Schön Ist Die Jugend

That was a time, all men in the field he women alone, completely on their own
I grew up among aunts, sisters, cousins
who had a hard time with me, but I also with them
all women with strong personalities
to put it nicely, I don't want any quarrel
and me with my little tail in between
the little Hans with no chance to interfere

Also during my apprenticeship, I was then
the only man among 70 women
that is a boy of 14 years
left behind and inexperienced
shy, pimply, and always horny
full of fear of the girls, who partly
completely saw through me and in this knowledge
then also made extra dirty jokes

Beautiful is the youth, so carefree and free
Thank God it's finally over
and luckily it will never come back

How I envied my school friends there
whom I only saw on Sundays at the public pool
They learned at construction, carried beams and stones
had deep brown backs and snow-white legs
Their calloused paws dangled heavily
on still childish limbs, like foreign back and forth
so that they presented a sight
like young dogs with oversized paws

With jeans, rock'n roll, everyone then stuck
American-sounding names on themselves
That's why we had to call Friedhelm Django
and were allowed to sleep with his sister for that
Everyone called themselves Charlie, Mike, or Joe
If I'm not mistaken, it's still like that today
Only I was called Hans by everyone
although Johnny would have suited me better

Beautiful is the youth, so carefree and free
Thank God it's finally over
and luckily it will never come back

I learned guitar and thought then
that way I could easily get girls
I sang for free at every party
because of the girls, today I sing for money
most of the time the girl next to me
kissed the other guys, because I forgot everything
so delighted I listened to my detriment
when I sang, my own serenades

Gradually I became known for my songs
but my mother, who found them repulsive
said I should be ashamed of myself
and take an example from my friend
on how he sets his verses
so sensitive and fine that it doesn't hurt anyone
I don't want to mention the name of the friend here
because Reinhard is still alive and everyone knows him
because of those who also wrote beautiful songs
almost only the two of us are left

Beautiful is the youth, so carefree and free
Thank God it's finally over
and luckily it will never come back