The Line (Schlussstrich)

[Intro — cold analogue synth pulse, distant military-radio texture, tight electronic kick] [Spoken, female, restrained] You crossed the line. [Beat enters] [Verse 1] You crossed the line Before I knew its name You called it history You find someone else to blame You crossed the line Then everybody learned How to close a door And watch the whole world burn [Pre-Chorus — bass rising, clipped synth arpeggio] “Das war damals” “That was then” “Wir waren jung” “Don't ask again” [Chorus — driving electronic beat, sharp synth stabs] You crossed the line They drew the line You crossed the line They drew the line You drew the line And called it time This time The Line we define [THE LINE] [Instrumental break — pounding bass, gated synth, vocal chop repeating “line… line… line…”] [Verse 2] A line across a country A line beneath a name A wall between a family A line they wouldn't explain “Wir haben nichts gewusst” “We didn't know” “Es ist lange her” “Let it go” But the ink is underneath And the paper isn't clean You can paint another colour You can change what it has seen [Pre-Chorus — building] “Schlussstrich” Draw the line “Schlussstrich” Close the file Hold the line Keep your distance Hold the line No resistance [Chorus — bigger] You crossed the line They drew the line You crossed the line They drew the line You drew the line And called it time This time The Line we define [Guitar instrumental, raw angular and repetitive pitch bending] [THE LINE] [Verse 3 — darker, more melodic] My father wore a uniform And learned to hold the line Then crossed another border And left his world behind He said, “Orders are orders” I heard “Do not ask why” But every line he followed Was somebody else's line [Bridge — beat drops almost completely, whispered vocal] Who drew it? Who named it? Who said it must remain? Who crossed it? Who erased it? Who painted over the stain? [German, building] Wer hat die Linie gezogen? Wer hat gesagt: vorbei? Wer darf die Vergangenheit für uns definieren? [Silence] [Female, almost whispered] Not you. [Beat slams back in] [Final Chorus — maximal, urgent] You crossed the line They drew the line You crossed the line They drew the line You drew the line And called it time This time We get to define You crossed the line I crossed the line We crossed the line Now look me in the eye No Schlussstrich No alibi No “that was then” No “let it die” This time This time This time [THE LINE] [Outro — repeated mechanical vocal over fading synth] The line The line The line Who drew the line? [Final whispered vocal] We define the line.