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German music: Rio Reiser

Jul 14 2011

Hi everybody…

Some weeks ago when I introduced Herbert Grönemeyer to you, there was a big respond to it. Many of you wanted to know more about German musicians or bands. I guess you thought about the contemporary ones not about classic

So I decided to do a little series of portraits from time to time. So here is the next one: Rio Reiser.

Rio Reiser was geboren (born) 1950 in Berlin and was a German singer, musician, Komponist (composer) and Schauspieler (actor.) His real name was Ralph Christian Möbius. From 1970 to 1985 he was the singer and songwriter of the band Ton Steine Scherben. Because of the left oriented political Texte (lyrics), the band got famous with their first self-published records. But after a while Ton Steine Scherben recocnized that they were more and more used as a political instrument. That´s why they decided to change their style and write about personal things and melancholic issues.

In 1985, after a bad planned tour the band was in dept with about 300.000 DM. That´s why they decided to split.

After this, Rio Reiser started his solo career. His first record beinhaltete (contained) the songs „König von Deutschland“ and „Junimond“ and was so successful that he was free of dept after a short time.

His success continued. Over the years he worked with a lot of other famous artists, wrote soundtracks and even acted in some movies. His work was honored with lots of awards. The following studio albums of Rio Reiser were veröffentlicht (published):

1986: Rio I.
1987: Blinder Passagier
1990: ***
1991: Durch die Wand
1993: Über Alles
1995: Himmel und Hölle

The fans of the former band Ton Steine Scherben often critisized his new career being a beneficiary of the „Neue Deutsche Welle“ which was a musical movement in Germany during the 1980′s.

In 1996 Rio Reiser died at the age of 46 years. The reason was innere Blutungen (internal bleeding). He was begraben (burried) on his own property. But later, when the property has been sold, he was moved to another grave in Berlin.

Here´s the lyrics for the song „König von Deutschland“ which seems to be the most famous one (though I think there are a lot of songs that are way better). Try to translate or understand it on your own:

Jede Nacht um halb eins wenn das Fernsehn rauscht
leg ich mich auf’s Bett und mal mir aus
wie das wäre wenn ich nicht der wäre der ich bin
sonder Kanzler Kaiser König oder Königin
ich denk mir was der Kohl da kann das kann ich auch
ich würd Vivaldi hörn tagein tagaus
ich käm viel rum würd nach USA reisen
Ronnie mal wie Waldi in die Waden beißen

Das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär
das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär

Ich würd die Krone täglich wechseln würde zweimal baden
die Lottozahlen eine Woche vorher sagen
bei der Bundeswehr gäb es nur noch Hitparaden
ich würd jeden Tag im Jahr Geburtstag haben
im Fernsehn gäb es nur noch ein Programm
Robert Lempke vierundzwanzig Stunden lang
ich hätte zweihundert Schlösser und wär nie mehr pleite
ich wär Rio der Erste Sissy die Zweite

Das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär
das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär

Die Socken und die Autos dürften nicht mehr stinken
ich würd jeden Morgen erstmal ein Glas Schampus trinken
ich wär schicker als der Schmidt und dicker als der Strauß
und meine Platten kämen ganz groß raus
Reinhard Mey wäre des Königs Barde
Paola und Kurt Felix wären Schweizer Garde
vorher würd ich gerne wissen ob sie Spaß verstehn
sie müssten 48 Stunden ihre Show ansehn

Das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär
das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär
Das alles und noch viel mehr würd ich machen
wenn ich König von Deutschland wär

Für immer und Dich

König von Deutschland

Junimond

Some vocabulary:

geboren werden – to be born
der Komponist – composer
der Schauspieler – actor
der Text – Lyrics
Schulden haben – to be in dept
sich auflösen/auseinandergehen – to split
beinhalten – to contain
veröffentlichen – to publish
die inneren Blutungen – internal bleeding
begraben – to bury

German music: Herbert Grönemeyer

Posted by jan 2 Comments

May 14 2011

Hi everybody! First of all: Sorry for not blogging for a while! I was involved in another project where I had to shoot several videos for Transparent.

Today I want to introduce a very famous singer and Liedermacher (songwriter) to you. His name is Herbert Grönemeyer. Maybe he is the most famous Musiker (musician) in Germany. I guess if you would aks 100 people in Germany if they knew Herbert Grönemeyer, you would hear 100 times „yes“.

The secret of his Erfolg (success) is the language of his songs. At least in my opinion. That means he understands very well to express himself in a poetic way. But at the same time, everybody (no matter if you are highly educated or not) can understand it. He expresses Gefühle (feelings) in a way everybody can comprehend and compare with their own ones.

