Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a nocturnal awakening, where darkness isn't an end but a beginning. The initial lines establish a contrast: while the world sleeps, a specific group becomes alert and ready. This isn't a time for rest, but for action, as the narrator states, "Wenn es dunkel wird, kommt unsre Zeit" (When it gets dark, our time comes). The central tension lies in this inversion of day and night. The familiar world of sleep is disrupted by the emergence of these figures who find their freedom and purpose in the shadows. They are "Auf den Dächern, über der dunklen Stadt" (On the rooftops, above the dark city), a vantage point that suggests observation and perhaps a hidden mission. The most striking element is the cyclical nature of their activity, defined by the night. The repeated phrase "Es ist Nacht (Es ist Mitternacht)" (It is night (It is midnight)) anchors this identity. Their return is explicitly tied to the end of their nocturnal phase: "Wir kommen erst zurück, wenn der Tag anbricht" (We only come back when day breaks). This creates a powerful sense of a hidden, active life that thrives when the ordinary world is at its most vulnerable. The lyrics effectively capture the thrill of operating under the cover of darkness, suggesting a unique purpose that only the night can facilitate.