February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

Wo gehör' ich hin?

Karan

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Tagged As:

singer-songwriter acoustic german

Liner Notes:

This is a reminiscence of many a long, solitary journey, commuting from Germany to England and back again on a regular basis. Now I am fairly settled and begin to miss my wayfaring life (but not its desperate aspects...).

(Re: recording - this is just a rough sketch, same as yesterday's first song upload. Time limitations force me to concentrate on songwriting this month - polishing is for later...)

Lyrics:

Dreizehn Stunden auf der Autobahn.
Viel zu viele Kilometer,
doch ich halt' nicht an,
weil sonst die Zeit noch langsamer verstreicht
und ich nicht weiß, ob ich mein Ziel erreich'.
"Ziel" ist eigentlich das falsche Wort,
denn am allerliebsten
führe ich gleich wieder fort.
Die Kompaßnadel dreht sich wild im Kreis,
weil sie die richtige Richtung auch nicht mehr weiß.

Wo gehör' ich hin?...

Immer wieder habe ich versucht,
irgendwo zu bleiben,
aber irgendwo war niemals gut genug,
denn irgendwer kam immer viel zu nah.
brach mir mein Herz in Scherben
und war plötzlich nicht mehr da.
Immer wieder auf der Autobahn.
Viel zu viele Kilometer,
und ich halt' nicht an
bis zu der Ausfahrt,
an der mein Name steht,
an der der Weg beginnt,
der in die Wildnis geht.

Wo gehör' ich hin?...

*******************************

Where do I belong?

Thirteen hours on the motorway.
Far too many kilometres,
but I do not stop,
because then time would pass even more slowly
and I do not know whether I reach my destination.
"Destination", actually, is the wrong word,
because I would love to drive off again straight away.
The needle of the compass dances madly,
it also does not know the right direction any more.

Where do I belong?...

Time and again I have tried
to stay somewhere,
but somewhere was never good enough,
because someone always came far too close,
broke my heart into shards
and suddenly was gone.
Again and again on the motorway,
far too many kilometres,
and I do not stop
until there comes the exit with my name on it,
where the path begins
that leads into the wilderness.

Where do I belong?...

Feedback:

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Captain Vulpine! 3 weeks ago

You represent your lyrics so greatly with your music every time, and I always feel like I'm right there with you. Great work again, of course!

-Captain Vulpine!
Roy Estel Hughes 3 weeks ago

Wow! What a story you tell, a picture you paint!. The English translation is all that I understand, but the feeling and the beauty of the German language comes across clearly in your presentation. I love listening to your songs!
John Fahres 1 month ago

Thanks for the translation; my Deutsch is very rusty.

I really like this, has quite the Joan Baez feel to it. Nice work!
Corinne Curcio 1 month ago

Wonderful. I so enjoy your songs
AquaMunkee 1 month ago

I love this song! You have effortlessly demonstrated the musicality of the German language, and the chord progressions are superb. The lyrics fit well with the mood, even for a non-native speaker.

As I struggle along in my job, and also struggle with my extra-curricular work as a scuba instructor taking a hit (the scuba shop I work for is going out of business), it makes me wonder if I shouldn't have stayed in Deutschland, leading me to ask myself just as you have - Wo gehör' ich hin?
squirt 1 month ago

I think it was on the "hin" that there was a very cool bass note... I liked that addition!
Your constant strumming is great 'cos it give it that momentum, which fits so well with the travelling that's important in the song. Schoen! (Don't know if I got that right, but I think you'll understand).
$Hannah O\'Reilly - hannahoreilly$ Hannah O'Reilly 1 month ago

I love how wise your voice is... it makes me want to listen to your message - like I can trust it - does that make sense? anyway, lovely! xH
songsville 1 month ago

Love the needle dancing and the exit with my name on it. I like it at this length too and I like the the chorus has just one line repeated -- I like that a lot, would have never dared try it myself but it works totally great as the mecoldy changes so much throughout the chorus.
VikkiFlawith 1 month ago

I like this, both in German and in English. Beautifully melancholy, but with a sense of flowing movement. I think the music really suits the idea of the song. Lovely work!
Valerie Cox 1 month ago

You are so cool. Great guitar, excellent vocal. I like the lyrics too. Very relateable. Thanks for the translation.
ukruss 1 month ago

I love the guitar intro, reminiscent of Pinball Wizard but at the same time gives you that feeling of travelling, speed, vehicles.

Consider me a fan!
Maeflower 1 month ago

You have this amazing gift of metaphor, Karan. I come away from listening to your tunes feeling like I've learned something profound about myself, life, the universe, etc. Another really beautiful tune....
Jan Krueger 1 month ago

Great chords in the chorus. I like how the lyrics flow so conversationally... and as how authentic they come across.