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.
Jalousie
Amon Düül II Lyrics
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Like a garden no-one is allowed to see
Your secret world means much to me
Your untold dreams I love to see
But you increase your prestige
When you put your self-portrait
On a dry gin label
Turns green from the heat
A dancing dog on top of a rock
Talks to you
Why do you guard your privacy
Like the pages from a young girl's diary
All I can see is a closed jalousie
When you arrange the pieces of reality
You sit on a sofa
Watch the world on TV
Count the fingerprints of your emotion
But your consciousness can be wide like an ocean
Why do you reduce
The size of your smile
When someone touches your mind
For a while
When someone touches your mind
For a while
When someone touches your...
When someone touches your mind
When someone touches your mind
Your mind
Your mind
Your mind
The lyrics of Amon Düül II's song "Jalousie" talk about a person who guards their fantasy, privacy, and reality. The singer wonders why the person hides their inner world like a garden no one can see, but also says they love to see their untold dreams. However, the other person reinforces their prestige by putting their self-portrait on a dry gin label, appearing to value external validation more than inner exploration. Meanwhile, the snow on their feet turns green from the heat, an eerie image that could symbolize their abrupt changes in mood or character. The mention of a dancing dog on top of a rock that talks to them emphasizes the surreal nature of their existence.
The song then mentions the other person guarding their privacy like the pages of a young girl's diary, with the jalousie being a shutter-like window covering that restricts outsiders' access to the person's life. The singer laments their inability to see the other person's reality beyond the closed jalousie. The other person appears to watch the world on TV while counting the fingerprints of their emotion, implying a certain detachment or self-absorption. However, the singer also acknowledges that the other person's consciousness can be as wide as an ocean, hinting that they might be capable of deeper connections with others. Finally, the lyrics express puzzlement about why the person reduces the size of their smile when someone touches their mind, perhaps feeling exposed or vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do you hide your fantasy
Why do you conceal your wildest dreams?
Like a garden no-one is allowed to see
Like a secret garden, your imagination is hidden from view.
Your secret world means much to me
Your hidden world is dear and meaningful to me.
Your untold dreams I love to see
I long to witness your unspoken aspirations.
But you increase your prestige
However, you raise your reputation.
When you put your self-portrait
By printing your image on a dry gin label,
On a dry gin label
You risk creating a superficial image of yourself.
While the snow on your feet
Even as you ignore your inner turmoil,
Turns green from the heat
Your external environment adapts and changes around you.
A dancing dog on top of a rock
Amidst this chaos, a wild and unpredictable presence appears,
Talks to you
Perhaps trying to connect with you or make sense of your situation.
Why do you guard your privacy
Why do you protect your personal space?
Like the pages from a young girl's diary
Similar to how a diary is kept secret and locked away.
All I can see is a closed jalousie
All that is visible are the barred slats of a window that cannot be opened.
When you arrange the pieces of reality
When you handle the many elements of your life.
You sit on a sofa
You are content to relax and observe.
Watch the world on TV
By watching the world from the safety of your home.
Count the fingerprints of your emotion
You analyze and take stock of your current emotional state.
But your consciousness can be wide like an ocean
Your mind has the potential to be vast and boundless in its comprehension.
Why do you reduce
Why do you diminish your own sense of joy?
The size of your smile
By concealing your happiness or excitement.
When someone touches your mind
When someone has an effect on your thoughts or feelings.
For a while
Temporarily, but the experience can be transformative.
When someone touches your...
When someone makes an emotional impact on you,
When someone touches your mind
When someone alters your mental landscape.
When someone touches your mind
It takes a profound and lasting effect on you.
Your mind
The only true sanctuary and battleground for your thoughts and feelings.
Your mind
The last bastion of your sense of self.
Your mind
The one place no one else can touch, unless you allow them to.
Contributed by Harper N. 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?