Der Kampf geht weiter [English translation]

How many are behind bars, that wanna be free?

How many behind bars, that we need out here?

How many behind bars, accordin' to law?

Who's got the money, got the power too,

and who's got the power, is in the right!1

How many are layin' in the sun, and cheat the world,

drivin' nice cars with our money

calling us their slaves with their law?

Who's got the money, got the power too,

and who's got the power is in the right!

The judges and prosecutors, who are they there for?

For the capitalists and for their State2

They convict us accordin' to their law!.

Who's got the money, got the power too,

and who's got the power is in the right!

They were bought to mess up our shit3

They protect the rich that steal from us.

They convict us accordin' to their fucking law.

Who's got the money, got the power too,

and who's got the power is in the right!

[Refrain:]

They take us for all we got

They throw us out

They don't do shit for us4

But they live off us!

They call us their slaves

and if we fight, they'll hunt us down.

'Cus they know

the fight keeps goin'

And they know,

The truth's gonna win!

[Bridge:]

And you, behind those bars, don't give up hope!

Your judges are cowards, the guards are bought!

They're scared of just one law

Who fights for the people is in the right!

Your the prisoners of the class struggle5,

the struggle for our future and for our country.

And there's only one law for us:

We don't need no slaves, and no bosses neither!

1. both in a legal sense and everyday sense of "being right" I think.2. in the abstract sense of government in general. Not normally capitalized but I want to avoid confusion with the American "states."3. very free translation. Literally, "they are bought, in order to torment us."4. literally "They do nothing for us."5. everywhere else I've translated "Kampf" with "fight." Fight is probably more literal, but I didn't do that here because we say "class struggle" in English for the Marxian term, which is most definitely what is meant here.

• Artist:Ton Steine Scherben
• Album:Warum geht es mir so dreckig (1971)