En unserem Veedel [English translation]

What is all this leading to?

What is going to last anyway?

Those houses and alleys

Those hours spent chatting

Is that all over now?

In the pub at the corner

The men are standing by the bar

The women are sitting

Together chatting

Is that all over now?

Whatever may come

One thing is certain

The best thing we've got

And have had for all these years

Is our part of town1

For this is where people still stick together

For better or worse

In our part of town

Our kids don't play on the lawn

And if one of them has an accident

Those lumps and scratches

We fix them quickly

And it's all over

Whatever may come

One thing is certain

The best thing we've got

And have had for all these years

Is our part of town

For this is where people still stick together

For better or worse

In our part of town

That is for certain

We're gonna stay where we are

As we have been for all those long years

In our part of town

For this is where people still stick together

For better or worse

In our part of town

1. Cologne historically has 87 "Veedels" (lit. "quarters") which do not coincide with today's (fewer) official urban districts.