The band was founded 1995 in Berlin by Christopher Blenkinsop (bouzouki, ukulele & vocals), Carsten Wegener (bass), Lutz “Lüül” Ulbrich (banjo & guitar), Kristin “Kiki” Sauer (accordion & vocals) and Reinhard "Koma" Lüderitz (bagpipes). They first used the name 17 Hippies in the fall of that year.
In 1996 they began to organize their own series of free concerts called Hippie Haus Tanz (Hippie House Dance). At this time Antje Henkel (clarinet), Elmar Gutmann (trumpet), and Ulrike “Rike” Lau (cello) joined the band. In 1997 Henry Notroff (clarinet) and Dirk Trageser (guitar & vocals) also were added, and live recordings of different concerts and rehearsal room sessions were compiled into their first CD Rock'n'Roll 13. In 1998 they played at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas and then toured in Texas and Louisiana. Later that year Uwe Langer (trombone) joined the band and they played in Paris for the first time.
They established their own record label and in 1999 released their second CD Wer ist das? (Who is that?). The French label Buda Musique released a compilation of both CD’s called Berlin Style, which was then also released in Italy. Volker "Kruisko" Rettmann (accordion) joined the band.
In 2001 the band wrote the score for the German movie Grill Point (Halbe Treppe) by Andreas Dresen and they performed in a cameo role in the film. A tour of Budapest, Prague, Vienna and France took place, and the second French album Sirba was released, featuring their first radio hit "Marlène". Kerstin Kaernbach (violin) also was added to the band lineup. Their first studio album Ifni was released in 2004. An extensive tour of Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Morocco and France ensued. Daniel Friederichs (violin) became the last member to join the current lineup. In 2006 the band made a tour of Japan and Spain and composed the music for the play Kasimir and Karoline, staged at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin.
In 2007, a second studio album Heimlich (Secret) was released in Europe and North America. In September they embarked on their first US tour, playing in Chicago, New York, Washington and Bloomington. In December they played at the Olympia in Paris. In 2008, their earlier albums were released in the UK by Propper Records, a second US tour took place, and they played festivals in Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland, Greece, Spain and Algeria.
Marlene
17 Hippies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elle longe ce soir toute seule
Tout au long des rues perdues
Son rouge s'efface aux murs
Elle s'arrête au coin là-bas
Au "Bar der wilden Kerle"
Voir si elle y trouve un gars
Qui perd son âme en elle
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
Ich sag dir, où on va aller
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
On danse tango, java et valse avant le jour
Marlène! Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
Tu danses tango, java et valse
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
Tu danses tango, java et valse
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
Marlène s'en va la nuit tombée
Elle longe ce soir toute seule
Ceux qu'elle avait rencontrés
Ils sont maintenant au ciel
Ses mains sont sales, ses yeux s'éclatent
Son rouge s'efface aux murs mais
Dans son cœur personne ne voit
Le noir de son désir
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
Ich sag dir, où on va aller
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
On danse tango, java et valse avant le jour
Marlène! Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
Tu danses tango, java et valse
Tu vas jusqu'au délire
Tu perds ta tête, tu perds ton âme, tu danses et tu délires
Personne ne voit au fond de toi le noir de ton désir
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
Ich sag dir, où on va aller
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
On danse tango, java et valse avant le jour
Marlène! Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
Tu danses tango, java et valse
Tu vas jusqu'au délire
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
Tu danses tango, java et valse
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
Tu danses tango, java et valse
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
Tu perds ta tête, tu perds ton âme, tu danses et tu délires
Personne ne voit au fond de toi le noir de ton désir
The song "Marlène" by 17 Hippies is a melancholic ode to a woman named Marlène who is wandering the streets at night, searching for fulfillment and pleasure. Marlène is portrayed as a free spirit who dances tango, java, and waltz with anyone who wants to join her. The lyrics suggest that Marlène is lost and lonely, as she walks alone through deserted streets and her red lipstick fades against the walls. She stops at a bar to find a man who will lose his soul in her, indicating that she is searching for intense experiences that others may not be able to provide.
