked it with your actions violated it exploited it and betrayed its feelings He loved so strongly as only a human could love
for five years i have loved you for five years against all that exists for five years my love tributary for five years going to hell
a curse without a name now trapped in him in his sick heart that oh so brilliantly gleamed a curse lasting for years growling softly in his chest anchored well in the very last page of this book
the name that brings death it is like my name the soul here in his chest it knows no pity I know look down at him and see that he's like me through his death i will live I and no more us
The English translation: On soundless wings emptiness ambulates through my land Through dreams of aspiration I never found Dreams of a person I once knew It was someone they called by my name
You killed it, suffocated with your actions Repudiated and betrayed its feelings But it loved so much, a human just can 5 years I loved you 5 years against all that exists 5 years my love tributary Driving to hell
A curse now weighs on it On its sick heart, that appeared to be so secure A curse which softly grew in its chest since years Deep anchored on the last page of this book
The name of this dead person resembles my name The soul here in its chest knows no mercy I now look down on it and see it resembles me Through its death I will live - me - and no more us
Thanks for the english translation, I have looked for the full version long. now, I dont know if you are german, seasons of grey, but i think i have spotted some mistakes (I come from Denmark, the country above germany, so we are teached german in shool) Instead of "someone they called by my name", i think it is, "The man they called by my name." Instead if "but it loved so much, a human just can", it is "He loved so much a human can". If it was "it" the german word would be "es" not "er" which means "he". Instead of "my love tributary" i think it is "my beloved minion/slave (the english word for untertan/underlegne stands a little unclear to me) Hope I did not make a complete fool by correcting some unexisting faults. This song makes greater sense to me after reading the full translation (unfulfilling to understand tiny bits) Thank you for the translation. Still, I have not figured the story about the song out yet. But it is a cool musicvideo, so i am happy:D