Berufsjugendlich is a fascinating compound word that literally translates to "professionally youthful." It's not a common everyday word, making it quite unique and memorable.
In the context of Nena's song, she uses it to describe herself and challenge societal expectations about aging. She's being criticized for acting "too young" for her age, and she sarcastically embraces the idea of being "professionally youthful," implying that staying young at heart is her job or way of life, despite what others might think.
Have you ever been told to "act your age"? In this song, German artist Nena pushes back against people who criticize her for being too energetic and happy. The lyrics describe how people tell her to stop being so "berufsjugendlich," a fun German word that means something like "professionally youthful." They say she should be more serious now that she's older and even a grandmother, complaining that her good mood "gets on their nerves."
Instead of changing, Nena questions these expectations with a bit of sarcasm. Does she have to start using a cane, stop telling jokes, or never go dancing again? She rejects these ideas completely. She declares that she hasn't just "stayed young," but that making music is what truly defines her. The song is a powerful and fun anthem about ignoring critics, celebrating your true self, and never letting age dictate how you should live your life.
Nena is the stage name of Gabriele Susanne Kerner, a German singer born on 24 March 1960 in Hagen, West Germany. She rose to fame in the early 1980s as the front woman of the band Nena, one of the defining acts of the Neue Deutsche Welle (German New Wave) movement.
The band's 1983 single "99 Luftballons" became a number one hit in West Germany and a worldwide success, topping the UK charts and reaching number two in the United States. To this day it remains the most successful German language song in international pop history. After the band split, Nena went on to a long and popular solo career, and she is still one of Germany's best loved pop artists.