Song Meaning

Nina Hagen's "Unbeschreiblich weiblich" isn't just a song; it's a primal scream against societal expectations, a punk rock manifesto of female autonomy. The title, translating to "Indescribably Female," drips with irony, considering the very specific and visceral experience Hagen is dissecting: the expectation, or rather the *obligation*, of women to procreate. The opening lines, raw and unapologetic about a terminated pregnancy, immediately set the stage for a confrontation with traditional roles. This isn't a ballad of regret; it's a declaration of self-ownership. The repeated refrain, "Warum soll ich meine Pflicht als Frau erfüll'n?" ("Why should I fulfill my duty as a woman?") is a dagger aimed at the heart of patriarchal norms. Hagen isn't asking for permission; she's demanding recognition of her right to choose. The genius of "Unbeschreiblich weiblich" lies in its juxtaposition of the biological and the philosophical. The references to Marlene Dietrich, a symbol of female independence, and Simone de Beauvoir, the intellectual architect of feminist thought, elevate the song beyond a personal anecdote. They root Hagen's experience within a larger historical and intellectual context of female liberation. Hagen isn't just talking about her own body; she's invoking a lineage of women who dared to defy expectations. The bridge becomes a crucial turning point. Before the cries of a child, she sings, "Muss ich mich erst mal selbst befrei'n" ("I must first free myself"), underscoring the idea that true motherhood, if chosen, must stem from a place of personal liberation, not societal pressure. But perhaps the most potent element of "Unbeschreiblich weiblich" is its embrace of contradiction. Hagen acknowledges the physical and emotional toll of the experience ("Mir ging's zum Kotzen" - "I felt like throwing up") while simultaneously asserting her newfound sense of empowerment. It's not a denial of the complexities of womanhood, but rather a refusal to be defined solely by them. The explosive repetition of "Weiblich! Weiblich!" at the song's climax is not a celebration of traditional femininity, but a reclamation of the term on her own terms. It's a declaration that female identity is not fixed or prescribed, but fluid, multifaceted, and ultimately, indescribable – except, perhaps, through the very act of resisting definition.