The lyrics describe a man who owned a store in Germany before the war. Every night, he would sit by the Rhine river and think of the sea. He observes a little girl with golden hair and gray eyes who has lost her way, and reflects on her as he looks at the river.

Meaning of "In Germany Before the War" by Randy Newman

"In Germany Before the War" by Randy Newman delves into themes of nostalgia, loss, and the looming darkness of the impending war. The man sitting by the river symbolizes a sense of yearning for something beyond the present circumstances, epitomized by his thoughts of the sea while looking at the river. The little girl with golden hair and gray eyes can be seen as a representation of innocence lost or threatened by the turmoil of the era. The autumn sky and the stillness of the girl portray a sense of melancholy and foreboding, highlighting the fragile nature of peace and the inevitability of change. Overall, the lyrics evoke a haunting atmosphere of reflection on a bygone time and the uncertainty of the future.