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.
Sleepwalker's Timeless Bridge
Amon Düül II Lyrics
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The lyrics of "Sleepwalker's Timeless Bridge" by Amon Düül II contain a powerful imagery that describes the experience of a drug addict. The line "Heroin homo sits above in the trees" refers to a person who is high on heroin, described as a "homo" (likely as a reference to the drug's effects on sexual desire). This person is depicted as being detached from reality and removed from the rest of society, represented by their position "above in the trees". The next line, "Nameless hunter of the Indian Seas", paints a picture of another isolated figure, a hunter who is nameless and navigates the vast, uncharted waters of the Indian seas. This person is likely a metaphor for the addict's own search for something elusive and constantly out of reach, whether it be the perfect high or some kind of personal fulfillment.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sleepwalker's Timeless Bridge" suggest a sense of disconnection and yearning for escape from an unsatisfactory reality, which can be found through substance use or other forms of exploration.
Line by Line Meaning
Heroin homo sits above in the trees
A drug addict, possibly homosexual, is perched on top of the trees.
Nameless hunter of the Indian Seas
A hunter without a name who travels and hunts in the Indian Seas.
Contributed by Brayden P. 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?