“To ashes, to dust” is the haunting song from the German television series, Babylon Berlin. I mistakenly transposed the title in an earlier post and have corrected that. The song is sung over the final credits of most episodes, but not all, and a slow, solemn rendition plays over the credits of the sixteenth and thus far last episode in the series.
I have now watched them all and my early opinion of its excellent has been justified.
Below are the lyrics as shown in the English subtitles. Another translation can be found online that I find inferior.
Of the subtitles, I watched the series with them. A dubbed version is available which many find very poorly done. If you watch, I advise the subtitles.
To ashes, to dust
Stolen from the light
But not just yet
Miracles wait until the end
Ocean of time
Eternal law
To ashes, to dust
To ashes
But not just yet
To ashes, to dust
Stolen from the light
But not just yet
Miracles wait until the end
It must be just a dream
Trying to snatch the wind
Who really knows?
The clock on your wall
It is filled with sand
Put your hand in mine
And let us be forever
Now you make your choice
And throw us in between happiness and agony
But I can forgive you
You are very close to death
But your eye still clear
Does it recognize me? I’m ready
To seek immortality with you
Here is a link to a YouTube video of the song as performed during one episode of Babylon Berlin by the Lithuanian actress, Severija. Yes, actress, even though she appears as a Johnny Depp look alike.
An album of music from the series is available. I bought it from iTunes.
————
Until recently I had never heard the word, kakistocracy, which refers to a system of government which is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens. Now I have come across it three times in the past few months.
