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Home » Articles » 12 German Songs to Help You Learn German Faster
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written by Benny Lewis
Language: German
Reading time: 10 minutes
12 German Songs to Help You Learn German Faster
If you’re learning German, have you thought about using German songs?
German is one of the first languages I ever learnt (at school in Ireland and later in Berlin ). It remains one of my favourite languages.
That said, I remember well how frustrating it could be. I had to wrap my head around German grammar and memorise the intimidating long words. And when you learn a language like that… you risk sounding like a robot!
I’ve already said it in my article about using popular French songs to learn French : music can be a great tool for your language learning. You can learn slang, idioms, contractions, modern words…
All of it in context, and while having a good time! (I’ll expand on that towards the end of the article.)
Whether you want to introduce a new technique to your German learning strategy or are just looking for German song recommendations, this post is for you!
Table of contents
- 1. Rammstein – Ich Will
- 2. Helene Fischer – Atemlos durch die Nacht
- 3. O Tannenbaum
- 4. David Hasselhoff – Du
- 5. Marlene Dietrich – Lili Marleen
- 6. Nena – 99 Luftballons
- 7. Stereo Total – Wir Tanzen Im Viereck
- 8. Disco Pogo – Die Atzen
- 9. Deichkind – So’ne Musik
- 10. Klee – 2 Fragen
- 11. Nicole – Ein bißchen Frieden
- 12. Caterina Valente – Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe
Learning German With Music Is Fun!
Your accent will improve in leaps and bounds, it will give you a unique insight into german culture, you’ll strengthen your memory skills, overall, songs are a great way to learn.
Now let’s jump to 15 great German song recommendations!
1. Rammstein – Ich Will
Rammstein has been rocking around on the world stage since the mid-nineties. The majority of their songs are performed in German, although they often integrate many other languages (English, French and Spanish, to name a few) into their lyrics.
Ich Will is perfect for those at a beginner’s level. The lyrics are short, simple and straight to the point and the song is sung entirely in German. Best of all this particular tune is family-friendly – which is notable in itself. As a hard-core rock band, Rammstein doesn’t tend to see keeping their songs PG as a top priority.
2. Helene Fischer – Atemlos durch die Nacht
Helene Fischer is Germany’s answer to Britney Spears. Her songs are pop-y, fun and catchy – pretty much guaranteed to get stuck in your head.
Atemlos durch die Nacht happens to be the most successful song in German history. I wouldn’t be surprised if I were to find out that most German speakers know the words to it. It’s certainly the impression you get if you’re at a German club and the DJ puts this track on.
Best to learn the lyrics if you should ever find yourself in this particular situation, so as not to look out of place!
( If the video doesn’t load for you, try it here instead )
3. O Tannenbaum
Although O Tannenbaum is a song that is generally best served during the festive season, it’s another good one to start with.
I would be surprised to meet anyone who didn’t know the words of this song by heart in English – my guess is that the words have been deeply ingrained since childhood! The video itself is aimed at children and features subtitles so you can sing along.
4. David Hasselhoff – Du
Have you heard of Du ?
David Hasselhoff’s music career may have never got off the ground in the United States, but he was a massive hit in Europe, particularly in German-speaking countries. So much so, that he performed his iconic song “Looking for Freedom” on New Year’s Eve 1989 at the Berlin Wall (the song hit #1 in the German charts that year).
Du is unique among the other songs on this list, as the Hoff is not a native German speaker. He doesn’t run his words together – he sings clearly and distinctly (and with such fervent passion!). This makes the song yet another good choice for those who are just starting to tune their ear to German.
5. Marlene Dietrich – Lili Marleen
Lili Marleen is a German love song that grew in popularity during World War II.
Originally a poem written in 1915 during the first World War, Marlene Dietrich’s cover is probably the most well-known recording of the song.
Funnily enough, the tune was popular on both sides of the trenches during WWII, making it one of the most famous German-language songs in the world.
6. Nena – 99 Luftballons
99 Luftballons is an anti-war protest song that became an international hit when the English version was released.
The original German rendition tells the story of an army general sending pilots to shoot down what turns out to be harmless children’s balloons, floating on a country border. This leads to a 99-year long war, in which there is no winner.
7. Stereo Total – Wir Tanzen Im Viereck
Wir Tanzen Im Viereck is a song you can sing and dance along to! The beat is catchy and the lyrics repetitive. It’s probably the most bizarre song on this list.
The band in question is the multilingual Stereo Total , who mix things up by often producing songs in French and English as well.
8. Disco Pogo – Die Atzen
Disco Pogo is yet another catchy party tune that’ll have you shaking your tail-feather in no time at all. I dare you to keep a straight face during the chorus.
Dingalingaling indeed.
9. Deichkind – So’ne Musik
So’ne Musik takes us well into intermediate to advanced language learner’s territory. Hip-hop is not a genre for everyone, but I recommend you give this song a go.
Deichkind are notorious for their humorous lyrics and So’ne Musik is no exception. If you’re eager to pick up some German slang while testing out your rap skills, then this is the song for you.
