Dread Love

Nina Hagen's 'Dread Love' is a whirlwind of eclectic themes and vivid imagery, reflecting her unique style that blends punk rock, opera, and new wave influences. The song opens with a call to 'Praise the Lord everyday with dread love,' setting a tone that mixes spirituality with a sense of rebelliousness. The term 'dread love' itself is a juxtaposition, combining the fearsome with the affectionate, suggesting a love that is both intense and transformative.

Throughout the song, Hagen intersperses German phrases and surreal imagery, such as 'Du musst mal an die UFOs denken' (You must think about the UFOs) and 'Dred revolution, dread menstruation, hot masturbation.' These lines create a sense of disorientation and challenge conventional norms, reflecting Hagen's avant-garde approach to music and life. The repeated mention of 'hallucination' further emphasizes a break from reality, inviting listeners into a world where love and revolution are intertwined in a chaotic dance.

The chorus, 'Love affairs are so exciting when the star of dread love shining,' suggests that love, in its most thrilling form, is unpredictable and all-consuming. The song also touches on political themes with lines like 'Die Partei hat immer recht' (The party is always right), hinting at a critique of authoritarianism. The closing lines, 'No babylon love affairs no more,' reject superficial relationships in favor of something deeper and more meaningful, encapsulated in the phrase 'NunSexMonkRock,' a term Hagen coined to describe her fusion of spiritual and carnal elements.

'Dread Love' is a testament to Nina Hagen's ability to blend disparate elements into a cohesive, if chaotic, whole. It challenges listeners to embrace the complexity of love and life, urging them to find beauty in the unconventional and the revolutionary.