This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Dec 1, 2022 13:05
1 yr ago
40 viewers *
German term
Germany
Native EN|PhD|Parmaceuticals|Medical
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK) 
Works in: German to English, Danish to English, English, and 1 more.
Gassenhauer
German to English
Art/Literary
Music
I’ve found “popular tune” and “popular song” in several dictionaries. But I don’t quite think it captures the meaning.
I’d like to say something along the lines of:
[Song X] is a real ____.
Any ideas?
I’d like to say something along the lines of:
[Song X] is a real ____.
Any ideas?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 | gets everyone on the floor |
Jennifer Caisley
|
| 3 | dance floor filler |
Lucie Gallen
|
| 3 | banger / hit (song) |
Moritz von Freyhold
|
| 3 | Evergreen/oldie but goodie/ear candy |
Ramey Rieger (X)
|
Change log
Dec 1, 2022 19:19: Murad AWAD changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"
Proposed translations
6 mins
Lucie Gallen
Native in English
Cycling-related translations DE-EN(GB)
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English
dance floor filler
Just an off the top of my head suggestion
Note from asker:
| @Lucie: I like it. It would have never crossed my mind. |
51 mins
Jennifer Caisley
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Flawless translations of corporate texts
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: German to English, English
gets everyone on the floor
I suspect this is one of those areas where we're potentially less likely to go for a 1:1 noun substitute in EN, instead being more likely to create a phrase
"gets everyone on the floor" is the first to come to mind to me, and it's got 11k Google hits so relatively common!
(blatantly inspired by @Lucie's suggestion, credit where credit's due!)
"gets everyone on the floor" is the first to come to mind to me, and it's got 11k Google hits so relatively common!
(blatantly inspired by @Lucie's suggestion, credit where credit's due!)
Example sentence:
those great party dance songs that get everyone on the floor dancing
5 hrs
Moritz von Freyhold
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in German
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
songs, subtitling, books, audio, music
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
banger / hit (song)
Gassenhauer = allbekanntes, triviales Lied (https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Gassenhauer), as synonyms the Duden offers: "Evergreen, Schlager; (umgangssprachlich) Hit, Ohrwurm"
The translation depends very much on the context and formality, as well as the song which it refers to. For a modern song a more modern term works.
If an informal and rather modern term works, which seems to be the case in this context, the term “banger” could be used. Or something less informal would be "hit" or "hit song".
Banger is “a popular song or piece of music with a loud, heavy beat (= rhythm) that people like to dance to” (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/banger).
A hit is "someone or something that is very popular or successful" (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hit).
The problem with the term “banger” is that it’s modern, possibly slang, whereas the term “Gassenhauer” is a little bit old-fashioned. It was already mentioned in the 16th century. (https://www.wissen.de/wortherkunft/gassenhauer)
The term “banger” has been used since the 1980s, it “crossed over into music in the ’80s” and “comes from the verb “bang,” which means to hit something hard”, according to https://www.deepinthemix.com/what-is-a-banger-in-music/.
What fits here is the similarity between “bang” and “hauen”.
But, as mentioned above, there is a loss when translating a 16th century term with a modern one.
The term "Hit" is also used in German, but it has modern connotations, whereas "Gassenhauer" is older.
The translation depends very much on the context and formality, as well as the song which it refers to. For a modern song a more modern term works.
If an informal and rather modern term works, which seems to be the case in this context, the term “banger” could be used. Or something less informal would be "hit" or "hit song".
Banger is “a popular song or piece of music with a loud, heavy beat (= rhythm) that people like to dance to” (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/banger).
A hit is "someone or something that is very popular or successful" (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hit).
The problem with the term “banger” is that it’s modern, possibly slang, whereas the term “Gassenhauer” is a little bit old-fashioned. It was already mentioned in the 16th century. (https://www.wissen.de/wortherkunft/gassenhauer)
The term “banger” has been used since the 1980s, it “crossed over into music in the ’80s” and “comes from the verb “bang,” which means to hit something hard”, according to https://www.deepinthemix.com/what-is-a-banger-in-music/.
What fits here is the similarity between “bang” and “hauen”.
But, as mentioned above, there is a loss when translating a 16th century term with a modern one.
The term "Hit" is also used in German, but it has modern connotations, whereas "Gassenhauer" is older.
Example sentence:
What Makes a Song a Banger?
Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball' Is No. 1, But Is It A Real Hit?
1 day 48 mins
Evergreen/oldie but goodie/ear candy
Like Tony, I don't feel Gassenhauer are dancefloor hits.
Discussion
I think “Gassenhauer” can have multiple translations depending on the particular song/context. For my example, I think anthem fits best.
I agree with Tony that the song on YouTube is not particularly danceable. More an anthem for a crowd to sway to with raised cigarette lighters.
@Brent it's come to me, that, in very general terms, we could call this kind of song a banger (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banger) at least in British English (I don't know if they use the same word elsewhere in the English-speaking world!), or a "tune" (as in, "that's an absolute tune"). Any good?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=god7hAPv8f0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRqBcDwG8vs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpVQm41f8Y
etc.
I'd say there's something evergreeny or anthemy about Gassenhauer.
I like Lucie's suggestion, but I suspect (which is why I asked about the context) we'd be more likely to form a phrase, rather than creating a noun for this. Something like "This song always gets everyone on the (dance) floor", for instance
I was out with some German colleagues and a song came on. One of them said: "Das ist ein echter Gassenhauer" and asked how I would say "Gassenhauer" in English.
It was this song if that helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j09hpp3AxIE