Harmonizing English & German Lyrics: My Bilingual Approach

Writing lyrics in two languages isn’t just about swapping words, it’s about carrying the same heartbeat across borders. As a bilingual lyricist living in Perth, Australia, with roots in Germany, I’ve spent years learning how to harmonize English and German lyrics so that the emotion, rhythm, and soul remain perfectly intact, no matter which language sings them.

Many people think translation is the biggest challenge, but for me, the real art lies in adaptation. English and German are cousins, yet they dance differently. German loves long, rich compound words that paint whole pictures in one breath; English prefers short, punchy phrases that hit quickly. German vowels often linger, perfect for holding a note; English consonants can snap and drive the rhythm forward. When I move a song from one language to the other, I don’t just translate, I re-imagine.

My goal is always the same: the listener should feel exactly what the original audience felt, even if they’ve never heard the other language. The warmth of a tender moment, the lift of an uplifting chorus, the ache of longing — none of that should be lost. I protect the core images, the emotional temperature, and the story’s truth, while reshaping the lines to breathe naturally with the melody in the new language.

One beautiful example is the song Lachen sollte jedes Herz and its English counterpart Laugh Just Once. The German version carries that classic Schlager optimism, open-hearted, sing-along joy. In English, I kept the same hopeful message of kindness and unity, but adjusted the phrasing so it flows smoothly for English-speaking singers and audiences. The refrain still lifts the spirit in both languages, proving that a song’s essence can travel the world unchanged.

Another favourite is my Lyric for My Palomino Girl performed by Joe Im Winkelried, where I adapted the English version into German Mein Palomino Girl. Lines had to honour the original spirit while feeling completely natural in German rhythm and dialect.

Living between two languages has been my greatest gift. I don’t “switch” between English and German, I feel both as home. That lived fluency lets me move freely between them, always asking: “How does this emotion sing best here?” The result is lyrics that don’t feel translated, they feel born in the language they’re sung in.

If you have a song in English that dreams of German audiences — or a German hit ready to reach the English-speaking world — I’d love to help harmonize it across languages, keeping every note of its heart intact. ♡

Mit Liebe und Lyrics,
Evelin Vordermeier ♡