Nico – Mütterlein

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  Song Meaning:This song was written for Nico's living mother, which could either mean for the living memory of her real mother or her aunt, whom she considered a second mother. Nico felt a lot of guilt around the time of her mother's death as she had pretty much abandond her mother before this and this guilt can be felt in the words of the lyrics and her delivery of the song. This was likely her way of showing her aunt how appreciative she was of the help she gave to her mother.

  Flag JJKelsallon October 23, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Here is my translation:
  
  Dear little Mütterlein*
  Now I may finally be with you
  The longing and the loneliness
  Redeem themselves in blessedness**
  
  The cradle is your homeland-dress
  A gracefulness*** your glory
  In ecstasy your heartbreak transforms
  And reaches inside of the victorious tide
  
  * The word Mütterlein is formed by adding the suffix "lein" to the word "Mütter" (mother). This suffix is used to form diminutives (make things smaller or more familiar) but is rarely used in modern German, with the suffix "chen" much preferred. The most common word which includes the suffix -lein is "Fraulein", meaning an unmarried woman, so the meaning of "Mütterlein" could be the virgin Mary, which would fit in with other religious themes in the album Desertshore, although the word has appeared in other artistic works simply as a diminuative of "Mutter".
  **Not entirely sure on this one, could also be "are taken over by blessedness"
  *** This is an idiomatic translation which seems t fit with the other lyrics, as I'm not sure how to interpret this word, its literal translation is "a balancing", "a hovering" or "a floating".

  Flag Jonotheintrepidon December 06, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:there was a poem by Friedrich Rückert called Wenn dein Mütterlein:
  When your mother
  steps in through the door
  and I turn my head
  to see at her,
  falling on her face
  my gaze does not first fall,
  but at the place
  nearer the doorstep,
  there, where your
  dear little face would be,
  
  when you with bright joy
  step inside,
  as you used to, my little daughter.
  
  When your mother
  steps in through the door
  with the glowing candle,
  it seems to me, always
  you came in too,
  hurrying behind her,
  as you used to come into the room.
  Oh you, a father's cell,
  ah too quickly
  bright joy lost too soon!
  
  and this translates to:
  Dear small Mütterlein, now I may be finite with you
  The longing and the isolation
  Erlösen itself in blessedness
  
  The cradle is your homeland dress
  Floating your glory
  In Wonne your heart suffering changes
  And reaches into the triumphing flood inside
  
  sounds like it's reversed, the poem was about a kid who died and this seems like a mother that died.
  if this was played at her funeral, it would make sense.
  
  dunno, maybe I'm wrong

  Flag othatzsokewlon November 22, 2009   Link

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    0

    I used the English translation of 'Wenn dein Mütterlein'

    Flag othatzsokewlon November 22, 2009  
• 0
  General Comment:I may be myself dear small mother
  now finite with you the longing and the loneliness
  selecting in bliss
  
  The cradle is changes your homeland dress
  floating your glory in bliss
  your Herzeleid and grasps into the
  winning flood in
  
  Really badly done via an online translator, but hopefully the jist of it is kind of clear.

  Flag ambrielon May 16, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:this song was played at nico's funeral

  Flag wijngon October 11, 2006   Link

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