Wir weinen nicht, wir singen

Paradise You came to us from a country that has me in its spell It is mirrored on your skin and in your hair In your eyes, all Africa laughs and dances and sings A place that was filled with miracles long before our time Your singing is like an ardent cry of the heart A way upwards out of the earthly dungeon And your rhythm sets a deeply hidden longing free Like a ladder straight to paradise In your songs resounds what seems frowned upon, forbidden: You sing of beauty and you plead to God And you always move the way it laughs and cries inside you Please take us away from our cold routine for a little while You took me in like a brother, and I invite you all Be our brothers and sisters, even though the road is long. But for that, we must first liberate ourselves And then nothing will burn except the singing Konstantin Wecker (by permission of the artist; from Gamsig, 1996)