Like many people, I have spent extra hours surfing the web during the lockdown. During one excursion, I stumbled across the German rock group, AnnenMayKantereit (AMK for short). They hail from Cologne; a city for which I have fond memories, having worked on a project there for a year or so some time back.

AMK sing mainly in German, but there are some great covers to be found on YouTube. You can also find their songs on Apple Music. The band’s lead singer is Henning May who has a marvellous, gravelly voice as evidenced in this video.

I don’t speak German. The little tourist competence I acquired while working in Cologne has pretty much evaporated. I can remember, “Noch eins Kölsch, bitte”. With the aid of Google Translate and Wiktionary, I offer this English translation.

And I’m sitting again
Barefoot at the piano
I dream love songs
And sing about you

You and I, we were strange
Not for me, for those who were bothered
If you could hear us at night
I sat around lonely with you and in silence
I remember best lying lonely together, every morning
Then with you, you naked in bed and I barefoot at the piano

And I’m sitting again
Barefoot at the piano
I dream love songs
And sing about you

You and me, it didn’t work that way
You wanted to know everything and that drove me away
Actually you, you didn’t stay longer with me
So to live I prefer to sit barefoot at the piano

And I’m sitting again
Barefoot at the piano
I dream love songs
And sing about you
You and me, that was not enough
I dream about you

And I’m sitting again
Barefoot at the piano
And dream about you
I dream about you
I dream about you