Born in 1956, Grönemeyer made his first steps as an artist in the early seventies when he worked at a theatre. After some years working as a Schauspieler (actor), he even played some roles for movies and TV. 1981 he played in Wolfgang Petersen’ s Film (movie) „Das Boot“ which was an international success. It still is one of the most famous German movies.

Beside acting, he focused more and more on music. After some unsuccessful productions, the Durchbruch (breakthrough) came with the album 4630 Bochum in 1984. In the same year Michael Jackson´s „Thriller“ was published. But in Germany, Grönemeyer stayed 79 weeks in the charts and made Bochum to the most sucessful album of this year.

November 3rd 1998 his brother died. November 5th 1998 his wife died. After this Schicksalsschlag (blow of fate), he made a pause that lastet for approximately a year. Since then he published further albums, wrote an official song for the fifa world championship in 2006, made the soundtrack for the movie „The American“ with George Clooney and was and is still touring and playing live all the time.

Just a couple of weeks ago, his new album „Schiffsverkehr“ came out and he announced a big tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Here are some of his songs:

Some vocabulary:

der Liedermacher – songwriter
der Musiker – musician
der Erfolg – success
die Gefühle – feelings
der Schauspieler – actor
der Film – movie
der Durchbruch – breakthrough
der Schicksalsschlag – blow of fate

German Music: Laith Al-Deen

Posted by Sandra Rösner 1 Comment

Apr 11 2011

credits to: HagenU

This time it is getting musikalisch (musically). I would like to introduce you to one of my favorite German Musiker (musicians): Laith Al-Deen who is one of the few Künstler (artists) who also sings in German. You should know that most German singers bevorzugen (prefer) or, at least, dazu neigen (tend) to sing in English rather than in German.

Laith was born to an irakischen Vater (Iraqi father) and a deutschen Mutter (German mother) on February 20, 1972 in Karlsruhe. He grew up in the USA and in Mannheim, Germany.

Bilder von Dir (Pictures of you) was his first Single (single) in 2000. I remember the time of the release year very well. I had just meinen Führerschein gemacht (taken my driving test) a few months zuvor (before), and was cruising through the city when I heard the song on the radio for the very first time, and I immediately fell in love with it. Back then Laith Al-Deen was completely unknown to me. Unfortunately, the Radiomoderator (radio host) did not erwähnen (mention) his name, which made me ziemlich ärgerlich und traurig (quite of angry and sad). It took me a couple of months to find out who the singer of this song was. One of my Schulkameraden (schoolfellows) could das Geheimnis lüften (disclose this secret) by chance when I was talking with him about music. The very next day I went to a music store, bought the single, got home, and listened to the song in an infinity loop Here you can listen to the Lied (song) and watch das offizielle Video (the official video). I hope you like the song as much as I did and still do. The song was written by Schallbau; a team of music producers from Offenbach.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x29qvd

The English version of the song Bilder von Dir had already been released in 1996 by B-Zet, a Musikprojekt (musical project) by Schallbau, under the title “Everlasting pictures”. I like this version very much, too. I am going to provide it, as well, for two reasons. First, you have the chance to pick your personal favorite version and second, to give you the chance to ascertain the Text (lyrics). Of course, it is no literal translation. Nevertheless, the meaning of the contents is the same.

I also want to share some further songs by Laith Al-Deen with you. I hope you will like them. Enjoy

Dein Lied (Your Song).

Keine wie Du (No one like you)

Augen (Eyes)

If you like to find out more about Laith Al-Deen click here

Mögt Ihr seine Musik? / Do you like his music?

musikalisch – musically

der Musiker – male musician

die Musikerin – female musician

der Künstler – male artist

die Künstlerin – female artist

bevorzugen – prefer

dazu neigen – tend to

der irakische Vater – Iraqi father

die deutsche Mutter – German mother

die Single – single

den Führerschein machen – to take one’s driving test

zuvor – before

der Radiomoderator – male radio host

die Radiomoderatorin – female radio host

erwähnen – to mention

ziemlich ärgerlich und traurig – quite angry and sad

der Schulkamerad – male schoolfellow

die Schulkameradin – female schoolfellow

ein Geheimnis lüften – to disclose a secret

das Lied – song

das offizielle Video – official video

das Musikprojekt – musical project

der (Lied-)Text – here: lyrics

Day at the sea – Tag am Meer

Posted by jan 3 Comments

Apr 7 2010

Today I want to share some German music with you. So I´ll introduce a song from the most famous hip hop band in Germany that is called “Die fantastischen Vier” (The fantastic four). The title of the song is “Tag am Meer” (Day at the sea) and its lyrics are about some drug experiences. So the translation might sound a little weird… but anyway it´s a great chilling song and definitely known by everybody in Germany.

