In 1984 the re-named Alphaville released their debut single "Big in Japan", followed by "Sounds Like a Melody" and "Forever Young", quickly followed by the album Forever Young. Despite its success Frank Mertens left the band in the same year and was replaced by Ricky Echolette (born Wolfgang Neuhaus, in Cologne, August 6, 1960) in January 1985.
"Big In Japan" was their biggest U.S. success, shooting to #1 on Billboard's Dance chart. While they never again had a Top 20 U.S. Dance hit, several of their releases went Top 40 and Top 30 on the Dance charts. They were less successful at mainstream U.S. radio, reflected by their showing on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles charts, where "Big" only reached #66. The first U.S. release of "Forever Young" failed to scale the charts. In 1985, amid reports pop star Laura Branigan was featuring the song on her next album, Hold Me, Alphaville's "Forever Young" was re-released as a single in the U.S., and again floundered in the lower recesses of the chart. Branigan's version, though promoted on stickers adorning the album, subsequently remained an album cut in the U.S., though it was released to radio in South America. She would go on to perform the song as an encore at nearly every concert she performed, from her 1985 tour until her death in 2004. The Alphaville version was released a third time in the U.S. in 1988, to promote Alphaville: The Singles Collection, and peaked this time at #65. Their highest U.S. Singles chart showing, it was also their last. International re-releases of Alphaville's "Forever Young" followed in 1989, 1996, and 2001. Several covers have been recorded and remixed, featuring male or female vocalists often erroneously attributed to be Alphaville's Marian Gold, or Laura Branigan.
In 1986 the second album Afternoons In Utopia was released, followed in 1989 by The Breathtaking Blue. As an alternative to individual music videos, the band enlisted nine producers, among them Godfrey Reggio (Koyaanisqatsi), to create a film entitled Songlines based on the album's tracks.
The next album, Prostitute, was not released until 1994. In 1996 Ricky Echolette left the band. Salvation followed in 1997. Stark Naked and Absolutely Live was released in 2000, followed by the remix album Forever Pop in 2001. A DVD was released in 2001 documenting two concerts performed in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two box-sets have also been released; rather than being collections of previously released album tracks they are actually 12 unique albums, several live, several rarities and outtakes, and several newly recorded. The first box, of eight discs, was released in 1999 (called Dreamscapes) and the second in 2003 (called CrazyShow or Dreamscapes 9-12). All the material in CrazyShow is newly recorded.
Bernhard Lloyd did not contribute to the CrazyShow album, and shortly after its release, on March 18, 2003 he officially left the group. The current core members of Alphaville are Marian Gold (vocals), Martin Lister (keyboards), David Goodes (guitars) and Pierson Grange (drums).
" Just a note to say Bernhard Lloyd is/has/recently played live with Alphaville. I saw him at the Esbjerg Rock Festival in June of this year. They sounded absoutely brilliant. Check out the Alphaville website, it's worth a look. Added by Fletchie, 02.11.07"
Marian Gold has released two solo albums (So Long Celeste, 1992 and United, 1996) alongside his work in the band. Bernhard Lloyd also worked on a project named Atlantic Popes with singer Max Holler. In 1996 Frank Mertens started on a musical project called Maelstrom which was a combination of ambient-style music, impressionistic and colorful art in the form of paintings and sculptures, and etheric poetry. This project seems now to have been by far abandoned, though, as Mertens has not been visibly active with it. In 2006 and 2007, Alphaville appeared on the "ELEKTRISCH" vol.1 and 2 album compilations with "From Germany With Love" and "Guardian Angel".
There is another artist with the same name:
2) A spanish Synthpop/dark/post punk group born in 1981 in Madrid by José Luis F. Abel (guitar & vocal), Mendi (bass), José Carlos ‘Charles’ Sánchez (keyboards), Jose Luis Orfanel (guitar) and Juan Antonio ‘Rep’ Nieto (drums).
The independent label DRO released their first EP in April 1982, "Paisajes nocturnos", which included four tracks. Their first hit arrived some months later with the 4-tracks 12'' "Palacio de invierno". In 1983 they released the album Despues De La Derrota.
