Spring

Yes, I have to say, this isn't a man trying to commit suicide, or at least, certainly the lyrics say he was just trying to look at the view.

But as with most of Rammstein's songs, there are multiple layers.

1. Simple narrative -- man climbs up on bridge, bloodthirsty crowd gathers, someone kicks him off the edge

2. Commentary on society -- It's really completely believable that people might act this way. It's showing a dark side of humanity, one a lot of people don't like to look at. A friend I played this song for told me he'd once seen someone standing at the top of a building contemplating suicide, and so many people had gathered to yell for the guy to jump.... We (as society) really are looking for spectacles and don't always care who gets hurt.... And sometimes if someone gets hurt we are more excited. Art can shine a light on parts of life that some people would rather keep in shadows.

3. Metaphor -- We, the fans, the screaming public, are trying to force the band (or other public icons) into a certain role that we thought they wanted for themselves, or that we think they ought to want for themselves. Someone on the English translation page for this song brought this up, I hadn't thought of it, but it does fit....

This is my favorite Rammstein song. It is so achingly beautiful, and yet so dark... Classic.

Go to http://herzeleid.com to find an unofficial direct translation of these lyrics (and all of Rammstein's lyrics for that matter). This song tells the story of a man who attempts suicide and backs out, and he's obviously a hated person. The onlookers want him dead - so bad in fact, that they kill him :

A man is standing on a bridge and has crowds of people forming below him. The teller of the song (an onlooker) doesn't want to miss out on seeing this, so he follows the people. He gets right up to the front of the crowd to see this man standing on the bridge and screams at him. The man is standing still, when suddenly he backs out and tries to get down from the top of the bridge. The crowd turns on him and forces him back up, pushing him up. They are enraged and want him dead. They want to see this. The chorus sings "Jump, redeem me. Jump, don't disappoint me. Jump for me, jump into the light. Jump".

Now the man is crying and the clouds above start to move. He's asking himself (and the crowd) "what have I done?" and suddenly the sun goes cold, everything is cold. He says "I just wanted to see the view" and the crowd gets angrier at him. They look at the disturbed sky and feel the cold ("but a thousand suns burn just for you") and start to scream at him again. Then the teller of the song (the onlooker) climbs bravely up and kicks the man in the back, to "redeem him of this shame, and I scream to him".

By looking at the lyrics, to me, the person in the song is not hated. He merely wanted to see the view from atop the bridge. When others notice, they all think he is suicidal and egg him on. They want him to jump just so he can end it all and not back out. They want to see him splatter on the ground. "Don't disappoint me." They all wait and wait for him to do it, even though it was never his intention to jump. Eventually, after they get tired of waiting, the narrator climbs up the bridge and kicks him off. He has finally redeemed himself, and everyone is not disappointed, and the song ends.

I agree with nadjacs that it is more to do with society and the dark nature lurking underneath it all. I think it also gives us a good look at 'Mob Mentality' - the way that we are all anonymous when in a group and the guy that kicks him off the bridge is nameless/faceless and therefore capable of anything. I really like the metaphor idea, that hadn't occurred to me but it is a valid point and possibly one that a lot of people wouldn't think of.

I agree with nadjacs that it is more to do with society and the dark nature lurking underneath it all. I think it also gives us a good look at 'Mob Mentality' - the way that we are all anonymous when in a group and the guy that kicks him off the bridge is nameless/faceless and therefore capable of anything. I really like the metaphor idea, that hadn't occurred to me but it is a valid point and possibly one that a lot of people wouldn't think of.

I agree with nadjacs that it is more to do with society and the dark nature lurking underneath it all. I think it also gives us a good look at 'Mob Mentality' - the way that we are all anonymous when in a group and the guy that kicks him off the bridge is nameless/faceless and therefore capable of anything. I really like the metaphor idea, that hadn't occurred to me but it is a valid point and possibly one that a lot of people wouldn't think of.

I interpret this song as anti-conformity, using the classic "If everybody told you to jump off a bridge, would you?" line to the most literal extent possible.

I interpret this song as anti-conformity, using the classic "If everybody told you to jump off a bridge, would you?" line to the most literal extent possible.

One of my favorite Rammstein songs, this one's very haunting. I think this song is an assault to people who are attracted to accidents and drama like flies are to poo. About people who seemingly can't live without the intense satisfaction they derive from watching bad accidents, and just STAND there without doing anything while the victim(s) may be dying.

You see it everywhere: traffic jams are usually caused because some idiot(s) just HAVE to slow down to see how bad the car crash actually is, whole groups of people gather round when someone got hurt bad (broken something, or worse like being stabbed or shot).

I think this song is a creepy try to frame a disturbing truth of people in modern society.

It expresses the scary group-pressure that can occur between people, because maybe the crowd that stands and shout at the man only follows the singer.

It expresses a true terrifying feeling that many people have had. I know a lot of people who says they have been involved in accidents, maybe fallen over and hurt themselves and the like, and when they have cried out for help, people have just been standing over them, looking at them with eyes that waits for showtime, like they want something bad to happen. Also as many here have allready said, people flock around suicide-scenes.

It expresses the despicement for weakness in society, and the hate for the ones who does not appreciate the lives they have, no matter how sad and lonely they are.

So in my eyes it has a lot of meanings, as many of Rammstein's songs.