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.
Fly United
Amon Düül II Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You real shouldn't be bothered the pain
If you have enough to move on
Finally they say you've won
Let the young heart fly united
Every sunbeams says don't (?fight it?)
Listen to the music storm
(?Tapping?) on a teacher's (?guilt?)
Leads us to the western [....]
Some have found and some have lost
We gonna show them [....]
The song "Fly United" by Amon Düül II begins with an invitation to "play your game" and to not be bothered by the pain. This can be interpreted as an encouragement to pursue one's dreams and to not let fear and obstacles get in the way. The lyrics suggest that if one has the courage to move on, they will eventually come out victorious.
The chorus of the song, "Let the young heart fly united, Every sunbeams says don't fight it, Listen to the music storm, At the end you'll be reborn," speaks to the power of coming together and finding solidarity. The reference to being reborn suggests a transformation that occurs when one is able to overcome hardship and find a sense of community.
The following verse mentions "tapping on a teacher's guilt" which could be a reference to challenging traditional authority and seeking knowledge and truth beyond established institutions. The mention of the western world and some finding and some losing suggests a search for meaning and finding oneself in a changing and often confusing world. The closing line, "We gonna show them [....]" leaves an open-ended finish, suggesting that the journey is ongoing and that the destination is still to be determined.
Line by Line Meaning
So come on and play your game
Don't be afraid to be yourself and do what you love
You real shouldn't be bothered the pain
Don't let the fear of failure or discomfort stop you from chasing your dreams
If you have enough to move on
If you have the strength and determination to keep going, don't give up
Finally they say you've won
Success is achieved through persistence and hard work
Let the young heart fly united
The youth should come together and support each other in their pursuits
Every sunbeams says don't (?fight it?)
Nature is a reminder to embrace life and not resist it
Listen to the music storm
Allow yourself to be consumed by the power and energy of music
At the end you'll be reborn
Music has the ability to transform you and give you a fresh perspective on life
(?Tapping?) on a teacher's (?guilt?)
Questioning authority and challenging societal norms can lead to new discoveries and progress
Leads us to the western [....]
Exploring unfamiliar territories and ideas can expand your mind and broaden your horizons
Some have found and some have lost
Not everyone will come out on top, but the journey and experience is still valuable
We gonna show them [....]
The youth has the ability to challenge the status quo and create positive change
Contributed by Eliana R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BrocksRocks
Never thought I'd see Hiddleston gloriously dancing to this but good lord was it freaking awesome.
Surrealms
Easily one of the greatest German rock bands ever. Tanz Der Lemminge especially - holy shit, what an incredible achievement.
Zane Goodeker
One of The Greatest of The 70s period for sure.
Ginna
temazo!!! tenia el disco y 14 años..... un grupo loco y original...... gracias x compartirlo.
Paul Olsen
I'm here because this is a good tune. I've never seen High Rise, but I want to see it because J.G. Ballard is a good writer.
Irem Ayar
that scene was perfection from the beginning to the end of the specific event it led to
Ceylani Köz
Great entertainer
Isabelle M
Thank you High Rise and thank you Tom Hiddleston🏙 💃❤😁
Mike Lykan.
Brilliant tune perfect for HighRise.
Iris Workman
Came from high rise. Perfect song for that scene. Plus Tom Hiddleston was hot af in that movie