In Germany Before The War by Randy Newman

Album: Little Criminals (1977)

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The subject of this Randy Newman composition is no little criminal. "In Germany Before The War" was inspired by the offbeat 1931 Fritz Lang film M, which featured Peter Lorre as serial child killer Hans Beckert. Newman set his version in 1934; according to a review in the London Observer of September 2003, the song is a metaphor for a nation about to enter a period of transgression and horror - by this time Adolf Hitler had been chancellor for over a year, and the economic persecution of German Jews was already well underway.

This explanation is possible, especially as Newman is himself Jewish. That being said, there was a real child killer on the loose in the city at that time. Peter Kürten was executed in July 1931 after confessing to nine murders. He was known as the Düsseldorf Ripper, the Vampire of Düsseldorf, or the Monster of Düsseldorf. Lang always denied basing the film character on Kürten.

Although Newman's song does not actually describe or mention a murder, it is difficult to put any other interpretation on the final line where the golden girl who has lost her way lies "very still." This is Newman at his somber, brooding best, notwithstanding the terrible subject. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 4

Kant F. Sing from Houston TxWhat are incredibly strong about this song are the beautiful, minor composition with sound of violins, and the chorus, which immediately draws me in. I can picture myself just like this murderer, looking at the river but thinking of the sea... How seemingly very ordinary people, just like a regular shop keeper, just like me, can also be hideous monsters.
Dude from CaEric, I'm not sure I'd call this interpretation the "true meaning." Newman used to introduce the song in concert simply by saying, "this is a song about a child-murderer." That doesn't mean it doesn't have another meaning beyond the surface, as well, but as far as I've been able to discover, he hasn't talked about one in public.
Arne Biesma from Amsterdam, NetherlandsNewman wants to get the scene setting sorted from the first line. That could only mean that the song had to be set in 1934 as none of the historically more accurate years would have rhymed with: In Germany before the war.
Eric from Camas, WaWow, I didn't know about the song's true meaning. Now the song is REALLY creepy.

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