The band emerged in 1968 out of the scene of hippies and squatters in Munich, Germany, but their strong interest in music led them to go their own way. They took their name from the old Egyptian name Amon, being an Egyptian sun god, and Düül, a character from Turkish fiction. Their personnel changed constantly, but maybe the most permanent members were Renate Knaup (vocals), Chris Karrer (guitar, violin), John Weinzierl (guitar), Peter Leopold (drums), Falk Rogner (organ, synthesizer). After several successful albums with a style that reached from long improvisation to more structured rock songs they split. Later they tried several resurrections but none of them brought back the old days of glory.
Amon Düül was initially an anarchist commune, but it split into two factions, Amon Düül (sometimes called Amon Düül I for disambiguation) and Amon Düül II. ADI was more politically inclined, but ADII preferred making music. Their anarchist tendencies are clearly seen in their music, especially on the albums Yeti, Tanz Der Lemminge, and Wolf City.
The band can be seen as having two distinct periods in their glory days, the improvisational period and the compositional period. The improvisational period consisted of albums such as Phallus Dei and Yeti, and, to a lesser extent, Tanz Der Lemminge. These albums all featured long, improvisational tracks (Phallus Dei was entirely improvised, and disc two of Yeti was as well, but Tanz Der Lemminge only featured one improvisation). Their compositional period starts with Carnival in Babylon and is highlighted by Wolf City. In this period, the band moved to more structured composed pieces. Many fans saw this as a poor move, but some believed that Amon Duul II proved that they were just as good at composing as they were at improvising.
Amon Düül II's drummer Peter Leopold died on 8 November 2006.
Bass player Lothar Meid died on 3 November 2015.
C.I.D. in Uruk
Amon Düül II Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wirkt sehr verstört ohne TV
Er glaubt die Blindheit gibt es erst seit Krösus
Und funkt gedankenlos sein Alibi
Ede möchte gerne frisches Riechsalz vermessen
Und sein Werkzeug bleibt sein bestes Argument
Leider hat er seine Ganglien in Uruk vergessen
Ein Senfgewehr zielt bedrohlich auf die Priesterreihe
Maschinen im Labor bereiten ihre Priesterweihe
Und Nachbarsekten essen
Thunfischflossen
Roh
Im Klo
Bärtige Weise schweben im All
Sie singen und tanzen
Und gestern und morgen vernebelt im Kral
Gehört nun den Wanzen
Ohne Grund jubelnd geh'n sie nach oben
Auf dem Weg ohne Boden
Weder Traum noch Idee berührt die Gedanken
Und plötzlich sie schwanken
The lyrics to Amon Düül II's song C.I.D. in Uruk describe a strange and surreal world where the characters seem to be lost, confused and disconnected from their surroundings. The first verse talks about a character named "Der Wurstplanet" who is deep in prayer with Jesus, but seems disturbed without a television. He believes that blindness didn't exist before Krösus, and he mindlessly provides his alibi. The second verse features "Ede" who wishes to measure fresh smelling salts but discovers that he has left his tools behind in Uruk. He realizes that he is wearing his last shirt. The third verse is the most surreal, and it describes a scene where a group of neighboring sects are eating raw tuna fins in the bathroom, while machines in the lab prepare for the initiation of the priestly order. The final image of the song is of bearded sages floating in space, singing and dancing, and being surrounded by confusion, drifting between yesterday and tomorrow until the unexpected shaking.
Throughout the lyrics, there is a surreal and disconnected feeling. The characters seem to be lost in their own thoughts and disconnected from the world around them. There is a sense that they are searching for something, but they can't quite find it. The surrealism of the lyrics creates a sense of confusion and disorientation, and the repeated themes of loss and confusion highlight the impact of the environment on the characters' psyche.
Line by Line Meaning
Der Wurstplanet vertieft im Gebet mit Jesus
The inhabitants of the planet Wurst are deeply engaged in prayer with Jesus
Wirkt sehr verstört ohne TV
They appear very disturbed without their television
Er glaubt die Blindheit gibt es erst seit Krösus
One of them believes that blindness only existed since King Croesus' time
Und funkt gedankenlos sein Alibi
And he mindlessly transmits his alibi
Ede möchte gerne frisches Riechsalz vermessen
Ede wants to measure fresh smelling salt
Und sein Werkzeug bleibt sein bestes Argument
And his best argument is still his tool
Leider hat er seine Ganglien in Uruk vergessen
Unfortunately, he forgot his ganglia in Uruk
Und er bemerkt er trägt sein allerletzes Hemd
And he notices that he's wearing his very last shirt
Ein Senfgewehr zielt bedrohlich auf die Priesterreihe
A mustard gun ominously points towards the line of priests
Maschinen im Labor bereiten ihre Priesterweihe
Machines in the laboratory prepare their priestly ordination
Und Nachbarsekten essen Thunfischflossen roh im Klo
And neighboring sects eat raw tuna fins in the bathroom
Bärtige Weise schweben im All
Bearded sages hover in space
Sie singen und tanzen
They sing and dance
Und gestern und morgen vernebelt im Kral
And yesterday and tomorrow are blurred in their den
Gehört nun den Wanzen
Now it belongs to the bugs
Ohne Grund jubelnd geh'n sie nach oben
Cheering for no reason, they go up
Auf dem Weg ohne Boden
On the way without a bottom
Weder Traum noch Idee berührt die Gedanken
Neither dreams nor ideas touch their minds
Und plötzlich sie schwanken
And suddenly they sway
Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David Metcalfe
on She Came Through the Chimney
Maybe it's "indigo sea" and not Indian sea on Sleepwalkers Timeless Bridge?