Ghosts of Dachau

Album: Our Favourite Shop/Internationalists (1985)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Written by The Style Council's lead singer Paul Weller, this track is about the basic human need for love, even in a place like a Nazi death camp. Weller was inspired by Tadeusz Borowski's This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentleman, a book about experiences in concentration camps like Auschwitz and Dachau.

    The singer told Daniel Rachel (The Art of Noise: Conversations with Great Songwriters): "In amongst all this f--king degradation and disgraceful human behavior there were still people having love affairs. There's a bit in the book where he describes a guy who's lost his trousers. He's walking around semi-naked because there was nothing else to put on, all those kind of images. Whether it sounds right to say but life carried on, in a strange way, in those camps. I thought it was unbelievable, whether it was a strength or a stupidity of human behavior: whichever way you look at it I thought it was fascinating."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.