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This past week there was one song that spoke to me: Krähenkönig by Subway to Sally.
While playing videogames, I listened to the Apple Music station of Subway to Sally. I like their mix of upbeat music, and in this station, I also get songs from other artists I like. Many of them are German bands, mostly metal, sometimes folk metal, with examples as ‘Knasterbart,’ ‘Feuerschwanz‘ and ‘Oomph!.’
Subway to Sally
Despite me listening to German rock and metal music for the past five years, I wasn’t too knowledgeable about who exactly was ‘Subway to Sally.’ I knew they are a big name in Germany, but I’ve never seen them live. In other Apple Music mixes, I’ve come in contact with their big hits like ‘Schneekönigin’ and ‘Besser Du Rennst.’
Hey!
Last year, I discovered their latest album ‘Hey!,’ mainly because the lead singer of Oomph! was a guest artist on one of the songs. I listened to this album many times since. I love their mixture of deep lyrics, often a bit fairytale-like, and intense music. I even considered going to one of their concerts in the Fall of 2020, which, evidently, didn’t happen.
Chills
The song ‘Krähenkönig’ hit me because of the lines ‘Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser’-‘Day and night I shout myself hoarse.’ I can relate to this feeling so much. The sense of despair, of deep, deep hurt and sadness. The emotion the singer Eric Fish brings to these lines actually give me chills.
Yes, I was a bit disappointed when I learned the song is about a king of crows, but to me the feeling is universal.
I can’t even explain why it feels so familiar. There have been many life events which would have evoked such a feeling. Even now, with our fresh curfew circumstances, it could apply to the Covid-19 situation.
Just Another Song
I can’t find live renditions of this song on YouTube, so it was probably just another song on their album to the band. The album ‘Kreuzfeuer’ on which it was featured was released in 2009, so it’s not new. But to me, for now, it’s my favourite song.
King of Crows – Subway to Sally
I am the king of crows,
My kingdom is desolate and empty,
The source of my life,
it no longer gushes forth,
The servants of my crown
left the valley long ago,
My tree lost its leaves,
The branches became bare
I am the king of crows,
now I am all alone,
We were seven brothers
with a little sister,
I lost her ring,
as the light of her eyes1 broke,
And she went away,
The winter broke in
Day and night I shout myself hoarse
Wind blows all words away
Day and night I shout my crow’s word
I am the king of crows,
the grain is trampled,
the gallows are broken,
and my rage is fiery,
If I could live once more,
if I still had the choice,
I would repeat nothing of my anguish
Day and night I shout myself hoarse
Wind blows all words away
Day and night I shout myself hoarse
I curse this place
Day and night I shout my crow’s word
Day and night I shout myself hoarse
Wind blows all words away
Day and night I shout myself hoarse
I curse this place
Day and night I shout myself hoarse
I wish I were a thousand miles away
Day and night I shout my crow’s word
https://lyricstranslate.com
Krähenkönig – Subway to Sally
Ich bin der Krähenkönig
Mein Reich ist öd und leer
Die Quelle meines Lebens
Sie sprudelt nun nicht mehr
Die Diener meiner Krone
Verließen längst das Tal
Mein Baum verlor die Blätter
Die Zweige wurden kahl
Ich bin der Krähenkönig
Nun bin ich ganz allein
Wir waren sieben Brüder
Mit einem Schwesterlein
Ihr Ring ging mir verloren
Da brach ihr Augenschein
Und sie ist fortgegangen
Der Winter brach herein
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser
Wind weht alle Worte fort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mein Krähenwort
Ich bin der Krähenkönig
Zertreten ist das Korn
Gebrochen ist der Galgen
Und glühend ist mein Zorn
Könnt ich noch einmal leben
Hätt’ ich noch mal die Wahl
Nichts würd’ ich wiederholen
Von meiner Seelenqual
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser
Wind weht alle Worte fort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser
Ich verfluche diesen Ort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mein Krähenwort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser
Wind weht alle Worte fort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser
Ich verfluche diesen Ort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mich heiser
Wünsch mich tausend Meilen fort
Tag und Nacht schrei ich mein Krähenwort
https://lyricstranslate.com
Link: https://lyricstranslate.com/en/krähenkönig-king-crows.html
Song Lyrics Sunday is a prompt by Jim Adams, other entries can be found here: https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2021/01/23/just-another-day/
Nice music Liz, thanks for adding the English lyrics. To me it sounds a bit like Algerian music, maybe it is the guitar parts that give me this impression.
Hi,
It’s funny you should say that. Most bands I listen to use authentic instruments. With the Dutch band Omnia I also thought they made weird Middle-Eastern music, probably because they had a similar guitar to this one in their set-up. It wasn’t until I listened to it in more detail that I discovered it was merely an element of their music, not their entire style.
The song ‘Salome’ by the German band Saltation Mortis has a similar guitar sound in it as in this song, probably recorded around the same time as this song here. I think we westerners have become unaccustomed to instruments like this instead of the common guitar. I find it only more interesting 😀
Wow, I loooooooooooooooove this! I check out the album that is with this and I love it. I am sucker for this kind of rock. What other songs do you recommend from this band? Thanks for the share!
Thank you so much, your enthusiasm made me smile 🙂
I love the songs ‘Sieben,’ ‘Eisblumen’ and ‘Schneekönigin’
They’re all songs that appeared throughout my random Apple Music mixes, but they got my attention. And I loved the entire album ‘Hey!’
Some of the lines from the songs are, indeed, universal and fit many other situations that the authors did not even think about.
Yes, I love the poetry of the lyrics and the emotionality of the music 🙂
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