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.
Elevator
Alphaville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't stop time
Hearts are beating
Cause there ain't no time
Dial that number
Stories fly
See their faces, empty places
Uh, elevator
Uh, generator
Love flies by
Good-bye, good-bye
Time is hurting
But it ain't a crime
Someone's bleeding all the time
Too much tension in a second
Just repeat it
Cause I need it
Uh, elevator
Indicator
Accelerator
Uh, generator
Turning on,
Turning elevator on
In the song "Elevator" by Alphaville, the lyrics express a sense of urgency about time and fleeting moments. The mention of "hearts beating" and "stories flying" suggest the intensity of emotions that come with the passing of time. The singer urges the listener to "dial that number," perhaps referring to a desire to connect with others and make the most of the present moment. And yet, despite the hurry, the song acknowledges the inevitability of time passing with lines like "time goes by" and "love flies by."
The use of the metaphor of an elevator and generator add additional layers of meaning to the lyrics. An elevator can represent a way to quickly ascend or descend, and the singer may be urging the listener to seize the moment and make the most of their time. The generator, on the other hand, can represent a source of power or energy, suggesting that the singer is urging the listener to tap into their own inner strength and passion.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is fleeting
Time passes quickly and cannot be stopped
You can't stop time
It is impossible to halt the progress of time
Hearts are beating
People are alive and experiencing emotion
Cause there ain't no time
Because time is limited
Dial that number
Make a phone call
Stories fly
Tales and rumors spread quickly
See their faces, empty places
Encounter people in locations that lack substance or meaning
Uh, elevator
Vocalization of elevator sound or signal
Time goes by
The passage of time continues
Uh, generator
Vocalization of generator sound or signal
Love flies by
Romantic relationships come and go quickly
Good-bye, good-bye
Farewell
Time is hurting
The burden of limited time can be emotionally painful
But it ain't a crime
Enduring the pain of limited time is not illegal
Someone's bleeding all the time
People are always struggling and suffering
Too much tension in a second
Intense emotions can be felt in a brief moment
Just repeat it
Keep going, persist
Cause I need it
Motivation to continue despite difficulties
Uh, elevator
Vocalization of elevator sound or signal
Indicator
Sign of direction or movement
Accelerator
Device that increases speed
Turning on, Turning elevator on
Activating the elevator
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eva RKF
Lyrics:
Time is fleeting, you can't stop time
Hearts are beating, cause there ain't no time
Dial that number
Stories fly
See their faces, empty places
Uh, elevator
Time goes by
Uh, generator
Love flies by good-bye, good-bye
Time is hurting, but it ain't a crime
Someone's bleeding, all the time
Too much tension in a second
Just repeat it
Cause I need it
Uh, elevator, indicator
Accelerator
Uh, generator
Turning on,
Turning elevator on
Eva RKF
Lyrics:
Time is fleeting, you can't stop time
Hearts are beating, cause there ain't no time
Dial that number
Stories fly
See their faces, empty places
Uh, elevator
Time goes by
Uh, generator
Love flies by good-bye, good-bye
Time is hurting, but it ain't a crime
Someone's bleeding, all the time
Too much tension in a second
Just repeat it
Cause I need it
Uh, elevator, indicator
Accelerator
Uh, generator
Turning on,
Turning elevator on
Casper🦉
Whenever I hear this song and its music I feel like My childhood just passed like a meteor!
Harmon Harmidis
One of the best b/sides of all times! A/side of Sounds Like A Melody!
Thomas 77M
One of the best Elektronik Sounds ever.
feisar69
Alphaville were far ahead of their time!!!
Claudio Junior Ferreira Guimaraes
No doubt my friend. Especially when he had the contribution of Frank Mertens ...
Roadhouse Blues
I was 12 and enjoying madly, crazyly, day and night with these songs!!!!!!!!! now it's 2016 chit i miss those amazing years! :(
Murat Ay
Kenan Kalav , Hülya Avşar , Suna Yıldızoğlu'nun oynadıkları " Ömrümün Tek Gecesi " adlı filmin fon müziğidir ve sahneler dehşettir , Suna ve Kenan sahneleri özellikle .
Samir Zogbi
Fantastica
Levent Acar
Great Singer ALPHAVİLLE. ...MARİAN GOLD...1984....1985........