10. Klee – 2 Fragen
Klee is a German pop group influenced by English bands such as Coldplay and The Cure.
2 Fragen (“Two Questions”) speaks of the point at the end of a relationship, where you look at your significant other and fail to recognise them. It’s a sweet little song that is fairly easy to sing along to.
You’ll be craving something with a bit of a slower pace after the last two tunes!
11. Nicole – Ein bißchen Frieden
Germany won its first Eurovision with Nicole’s rendition of Ein bißchen Frieden in 1982. Nicole was a highschool student at the time.
The song was also translated into English as “A Little Peace” and topped the charts everywhere it was released.
It’s a great musical choice for fans of ABBA!
12. Caterina Valente – Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe
Released in 1953, Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe is one of the most popular German songs. It’s one of the three songs that spent the most weeks at number one in Germany, totalling 21 weeks in 1955.
Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe , which in English goes by “I Love Paris”, was introduced in the musical Can-Can
Why Study German With Songs?
When people try to tell me that particular languages are hard to learn, I’ll argue back until I’m blue in the face. Why? Because when it comes to difficulty, I think all languages are created equal. German is no exception .
Even so, it doesn’t hurt to oil the wheels of learning with a bit of fun.
I love music and often incorporate it into my language learning process. Here’s why:
For me, studying from grammar textbooks can be quite dull at times. Reading tables of verbs doesn’t help me internalise them in any way – I just tend to get bored.
On the contrary, I find music to be a helpful language learning tool, simply because I enjoy it so much.
Listen to a song long enough (especially a catchy and upbeat song), and you will inevitably find yourself singing along to it. I don’t know about you, but I’m generally always up for an impromptu karaoke session.
(Using audio is important for learning the nuances of German, both because of the new sounds and accents and because of the many German dialects .)
There’s a reason why I’m a massive advocate of getting out of the classroom (or onto the Internet ) when studying a language.
You’re not going to learn to talk like a native merely from reading a textbook.
You have to get out there and hear how people speak in their native tongue. You can do this in person, through watching films , or listening to music.
To know a language, you have to live it. So, if you want to speak like a German, you’re essentially going to have to pretend to be one.
Luckily, music is an easily accessible gateway into a foreign culture. You can learn a lot about a people through the tunes that they listen to.
Throughout the ages, human beings have chosen to celebrate and commiserate with the aid of music. It doesn’t matter whether you’re listening to the current top 40, or singing a song from the last millennium. You’ve got a front row seat to an art form that highlights both the values and heritage of a particular culture.
Why is it that we get commercial jingles stuck in our head? Well, it’s because music engages certain parts of your brain that spoken language doesn’t.
So, you’re more likely to remember foreign words, if you hear them in a song, rather than in conversation. The music itself will act as a trigger point, stimulating words that you may otherwise have trouble recalling.
Active repetition of learning via song lyrics will help strengthen your memory skills overtime. That means you’ll be growing your vocabulary while having fun. You’ll also be more likely to remember complex grammar topics such as adjective endings if you hear the differences in context than if you learnt them from a textbook.
And of course, this language hack will give you a wicked advantage over others, the next time you partake in a karaoke session.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of songs.
A small warning: Be sure to avoid falling in the trap of passive learning .
Write down the lyrics as you listen to the song, until you have it memorised. Add words you’re unfamiliar with to your vocab list.
Also, don’t be afraid to belt out the lyrics with an exaggerated German accent. You may feel silly at first, but you’ll be sounding like a native in no time at all.
And even if you sound silly, it’s so much fun! To prove that I know what I’m talking about, see this music video I made (with a pretty terrible accent, and off-key, in true karaoke style but clearly enjoying myself) about a song in German that was popular while I was living in Berlin.
Above all, enjoy yourself. Language learning is not supposed to be a chore. It’s something you undertake because you have a particular passion for a country or culture. If you choose to mix up your learning, you’ll be far less likely to get disheartened along the way.
If you’re looking for more German posts, here is a great selection to get you started:
- German Pronouns – Here’s Everything You Need to Know
- German Uncovered Review — Honest, In-Depth Review on “StoryLearning” German [With Video]
- German Prepositions – The Ultimate Guide (with Charts)
- Days of the Week in German & Easy Ways to Remember Them
- GermanPod101 Review – 25 Hours with GermanPod101
Benny Lewis
Founder, Fluent in 3 Months
Fun-loving Irish guy, full-time globe trotter and international bestselling author. Benny believes the best approach to language learning is to speak from day one .
Speaks: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Esperanto, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language, Dutch, Irish
Have a 15-minute conversation in your new language after 90 days
Qualified German and French Teacher – Simplifying Language Learning
45 German Songs For GCSE German Classrooms
Motivate gcse german students with modern and traditional german songs in your classroom today.
Get some brilliant German songs and suggestions by GCSE topics below!
A bit of background into why I created the list of 45 German songs for GCSE classrooms before I present you with the resource…
The German language has always been my passion. I knew that I wanted to do something with the language as a career from my very first lesson way back in 1998. I really focused on improving my German skills by doing my homework, reading German magazines for teenagers and participating well in lessons. My passion, determination and hard work helped me to achieve an A* in my GCSE German exams and an A in my German A Level, both of which I am still very proud of to this day.
