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.
Waves
Alphaville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flooding my eyes
Kind of armies marching
Through my head
Sombre soldiers
From nowhere
Kind of someone's
Moving out of me
Going somewhere
Ship is leaving right on time
Empty harbour, wave goodbye
Evacuation of the isle
Caveman's paintings drowning
Famous last words on the air
I stay here and you are there
While our city softly sinks
Cavemen's paintings drowning
Alphaville's song "Waves" is a melancholic and introspective track that reflects on the inevitability of change and the sense of loss that comes with it. The opening lines of the song ("Kind of thunder from my heart/Flooding my eyes/Kind of armies marching/Through my head") paint a vivid picture of emotional turmoil and confusion, as the singer struggles to come to terms with the changes happening in their life. The image of armies marching through the head suggests a feeling of being overwhelmed, as multiple forces and emotions battle for dominance.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to accept that change is imminent ("Have no fear/Going somewhere"), and compares the experience to a ship leaving a harbor ("Ship is leaving right on time/Empty harbor, wave goodbye"). The image of an evacuation of an isle emphasizes the sense of leaving something behind, of abandoning a familiar and comfortable place. The reference to cavemen's paintings drowning is a poignant reminder that everything is temporary, even the oldest and most enduring things can be lost to time and nature.
The last lines of the song ("Famous last words on the air/I stay here and you are there/While our city softly sinks/Cavemen's paintings drowning") are particularly haunting, as they suggest a sense of distance and separation, even as everything around the singer crumbles. The use of the past tense reinforces the idea that what they once knew is now gone, and all that remains are memories and regrets.
Line by Line Meaning
Kind of thunder from my heart
Feeling intense emotions that create a loud, powerful sound within me.
Flooding my eyes
Causing tears to flow from my eyes, overwhelmed by the emotions.
Kind of armies marching
Comparable to a forceful military presence, overwhelming my thoughts and senses.
Through my head
Persistently occupying my mind, and mentally invading me.
Sombre soldiers
Drained of vitality, gloomy soldiers march through my consciousness.
From nowhere
Without provocation, these soldiers appear in my mind.
Kind of someone's
It feels like something within me is leaving.
Moving out of me
Something internal is fading or vanishing.
Have no fear
No need to be scared of the changes that are happening, although they may be difficult.
Going somewhere
There is a sense of purpose in these changes, as if a certain destination is being reached.
Ship is leaving right on time
Metaphor for leaving behind my current life, it's time to move on.
Empty harbour, wave goodbye
Leaving behind what was once familiar, the past is fading away.
Evacuation of the isle
Leaving behind an old way of life, a chapter is ending.
Caveman's paintings drowning
Past accomplishments and artifacts no longer hold their value when faced with change.
Famous last words on the air
Final words spoken before the closure of this chapter.
I stay here and you are there
Someone is leaving, and the separation creates the feeling of distance.
While our city softly sinks
As we depart, the world we leave behind slowly fades away.
Cavemen's paintings drowning
Returning to the phrase to emphasize that the past is no longer important.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AXEL RONDEAU, VINCENT TEOULE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cristiana Catalina Medelean
I LIKE MARIAN'S VOICE ! Beautiful SONG!♥️
thomas meier
Yes..he has the perfect voice. Best I've ever heard in my life!!!
Claire Barry
Ooh wow thank you for this beautiful version ! Such a joy to the world right now You All...Be Blessed 🙏😇🌸🌸🌸🌟🌟🌟😘
Miguel Angel Medina
Superb!! You should release a cd box set with all of this demos, it would be a great present for all your fans!! A big hug from Spain.
annevalerie_alphy70
A very nice alternative version of the album song. 💕
#Alphaville4Ever 💙
Edith Benitez Almada
Wowww!!! What a good version!! 👌👌👌
René Wehrli
Was ihr jetzt in den letzten Wochen alles Veröffentlicht habt, ist einfach genial! DANKE!
SIL ALVAREZ
Sorprendentemente!! Felicidades a la banda y Marian tu voz impecable.
Everyday Alphaville. The best.
Abrazo enorme desde Argentina!!
Oneys Santana
Alphaville con nuevas versiones me Encanta...Geniales.
Dennis Barjasic
Thank you.Saw you in Gothenburg in 9/11-2019.Amazing show🙏Thanks for all the good music you have giving us since -84