Annett Louisan (born Annett Päge; 2 April 1977 in Havelberg, Saxony-Anhalt,… Read Full Bio ↴Annett Louisan (born Annett Päge; 2 April 1977 in Havelberg, Saxony-Anhalt, East Germany) is a German singer. She lives in Hamburg, Germany. Louisan is her stage name, derived from the name of her grandmother, Louise. Concerning her birth year, there is conflicting testimony, with the official date being given as 1979. Her first album, Bohème, was listed on German charts for almost a year, with a peak ranking of third place. She appeared on the AVO Session program at Basle on 7 November 2006.

In 2004, Louisan married Gazi Işıkatlı, a Turkish business student, but they divorced in 2008. In June 2014, Louisan married songwriter and Hamburg native Marcus Brosch. Their daughter, Emmylou Rose Brosch, was born on 25 July 2017.

Style
Annett Louisan plays a wide variety of music with blues, soul, jazz and swing. The lyrics of her songs are mostly about love, failure and disappointment. Annett Louisan is one of the few German artists who have obtained a high-profile with chanson-style songs. Apart from Louisan's own musical interpretation this is due to the lyrics of her producer, Frank Ramond, as well as the compositions of her songwriters, Hardy Kayser and Matthias Hass. Her lyrics also deal with the politicized issues of female self-conception and societal roles, creating a complex ambivalence. This became most apparent with her first single Das Spiel. In this song roles with contrary approaches to sexuality and interpersonal relationships (i.e. the child, the woman and the emancipated career) are combined. Musically, her second album moves away from pop and concentrates more on the French-German chanson-tradition. Bal-musette, Tango and Bossa Nova rhythms give the songs diversity. Unobtrusive backings allow the often breathy voice of Louisan to remain prominent.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annett_Louisan

Studio albums
Bohème (2004)
Unausgesprochen (2005)
Das optimale Leben (2007)
Teilzeithippie (2008)
In meiner Mitte (2011)
Zu viel Information (2014)
Berlin, Kapstadt, Prag (2016)
Kleine große Liebe (2019)
Kitsch (2020)

Der den ich will
Annett Louisan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Es braucht diesen flüchtigen Schmerz
Mein rast- und besitzloses Herz
Will höllisch vermissen
Statt halten zu müssen
Es will sein Idol nicht verlier'n

Steig auf dein Denkmal zurück
Schenk' mir kein' einzigen Blick

Bleib hart
Leiste kein' Schwur
Sonst wärst du ja nur
Der den ich hab'

Zeig keine Schwäche für mich
Behalt' dein Verlangen für dich
Sei still
Denn, wenn's so wär'
Dann wärst du nicht mehr
Der den ich will ...
Der den ich will ...

Mal' mir kein Herz an die Wand
Sonst wirst du zum Spatz in der Hand
Sei weiter unfassbar
Verwirr' mich, bleib unklar
Genau dafür lieb' ich dich so

Steig auf dein Denkmal zurück

Overall Meaning

In this song, Annett Louisan talks about her unrequited love for someone who is like an idol to her. She needs the pain and sadness of not being able to have him, as it makes her heart feel alive and unattached. She asks him to not look at her, to remain aloof and distant, because if he were to give her even the slightest sign of affection, it would shatter her illusions and hopes about him. She is willing to go through the pain and confusion that come with admiring someone from afar, as long as she can keep him on a pedestal and not lose the thrill of the chase.

The lyrics are an introspective look at the nature of obsession and unrequited love. The singer seems to be aware of the futility of her affection, yet she cannot help but be drawn to someone who is unattainable. The repeated refrain of "Der den ich will" (the one I want) highlights the singer's intense desire for someone who is out of reach. The verses talk about the paradoxical nature of this desire - on one hand, she wants to be with him, but on the other, she needs the pain of longing to feel alive.

One interesting aspect of this song is that it was written by German singer-songwriter Judith Holofernes, of the band Wir Sind Helden. Holofernes wrote the song as a response to Louisan's request for a song with a certain melody, and Louisan provided the lyrics. Another interesting fact is that the song features a prominent double bass solo by Andreas Henze, which adds to the melancholic mood of the song. "Der den ich will" was released in 2004 as the lead single from Louisan's second album, "Unausgesprochen."

Chords:
Unfortunately, the chords for "Der den ich will" are not readily available.

Line by Line Meaning

Es braucht diesen flüchtigen Schmerz
My restless and unbound heart needs this fleeting pain

Mein rast- und besitzloses Herz
My heart cannot rest and does not want to be owned

Will höllisch vermissen
I want to miss you terribly

Statt halten zu müssen
Instead of having to hold on to you

Es will sein Idol nicht verlier'n
It does not want to lose its idol

Steig auf dein Denkmal zurück
Get back on your pedestal

Schenk' mir kein' einzigen Blick
Don't even give me a single glance

Bleib hart
Stay strong

Leiste kein' Schwur
Don't make any promises

Sonst wärst du ja nur
Otherwise, you would only be