Sandman Lyrics

Lyric discussion by ShadowSoul 

Cover art for Sandman lyrics by Oomph!

Poor Germany Can you see your children As they stand in line before the abyss

Sick Germany Can you understand their fear when they go to sleep

La le lu And only the man in the moon looks on When the poor children sleep So you sleep too

La le lu And the little heart freezes when the other children ask 'How much do you have?'

Sandman, sandman Shut off the lights The truth is horrible So send me a dream

Sandman, sandman Come to me at my house Sprinkle sand in my eyes And never wake me again

Poor Germany Can you see your children as they slowly go to the dogs

Rich Germany When will you abandon your celebration when will you understand

La le lu And only the man in the moon looks on When the poor children sleep So you sleep too

La le lu And the little heart freezes when the other children ask 'How much do you have?'

Sandman, sandman Shut off the lights The truth is horrible So send me a dream

Sandman, sandman Come to me at my house Sprinkle sand in my eyes And never wake me again

Dry bread makes cheeks red The boy lives in great distress He screams until his lungs are sore The hunger burns in the child's mouth

Dry bread makes cheeks red The boy lives in great distress He screams until his lungs are sore The hunger burns in the child's mouth

Sandman, sandman Shut off the lights The truth is horrible So send me a dream

Sandman, sandman Come to me at my house Sprinkle sand in my eyes And never wake me again

The 'la le lu' part and the first part of the chorus is from a German lullaby.

The video clearly indicates that this song is about poverty in Germany. It takes place decades ago (I dont know the time period, maybe the 1900s, maybe 1930s. It centers on a little girl who feels pity for the poor children, even though her rich family hates them. At one point her father even shoos one away like it's a stray dog. The video keeps showing a man in black robes carrying an hourglass stalking the children. At one point he kidnaps them, and the poor and rich family have to go out and search for them together. It then shows a screen that just reads 'in 2009 there are 1.5 million children in Germany living in poverty'. It then shows the parents finding their children under a tree and the video ends there.

I think the main meaning is obvious, but I dont understand the meaning behind the sandman, who I'm guessing is the robed man stalking the children. That robed man btw does appear to be a supernatural entitity since he keeps appearing then disappearing into thin air.