The love that keeps us above the water
Welcome to another edition of SoundCzech in which you can learn useful phrases with the help of song lyrics. Today’s song is “Dej Mi Ruku” or “Give Me Your Hand” by the Czech singer Iveta Bartošová. Although released in the early nineties, the song is best described as typical eighties kitsch – you’ll recognize the style. The key phrase to look out for is “Ty lásky co nás držej nad vodou” or “The love that keeps us above the water.”
The song begins with the phrase “Rozpačitě tápem v milování, Srdce nám tlučou na poplach” something of a mouthful, even in Czech. The simple translation is “We are aimlessly wandering in our love; our hearts are sounding the alarm.” “Rozpačitě” can have a number of meanings, from aimless to being lost or embarrassed, while “poplach” literally means alarm and can be used say as a poplašné zařízení– an alarm system, meaning a burglar alarm.
The main chorus is “Dej mi ruku, dám Ti svou, Ať zůstanou, Ty lásky co nás držej nad vodou.” Which means “Give me your hand, I’ll give you mine, The love that keeps us above the water.”
“Nad vodou” or “Above the water” is a metaphor for support. In other words, the person the singer is describing is providing her with support that is figuratively keeping her afloat in life. Thanks for listening and till next time – or zas někdy příště!
