Alter Mann

its about being lost and trapped on a lonely island, till mentioned it.

English translations taken from: herzeleid.com

He waits for the midday's wind the wave comes and lies down wearily with a fan every day the old one makes the water smooth

I throw the stone for fun the water moves in circles the old one looks sadly at me and swept it smooth again

I think that the old man represents a father figure. And the boy (the person who threw the rock into the water, I'm assuming it's a child) may represent a son. The old man fanning the water may represent a father trying to keep balance or maybe trying to keep calm during hard times caused by natural things (the midday's wind) or by other people (the boy). "The old one looks sadly at me" could be about how a parent may get frustrated or disappointed at their child for doing something bad or for acting foolish. Once the old man "swept it smooth again" he maybe trying to "clean up" after his child.

Premonition sleeps like a volcano hesitating, I asked him then his head bent, it seemed he slept before he died he said

I'm not so sure what "Premonition sleeps like a volcano" could meam. But, I think the old man is passing knowledge from his generation to the next, which is something most fathers want to do with their sons.

"The water shall be your mirror only when it is smooth will you see how much fairy tale is left for you and you will plead for salvation."

The reflection in the mirror (water) could represent how one views reality. If the boy spent so much of his life dreaming and having fun (throwing the rock in the water) his view of reality may become disorted like the water, or he may be unable to cope with a reality so void of "fairy tale magic"

The fan pressed against his body his hand stiffens with rigor mortis they had to break his fingers the fan stays back in the sand

The old man's hands stiffening may represent a person not wanting to give up their way of life. (not sure) "Te fan stays back in the sand" may mean that the fan was left there as a way to remember the old man.

I call the old one every day for him to save me here I stay back in the midday's wind and I can read in the fan

Apperently the boy is much older now. "I call the old one every day for him to save me here" means tht the boy pray to his dead father for help or guidance with life. "I stay back in the midday's wind and I can read in the fan" I think this means that the boy either took his father's place fanning the water or simply remembers what the old man taught him.

I just finished listening to the audiobook of H.P. Lovecraft's "The White Ship", and it reminded me of this song. It's more of a sad story than a horror story, but still a relatively cosmic one. The message of the two stories may be quite similar. If anyone else here has read or heard it, can they make the same connection? (For the record, I do not really understand German; I have been to Herzeleid.com and have watched lyricsoframmstein's videos on You Tube, and ended up with a crash course in the language, however. I just didn't feel like posting on the English page.)

Iam German and I unterstand every word in this song, but I have no idea what's it about at all ^^.

It's about a lonely old man. Kinda sad.

English translation at http://herzeleid.com/en/lyrics/sehnsucht#alter_mann

Beautiful song :)

It's about anticipating death? When the water is smooth, you see your age in your reflection.