My first visit to Germany was with my family in 2002, when I was in Year 10. I had never heard any German music before that, but as soon as I heard Xavier Naidoo’s ‘Bevor du gehst’ song on this trip, I was hooked. As I mentioned in my 45 Songs for French GCSE students post recently, for me, music has always been an instrumental part of learning a language, and I truly feel that knowing German music has aided me to improve my pronunciation, my listening skills, as well as my understanding of German culture and vocabulary.
Looking back on my German lessons, I kind of wish Ms Hood and Frau Almasi (my German teachers) had played me German music or given me music suggestions when I was studying German at school. This is the main reason I try to incorporate music in my lessons regularly, because I can see the benefits of listening to music in the target language when studying a language. Have you ever used the song, Durchgehend Online die Lochis (3073 downloads) by die Lochis? I played it to my Year 10 GCSE German students last year. Whilst they weren’t particularly big fans of the duo (comparing them to Jedward), a year later they are still singing the lyrics and using the vocabulary they learnt from it in their work. Win win, I say!
Combining my love of German music and other German teachers’ suggestions, I have compiled this three page list of fabulous contemporary and classic German songs for the AQA German GCSE classroom. The resource contains 45 German songs which have been curated especially for the German GCSE classroom. You will find the artist’s name, the song title, as well as a link to one of the best quality version’s of the video that I could find on YouTube.
45 German Songs for The GCSE German Classroom
If you do download the file below and find it useful, please consider leaving a small donation. I make all the resources myself and whilst I love to share, it is very time consuming!
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SONG SUGGESTIONS
I really want to say a BIG THANK YOU to anyone who gave me a suggestions through my requests recently. Although I have added quite a few of the songs, there may be some that I am missing. If you think I am missing a great song, please leave the title and artist, as well as the GCSE theme it relates to below. I will be happy to update the resource over the coming months if necessary!
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Thank you for all your great ideas
theidealteacher
Thank you for the feedback, Susan!
Catherine Gosling
Fantastic set of songs. Thank you for sharing them.
Many thanks for all your amazing resources!
I would like to suggest a song or 2 for your German resources.
Nur ein Wort by Wir sind Helden ( to practise verbs ich and du)
Munich Super Crew – any song really!
Block und Bleistift by Blumentopf (very clever lyrics but somewhat “rude” in parts!)
Any thing by Uwe Kind – here’s one called “keine Zeit”
That’s all for now!
Thanks for the comments! When I update the document, I will add them to the list. Thank you!
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CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD > German Songs By GCSE German Topic (3974 downloads)
German Song for Children "Gruen sind alle meine Kleider"
This song has simple words and is perfect for practicing german.
- History & Culture
- Pronunciation & Conversation
A chimney sweep, a painter, a hunter, and a baker, they all make an appearance in this fun and easy to learn German song for children. " Grün sind alle meine Kleider " is a classic song and it is perfect for anyone of any age who is trying to learn the German language.
How This Song Helps You Learn German
Repetition is key to learning any new language and songs like this are ideal for practicing the basics. It may be written for kids, but everyone can learn a good deal of German vocabulary with this simple song.
Take a look at the English translation for a minute. Many of the basic colors are included, as are some common occupations. It also repeats words like "clothes" ( Kleider) and "love" ( liebe ) and it gives you an idea of basic sentence structure.
It is also helpful to have a melody when working on your vocabulary. It is one of the many memory tricks that you can use and by the time you learn this song well, you will know that ' Maler ' means 'painter' and " mein " translates to "my".
As you progress in your German studies, it's likely that you will think back to this song when you hear words like " grün " (green) and phrases like " ich hab " (I have). Songs simply make studying more fun and, of course, you can learn it with your children.
" Grün sind alle meine Kleider " ( All My Clothes Are Green )
" Grün sind alle meine Kleider " is a traditional children's song that originated in Pomerania (Pommern). There are many different versions and, as you can see in this Kinderlieder zum Mitsingen YouTube video , there are verses with different colors as well.
It is a fun, catchy little song that is very easy to learn.
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- Learn German by Listening to Deutsche Schlager (German Hit Songs)
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Here are 10 songs which will help you master German grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Advertisement After a while you’ll be effortlessly singing along with these tunes and using phrases...
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German GCSEgerman listeninggerman songshomework for germanks4 germanvocabulary Previous Spontaneous Speaking Activity - Tip of the Week - Edition 6 Newer Vocabulary Revision Challenge Dominoes - Tip Of The Week 7 You May Also Like Running A Successful European Day of Languages (EDL) 17 September 2018
Grün, grün, grün sind alle meine Kleider, Grün, grün, grün ist alles, was ich hab. Darum lieb ich alles was so grün ist, Weil mein Schatz ein Jäger, Jäger ist. Green, green, green are all my clothes. Green, green, green is all that I have. So I love anything that's green. because my love is a hunter, a hunter.