The chorus repeats the name Marlène and describes her as someone who turns the heads of those who desire pleasure. The lyrics suggest that Marlène is living in a delirium, losing her head and soul to the music she dances to, and that nobody can see the darkness in her desires. The song ends by repeating the invitation to come dance with Marlène and enjoy the night before the daybreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Marlène s'en va la nuit tombée
Marlène leaves at nightfall
Elle longe ce soir toute seule
She walks alone tonight
Tout au long des rues perdues
Along the lost streets
Son rouge s'efface aux murs
Her red vanishes on the walls
Elle s'arrête au coin là-bas
She stops at the corner over there
Au "Bar der wilden Kerle"
At the bar of the wild guys
Voir si elle y trouve un gars
To see if she can find a guy there
Qui perd son âme en elle
Who loses his soul in her
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
Come with me, come with me
Ich sag dir, où on va aller
I'll tell you where we're going
On danse tango, java et valse avant le jour
We dance tango, java and waltz before dawn
Marlène! Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Marlène! You turn the head of those who want
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
And those who seek pleasure
Tu danses tango, java et valse
You dance tango, java and waltz
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
You go to delirium!
Tu perds ta tête, tu perds ton âme, tu danses et tu délires
You lose your head, you lose your soul, you dance and you delirium
Personne ne voit au fond de toi le noir de ton désir
No one sees the black of your desire deep down
Marlène s'en va la nuit tombée
Marlène leaves at nightfall
Ceux qu'elle avait rencontrés
Those she had met
Ils sont maintenant au ciel
They are now in heaven
Ses mains sont sales, ses yeux s'éclatent
Her hands are dirty, her eyes explode
Son rouge s'efface aux murs mais
Her red vanishes on the walls but
Dans son cœur personne ne voit
In her heart, no one sees
Le noir de son désir
The black of her desire
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
You turn the head of those who want
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
And those who seek pleasure
Tu vas jusqu'au délire
You go to delirium
Tu perds ta tête, tu perds ton âme, tu danses et tu délires
You lose your head, you lose your soul, you dance and you delirium
Personne ne voit au fond de toi le noir de ton désir
No one sees the black of your desire deep down
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
You turn the head of those who want
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
And those who seek pleasure
Tu danses tango, java et valse
You dance tango, java and waltz
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
You go to delirium!
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
You turn the head of those who want
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
And those who seek pleasure
Tu danses tango, java et valse
You dance tango, java and waltz
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
You go to delirium!
Tu perds ta tête, tu perds ton âme, tu danses et tu délires
You lose your head, you lose your soul, you dance and you delirium
Personne ne voit au fond de toi le noir de ton désir
No one sees the black of your desire deep down
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
Come with me, come with me
Ich sag dir, où on va aller
I'll tell you where we're going
Komm doch mit, komm doch mit zu mir
Come with me, come with me
On danse tango, java et valse avant le jour
We dance tango, java and waltz before dawn
Marlène! Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
Marlène! You turn the head of those who want
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
And those who seek pleasure
Tu danses tango, java et valse
You dance tango, java and waltz
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
You go to delirium!
Tu tournes la tête à ceux qui veulent
You turn the head of those who want
Et ceux qui cherchent plaisir
And those who seek pleasure
Tu danses tango, java et valse
You dance tango, java and waltz
Tu vas jusqu'au délire!
You go to delirium!
Tu perds ta tête, tu perds ton âme, tu danses et tu délires
You lose your head, you lose your soul, you dance and you delirium
Personne ne voit au fond de toi le noir de ton désir
No one sees the black of your desire deep down
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Max Manila
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@celticqueen0401
so oft gehört, einfach wunderschön, vielen Dank !!!!!!
@tinasaturn
les ai vus sur scène..j'ai adoré !
@rche9131
Superbe!
@celticqueen0401
berührend wunderschöner Song !!!!!!!!
@charlottel.332
Que de souvenirs ! 😁 J'adore !
@theinfideluk
Wow amazing! I just discovered this band, and life seems a little better now :-) Leben ist ein wenig besser, aye maaan ....
@DerDenWaldLiebt2011
großartig.
Danke.
@MrSmilingUndead
I can't believe it's already a year since I've seen them. I miss the intimacy of their concerts. The vibrancy.
@log-x7976
twelve!
@estefaniaarmendariz6071
YA VIENEEEEEEN! por fin en Cd. Juarez :3