«Sun not Reagan»
Beuys also tried his luck as a pop singer as part of his political commitment. His song 'Sonne statt Reagan' attacks Ronald Reagan's arms policy. The song was issued as a record and Beuys appeared before big audiences with it during the peace movement's demonstrations and also with the group Die Desserteure in the ARD television broadcast 'Bananas' on 3.7.1982. 'Regen'', pronounced like 'Reagan', is the German word for 'rain'.
beuys can sing? well, not anymore, of course, but apparently in his days he could.
this is an anti-reagan song from 1982:
joseph beuys: sonne statt reagan. and here's the b-side: kräfte. sammeln
and speaking of political shite. here's billy bragg's version of the internationale. oh, or check out this midi version. weeeee!
[an aproximative translation to english]
aus dem land dass sich selbst zerstört
[from the land that autodestructs]
und uns den way of life diktiert
[and that dictates to us the way of life]
da kommt reagan mit waffen und tod
[comes reagan with weapons and death]
und hört er "frieden" sieht er rot
[and if he hears "peace" he sees red]
er sagt als präsident von usa
[he says as president of the usa]
[?]atomkern[?] bietet doch und da
[(don't really understand) ?atom core? offers here and now]
ob polen, mittlerer osten , nicaragua
whether poland, middle east, nicaragua]
er will den endsieg dass ist doch klar
[he wants the final victory, that much is clear]
- chorus -
doch wir wolln sonne statt reagan
[but we want the sun instead of reagan (= reagan, the us president, and regen, the rain, sound almost the same in german)]
ohne rüstung leben
[to live without the arms race]
ob west ob ost
[whether west or east]
auf raketen muss rost
[rockets should fall to rust]
- repeat -
er will die säcke im osten reizen
[he wants to provoke the rich bastards in the east]
die auch nicht mit atomen geizen
[who do not hold back with atoms either]
doch dein krieg um hirnverbrannte ziele
[but your war with crazy goals]
der läuft nicht wegen wir sind viele
[won't be on because we are many]
hau ab mit deinen nuklear strategen
[go away with your nuclear strategists]
deinen russenhass an deinen strahlenregen
[throw your hate for russians into your nuclear fallout]
mensch, knitterface der film ist aus
[dude, knitterface (= wrinkly face) the movie is over]
nimm die raketen mit nach haus
[take your rockets home with you]
- chorus -
denn wir wolln sonne statt reagan
[for we want the sun instead of reagan]
ohne rüstung leben
[to live without the arms race]
ob ost ob west
[whether east or west]
kalten kriegern die pest
[to cold warriors the pest]
- repeat -
dieser reagan kommt als mann der rüstungsindustrie
[this reagan guy comes as a man of the arms industry]
but the people of the states don't want it, see
[]
und den wahren frieden wirds erst geben
[and we will only have real peace]
wenn alle menschen ohne waffen leben
[when all people will live without weapons]
- chorus -
wir wolln sonne statt reagan
ohne rüstung leben
ob west ob ost
auf raketen muss rost
wir wolln sonne statt reagan
ohne rüstung leben
ob ost ob west
kalten kriegern die pest
- repeat a few times -
- fade -