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.
Today
Alphaville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It never rained like that before
I took the ferry to new jersey
Never coming back no more
In my hand I hold a ticket
Statue points up to the clouds
Now I'm leaving New York city
I can hear the seagulls cries
Whenever I saw you, it felt like the first time
Whenever I kissed you, just like the furst time
Whenever I hold you it was never the same
And I thought that the last time
Would never come
Today
Autumn's sun burns down on berlin
A turkish bride just passes by
Someone plans a revolution
Little kites dance in the sky
I will always hear your heartbeat
I will always think of you
Laughter's ringing from the playgrounds
As I watch the children play
Ain't no doubt
Whenever I saw you, it felt like the first time
Whenever I kissed you, just like the furst time
Whenever I hold you it was never the same
And I thought that the last time
Would never come
Today
Here comes the rain
Right now!
The song "Today" by Alphaville produces a sense of nostalgia as well as a strong sense of departure. The first verse describes how Central Park appears to be a graveyard and how the rain seems to be different from what it used to be. The lyrics indicate that the singer is leaving for good and isn't coming back. The statue pointing upwards highlights the feeling of taking off to new heights, although the imagery of seagull cries implies that there might also be a sense of loneliness.
The second verse switches the location to Berlin, emphasizing the changes in the dual aspects of nature and society throughout time. While autumn's sun is shining, a Turkish bride passes by, and there is a playful ambiance of children laughing and kites dancing in the sky. However, someone is preparing for a revolution, which signifies that not all is bright and sunny. The refrain "Whenever I saw you, it felt like the first time," creates a sense of the singer's longing for the past and how it's impossible to revisit those times, as the song concludes with "Here comes the rain, right now!"
Line by Line Meaning
Central park looks like a graveyard
The appearance of Central Park is devoid of its usual liveliness, making it seem like an eerily serene cemetery.
It never rained like that before
The precipitation currently occurring is unprecedented and unexpected, being unlike any previous rainfall.
I took the ferry to new jersey
I departed from New York via a ferry ride to New Jersey.
Never coming back no more
I have made the decision to never return to New York City.
In my hand I hold a ticket
I am currently in possession of a transportation ticket for a departing journey.
Statue points up to the clouds
The Statue of Liberty serves as a guiding beacon to the heavens above.
Now I'm leaving New York city
I am departing from the city of New York.
I can hear the seagulls cries
The sounds of seagulls' vocalizations are audible to me.
Whenever I saw you, it felt like the first time
Every instance I encountered you, it elicited the same infatuated feelings as the initial time we met.
Whenever I kissed you, just like the furst time
Every time I kissed you, it felt as though it was the very first time we locked lips.
Whenever I hold you it was never the same
Each time I held you, the experience felt entirely distinct.
And I thought that the last time
I believed that the final occasion of us being together would never transpire.
Would never come
I was under the impression that our relationship would last indefinitely.
Today
However, now it is the present day and that assumption was indeed incorrect.
Autumn's sun burns down on berlin
Berlin is currently being subjected to the intense heat of the autumn sun.
A turkish bride just passes by
As I observe my surroundings, a Turkish bride happens to travel past my location.
Someone plans a revolution
There is an individual or group plotting a scheme of revolution or rebellion.
Little kites dance in the sky
Small, airborne toys designed to resemble kites are fluttering through the expanses of the sky.
I will always hear your heartbeat
The sound of your heartbeat serves as a memorable, constant factor in my recollections of you.
I will always think of you
My memories of you will persist indefinitely in my mind.
Laughter's ringing from the playgrounds
The sounds of children at play, filled with their cheerful chuckles and giggles, echo across the playgrounds.
As I watch the children play
I am currently observing the carefree kids amuse themselves.
Ain't no doubt
There is absolutely no question or uncertainty concerning the veracity of the situation or subject at hand.
Here comes the rain
Rainfall is now approaching my current location.
Right now!
This is happening without delay, immediately upon us.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Randy Sparks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rubem Luiz
Alphaville..melhor banda do planeta!!
Dorina Mihalache
Amazing voice 🎶🎶🎶, perfect song, didn't knew this song before!!! 🎶💗💗💗💗✨✨✨✨
Tottione1
You will grow to love this song it's great!!!
Stephen Wright
You do. It took my burning it to a personal compilation of 90s'/00's stuff before I was used to it enough to love it (il confesse de la piratage? oui. LOL)
AngusArt Entertainment
Fun song, great band...Just excellent overall! Happy 25th anniversary, AV!
Rosemary Magela
Musica linda
Rubem Luiz
Músicasso!!
Richard Porter
Love it--very near the building I once lived in, thanks for posting!
krabatt76
Super SONG !!!!!!!!! Hi from Czech Republic ;)
catalin iana
superbe piese...