Throw It Overboard

What’s going on inside this house?

Everything is in the way.

I can’t catch my breath here;

I need room to think.

I have doubts about it all,
and they're like Post-Its, sticking to my skin.

Come over to the window: we must—

Out, out, out—throw it overboard.

I must be light, light, light—throw it overboard.

Clear the ship, 'ahoy' to freedom—throw it overboard.

This dress of lead is not for me.

It’s not for me. No, it’s not for me.

Perhaps this is a test of how many tons of stress

can be laid across my shoulders before I lie down.

Well, today I will last longer, but I'll see you later:

let's cut loose and raise the anchor—

Out, out, out—throw it overboard.

I must be light, light, light—throw it overboard.

Clear the ship, 'ahoy' to freedom—throw it overboard.

This dress of lead is not for me.

Don't call me anymore, and don't send mail;

My laptop's in the trash; my cell phone's in the loo.

I'm just surfing down here, naked at the beach.

You've got a lousy network, and you're—

Just burnt out—throw it overboard.

I must be light, light, light—throw it overboard.

Clear the ship, “ahoy” to freedom—throw it overboard.

This dress of lead is not for me.

It’s not for me. No, it’s not for me.

Do I really need this car? (No)

Or these faucets made of gold? (No)

Do I need all these books? (No)

The alarm out in the hall? (No)

Do I need this sofa? (No)

And all these chic new shoes? (No)

Do I need to have white apples

On my chic new watch? (N0)

Do I need all this stuff? (N0)

And these bags made just for sports? (No)

I'm not into heavy haulage: we must--

Out, out, out—throw it overboard.

I must be light, light, light—throw it overboard.

Clear the ship, 'ahoy' to freedom—throw it overboard.

This dress of lead is not for me.

It’s not for me. No, it’s not for me.

I must be light, light, light—throw it overboard.

I must be light, light, light.

'Alles uber Bord'—Word and music by Anna Depenbusch
Translated by Frank Beck

I've just received a copy of Anna Depenbusch's new album, Das Alphabet der Anna Depenbusch (Sony/Columbia), her first new recording in nearly five years--and it's been well worth the wait. Depenbusch's music combines pop and French chanson, with a little Kurt Weill mixed in. What's surprising to me is how much that combination of genres still has to say to us in 2017. I'll post translations of some other lyrics from the album as I do them.

• 'Alles über Bord' (Throw it Overboard) on Spotify
• Lyrics of 'Alles über Bord' in German
• VIDEO: Anna Depenbusch + Band performing 'Stadt Land Fluss' in Darmstadt, April 8, 2017
• VIDEO: Anna Depenbusch sings 'Die schönste Melodie' and discusses her new album on Bavarian TV
• Article about the album from Das Tageszeitung
• My 2015 profile of Anna Depenbusch