Laßt sie reisen [English translation]

When I see those who reign, hold back, and form coalitions

in this, our land--those who bribe and scheme,

I am shocked, as well as fascinated anew, every time

that so much still works, in spite of so many politicians;

that chaos isn't here yet; and that we're not dying out,

but now I finally have the explanation for this phenomenon:

Geißler's at a family reunion in Kruger Park,

Scheel gets a few quick bucks for his party in Ticino.

Möllemann flies to Alaska, where the council meets,

Albrecht has to go to Austria for the diplomatic hunt.

Ehmke awoke team spirit in Rome,

and Schwarz-Shilling made a TV show pilot in Greenland.

When I think about all the bombs and rockets we've got,

It makes me sick, and I'm scared of it backfiring on us.

Does this never occur to those who bring all this stuff to us?

I don't think so; they're always just smiling adamently to themselves

And now I finally know why they're carefree, well yeah:

If it happens here, none of them, themselves, would be there.

Wörner's rushed to Switzerland for intimate talks

while Zimmermann dawdles on his paid vacation in New Zealand

Vogel 1 explains the budget deficit in Washington

Vogel 2 gives Moscow a billion dollar loan

Strauß is receiving a medal in South Africa

Kohl has a raffle sponsorship in Geneva

Whether black, yellow, green or red: they're all equally colorless and equally vapid

When they're away, you don't even notice their absence

The moral of the story: Let them travel, because then

they're not avoiding any scandals or covering up any mishaps at home.

Let them travel, let them have fun at our expense,

gladly, sincerely, as long as they're not trying to reign.

Stoltenberg visits the conservation conference in Tokio,

Börner and the Green Party are on a class trip to Pirmasens.

Brandt mercilessly tests out socialism in the French Riviera

Although Fischer isn't traveling, he spins in place instead.

Glotz talks in La Paz in front of the German Rabbit Breeders Association,

and Genscher opens up a sewage treatment plant in Gran Canaria.

Meanwhile, a bi-ba-boogeyman is loose in our country.

• Artist:Reinhard Mey
• Album:Hergestellt in Berlin (1985)