Du hast

"Du hast"
Song

"Du hast" (ger. "Thou hast") is a song by the German Tanz-Metall band Rammstein from the 1997 album Sehnsucht. The song is one of the band's best known worldwide, owing to its inclusion on the soundtrack of The Matrix and heavy airplay on MTV. It has also been featured in other films, such as CKY2K and 1999's How High, as well as TV's Gilmore Girls in the episode "Presenting Lorelai Gilmore".

The video for the song was influenced by Reservoir Dogs.

Two versions can be found, one with the chorus and first three verses in English, and another completely in German. The lyrics to the English version are not a translation of the lyrics in German.

Lyrics

The whole song is a play on German wedding vows.

The refrain ("Willst du, bis der Tod euch scheidet, treu ihr sein für alle Tage?") translates to "Will you, until Death separates you, be faithful to her for the rest of your days?" Instead of answering with "ja" ("yes"), the singer says "nein" ("no"), finally breaking his silence earlier in the song: "Du hast mich gefragt, und ich hab nichts gesagt", which translates to "You asked me (or have asked me), and I have said nothing."

As stated earlier, the English version of Du Hast is not translated, but changed altogether ("Du hasst" (du haßt) means "you hate". The extra "s" differentiates it from the conjugated verb form of haben (to have).

Interpretation

The title is commonly interpreted as "You Hate", but can be considered as a play on words: "Du hast" means 'you have', while the homophonous "du haßt (du hasst)" means 'you hate'. The pun is illustrated by a comparison of the German version, a literal English translation, and the band's non-literal English version of the song.

The wedding vow is sung word-by-word many times, each line with subtle ironic meanings:

• Du: Thou
• Du hast: Thou have
• Du hast mich: Thou have me
• Du hast mich gefragt: Thou have asked me
• Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt: Thou hast asked me and I have said nothing

As often with Rammstein songs, slight modifications reveal more of the intentions of the lyrics.

• Willst du, bis der Tod euch scheidet, treu ihr sein für alle Tage?: Wilt thou, till Death sheddeth you, betrow her for alls days?

The song thus reveals that a man has been asked by a woman to marry her. This is repeated three times.

• Willst du, bis zum Tod, der scheide, sie lieben auch in schlechten Tagen?: Wilt thou, till tom death, thas shedde, love her also in slack days?

If the line is sung as "Tod der Scheide" it would be not "till death, that shed (split)," but literally "till death of the scabbard," where "scheide" is a common synonym for vagina, as "scheide" will be changed from a verb to a noun.

Endily, the last three words ("für alle Tage") of the first question are skipped, to leave the meaning "Will you be faithful to her?"

Track listing

1. Du Hast (Single Version)
2. Bück Dich (Album Version)
3. Du Hast (Jacob Hellner Remix) 6:44
4. Du Hast (Clawfinger Remix) 5:23

External links

• Lyrics
• Music video