The song was released in the early 90´s, so never mind the haircuts and the style of the video

jetzt bist Du da,
ein Stück Deiner Zukunft dabei
es ist schon lange klar
Du fühlst Dich frei
wenn die Zukunft zur Gegenwart wird
hast Du es getan
das Warten
war es wirklich Dein Plan?
Dann verschwindet die Zeit
darauf Du in ihr
Wolken schlagen Salti
Du bist nicht mehr bei Dir
die Zeit kehrt zurück
und nimmt sich mehr von sich
in ihr bist Du schneller
denn mehr bewegt Dich
Der Moment ist die Tat die Du tust
Augenblick
denn Dein Auge erblickt was Du tust
und erschrickt
vor dem Ding das Du kennst
weil es immer da war
die Musik ist aus…
… und ist immer noch da
hast Du das gewollt
hast Du Angst zu beginnen
doch jetzt ist alles anders
denn wir sind mittendrin
es dreht sich nur um uns
und es ist nichts wie bisher
und dass macht uns zu Brüdern
mit dem Tag am Meer

mit dem Tag am Meer (3x)

du spürst das Gras
hier und da bewegt sich was
es macht Dir Spass
nein es ist nicht nur das
denn nach dem öffnen aller Türen
steht am Ende der Trick des Endes
der Suche durch das Finden im Augenblick
Du atmest ein Du atmest aus
dieser Körper ist Dein Haus
und darin kennst Du Dich aus
Du lebst
Du bist am Leben
und das wird Dir bewußt
ohne nachzudenken
nur aufgrund der eigenen Lebenslust
das Gefühl das Du fühlst
sagt Dir es ist soweit
es ändern sich Zustand
der Raum und die Zeit
der Verstand kehrt zurück
doch Du setzt ihn nicht ein
jeder Schritt neues Land
wird es immer so sein?
Du spürst die Lebensenergie
die durch Dich durchfließt
das Leben wie noch nie in Harmonie
und genießt
es gibt nichts zu verbessern
nichts, was noch besser wär
außer Dir im Jetzt und Hier
und dem Tag am Meer

und dem Tag am Meer

now you are here
a part of your future nearby
it´s clear since a long time
you are feeling free
when the future gets present
you did it
to wait,
was it really your plan?
then time disappears
followed by you
clouds are backflipping
you´re not yourself
time is coming back
and takes more of itself
in it you´re faster
because more is moving you
the moment is the act that you´re doing
twinkle of an eye
because your eye sees what you´re doing
and is scared
of what you know
because it was always there
the music is over…
…and is still there
did you want that
are you afraid of beginning
but now everything is different
because we´re in the middle of it
it´s all about us
and noting is like ever since
and this makes us brothers
with the day at the sea

with the day at the sea (3x)

you feel the gras
here and there something is moving
you think it´s fun
no, it´s not just that
because after opening all doors
in the end is the trick of ending
the search through finding at the moment
you breathe in you breathe out
your body is your home
and you know this place
you´re living
you are alive
and you realize this
without thinking
only of your own lust for life
the feeling that you´re feeling
tells you this is the moment
condition, space and
time are changing
the mind comes back
but you don´t use it
every step is virgin soil
will it ever be like this?
you can feel the energy of life
that flows through you
the life in harmony like never before
and you enjoy
there´s nothing to improve
nothing that would be better
but you, now and here
and the day at the sea

and the day at the sea

Richard Wagner

Posted by Transparent Language No Comments

Aug 9 2009

Richard Wagner war ein deutscher Komponist. He believed in Gesamtkunstwerk, which was the synthesis of art, music and drama. Richard Wagner wurde am 22. Mai 1813 in Leipzig. Sechs Monate nach seiner Geburt, am 23. November 1813, starb der Vater an Typhus. Wagner’s stepfather introduced Wagner to musical theater. He was inspired by artists such as Beethovan.

Am 24. November heiratete er Minna Planer, die dort als Schauspielerin engagiert war. Minna ran off with an army officer and came back to Wagner when the officer abandoned her. This would continue to be a volitile marriage for the next three decades. In the 1840s, the couple went to Paris to get away from their debtors. Nachdem es ihm in Paris nicht gelungen war, künstlerische Pläne voranzubringen und dort Erfolg zu haben, verließ er im April 1842 Paris und siedelte sich in Dresden an. In 1842 Wagner’s opera Rienzi received critical acclaim in Dresden. He had finally made it!

During this time, he became involved in politics and had to live in exile in Zurich. 1858 spitzte sich Wagners Affäre mit Mathilde Wesendonck zu. His affair inspired the work Tristan and Isolde. Here is a sample of this song:

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