I just picked up "Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill," most of which is in German, natch. The only German song that struck my fancy was, "Mack the Knife." Her interpretation only meant something to me because I knew what she was singing about. (I also enjoyed "Alabama Song" and a couple of cuts from "One Touch of Venus," but they were in English.) I haven't tried listening to it while following the English translations in the booklet yet, which may help. Similarly, with opera, even if you don't know the language you generally do know what's going on, and just why Violetta's got such a bee in her bonnet.
If you don't know what the words mean, it's just scat. Now, scat can be good, but remember that this wasn't intended to be scat.
If you don't know what the words mean, it's just scat. Now, scat can be good, but remember that this wasn't intended to be scat.