Control
Alphaville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every little moment we grow up we lose control
Life's a loaded gun with no directions
And it keeps you on the run, it has no mercy
Mum and daddy went to war
Never coming back no more
Did you ever think they'd make you whole again
Maybe someone dropped a bomb
You got to get out of control again
No more control again
You're getting whole again
Ain't no control again
You got to get out of control
Twentieth century honey bee
What you're doing is what you'll be
Life's no dress rehearsal when you bring the honey in
Everything seems wrong to thee
Tortured from the poison of reality that has no mercy
All your friends went for the thrill
Now it's yours to grab the kill
Did you ever think you're getting whole again
Maybe someone send a priest
With some religion cooking in a bowl
They're in control
You got to get out of control again
What's the fucking thing about control
Did you think you'd ever getting whole
Just as long as there is no control
They have no control of you at all
The lyrics of Alphaville's song Control express a sense of angst and lack of control that is present in modern life. The song opens with the lines, "Pretty baby, don't you know, times they are a changin'. Every little moment we grow up we lose control". This suggests that every passing moment changes us and takes away some aspect of our control over our lives. Life is referred to as a "loaded gun with no directions" which conveys the idea that life is unpredictable and has no set path. It keeps "you on the run" meaning that life forces you to keep moving and never settling.
The second verse continues to express the lack of control and the difficulty in coping with reality. The lines "Twentieth century honey bee, what you're doing is what you'll be" indicate that what we do defines us and shapes our future. The metaphorical use of honey bee suggests that our existence is ultimately dependent on the honey produced by our hard labor. The final lines of the song convey a message of rebellion and freedom saying "What's the fucking thing about control, Did you think you'd ever getting whole, Just as long as there is no control, They have no control of you at all". These lines express a desire to break free from any ties of control, to escape the constraints that exist in our lives and to reclaim our freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty baby, don't you know, times they are a changin'
The world is constantly evolving and changing, and it's important to keep up with the changes.
Every little moment we grow up we lose control
As we grow older, we lose the sense of control we had as children, and we have to navigate life's uncertainties.
Life's a loaded gun with no directions
Life is unpredictable and dangerous, without any clear instructions on how to live it.
And it keeps you on the run, it has no mercy
Life is constantly moving forward, never allowing us to slow down, and it can be merciless in its demands on us.
Mum and daddy went to war
The artist's parents went to fight in a war.
Never coming back no more
They died in the war and will never return home.
Did you ever think they'd make you whole again
The loss of the singer's parents left them feeling incomplete and questioning if they'll ever feel whole again.
Maybe someone dropped a bomb
The destruction brought on by war is unpredictable and indiscriminate in who it affects.
Just right into the middle of your soul-they're in control
The devastation of war can leave one feeling helpless and out of control.
You got to get out of control again
To feel in control again, the artist must let go of their need for control and embrace the uncertainty of life.
No more control again
The singer is surrendering their need for control and accepting the unpredictability of life.
You're getting whole again
By accepting the lack of control in their life, the artist feels like they are becoming whole again.
Ain't no control again
There is no ultimate control in life, and acceptance of that fact can lead to peace.
Twentieth century honey bee
The singer is addressing their generation as busy, hardworking bees.
What you're doing is what you'll be
The singer is cautioning their peers that the choices they make now will shape their future selves.
Life's no dress rehearsal when you bring the honey in
This moment in life is not a practice run, it's the real deal.
Everything seems wrong to thee
The artist is feeling disillusioned with the world and how it operates.
Tortured from the poison of reality that has no mercy
The harsh realities of life can be unbearable and unforgiving.
All your friends went for the thrill
The singer's peers are more concerned with seeking excitement and thrills than addressing the problems of the world.
Now it's yours to grab the kill
It's up to the artist to take control of their own life and make their own choices.
Did you ever think you're getting whole again
The artist wonders if they'll ever feel complete again.
Maybe someone send a priest
The artist is searching for guidance from a religious or spiritual authority figure.
With some religion cooking in a bowl
The singer is hoping that religion or spirituality can provide some comfort and direction in life.
What's the fucking thing about control
The artist is questioning why we place so much importance on the idea of control.
Did you think you'd ever getting whole
The singer is unsure if they'll ever feel complete or in control again.
Just as long as there is no control
The singer believes that true peace and contentment can be found when we accept the lack of control in our lives.
They have no control of you at all
No one has ultimate control over us, and we have the power to make our own choices and shape our own destinies.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERND GOESSLING, HARTWIG SCHIERBAUM, WOLFGANG MICHAEL NEUHAUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind