Atemzug literally translates to "breath" or "drawing breath". While "breath" might seem common, the compound word Atemzug is more specific and evocative than the simpler Atem.
In the context of the song, Tim Bendzko sings, "Ich will leben, bis zum letzten Atemzug" (I want to live, until my last breath). This phrase powerfully conveys a desire to live life to the fullest, emphasizing the preciousness of every moment and the determination to experience everything until the very end. It's a memorable and inspiring word choice that captures the song's central theme of embracing life.
Tim Bendzko’s “Keine Maschine” bursts in as a rallying cry against living life on autopilot. Right from the opening line he rejects the idea of “just carrying on,” describing how invisible chains of unspoken rules keep him stuck while a world full of extraordinary adventures waits outside. The lyrics paint a vivid tug-of-war: remain rooted to the spot, or break free and design your own story.
At the core stands the chant "Ich bin doch keine Maschine!"—a declaration that we are flesh and blood, not cold hardware. Bendzko celebrates every flaw, every surge of anger, every spark of euphoria as fuel for real, passionate living. His message is clear: take back the controls, breathe in air and imagination, and refuse to capitulate until the final breath. It’s an energetic reminder to stop merely functioning and start truly experiencing life.
Tim Bendzko is a German pop singer-songwriter, born in East Berlin in 1985. He started playing guitar as a boy and was writing his own songs by his mid-teens, later leaving a theology degree behind to chase music full time.
His breakthrough came in 2011 with the catchy, big-hearted hit "Nur noch kurz die Welt retten" ("Just gonna save the world real quick"), which topped the German charts for months and won that year's Bundesvision Song Contest. Since then he has become one of Germany's best-loved homegrown pop artists, known for warm, radio-friendly songs about friendship, everyday life, and finding meaning in the ordinary. In "Das Leben wieder lieben" he even nods back to that early hit, insisting that saving the world is "still the plan."