He was born in Hamburg, Germany, and studied at the School of Music there. A multi-instrumentalist, he was hired by Hans Busch to play with his orchestra before serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band, toured with them, then worked as an arranger and producer, making hit records with Freddy Quinn and Ivo Robic. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to back Tony Sheridan on "My Bonnie (Lies Over the Ocean)," "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Ain't She Sweet" and "Cry for a Shadow," in a session for Polydor. These turned out to be the Beatles' first commercial recordings. When Beatles manager Brian Epstein asked Kaempfert about further promoting The Beatles, Kaempfert informed Epstein that the company was only interested in The Beatles as Tony Sheridan's backup group. (It also turned out British Decca executive Dick Rowe turned them down in favor of local beat combo Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.) He then released The Beatles from their contract with Polydor.
90 Minuten nach Mitternacht
Bert Kaempfert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blessed by the drink, upon the corner's where we've seen it
Chased by the plane it, haunted by the medium
Too high to flow toward to break the tedium
Glow from my TV set was blue like neon
Activated the remote, I put the BBC on
I've seen this city somewhere, I'm looking out for no one
Pallor in my eyes, it get blue like neon
Hell is 'round the corner where I shelter
Isms and schisms, we're living on a skelter
If you believe I'll deceive, then common sense says shall you receive
Let me take you down the corridors of my life
And when you walk, do you walk to your preference
No need to answer till I take further evidence
I seem to need a reference to get residence
A reference to your preference to say I'm a good neighbour
I trudge, so judge me for my labour
I walk in a bar and immediately
I sense danger
You look at me, girl, as if I was some kind of a
A total stranger
Hysterical, ecstatical, no matter, call me stags
Hard to get a drink or a girl to relax
Upon phono, no go zone I go through
Aching awaits just to relocate you
Kill us with your fist, now baby, mix it with me
You see me function better when I get approximately
High by my technical flyby
I function better with the sun in my eyes, so goodbye
Take a second of me, you beckon I'll beAnd when you're sad, I'll mourn
And when you tear, I'm torn
Take a second of me
Take a second of me
I stand firm for our soil
Lick a rock off foil
So reduce me, seduce me
Dress me up in Stussy
Show me and I'll stick 'em
Will you be my victim?
Take a second of me
Mad over you, mad over me, an analogy
Baby, tagging up all of my stationary
Sitting in my daycare, media deco painted
Colliding with the jam until the drink got dated
Window indigo when they go boom
I run inside my room, no sense, you can trust me
Climb on my sofa, roll in a daydream
Spliff make daddy go sleep-a-trip dream
The song "Hell is 'round the corner" by Tricky is an intriguing piece of music with complex and introspective lyrics. The song talks about the singer's perception of the world that surrounds him, in which danger is always evident, and the feeling of being isolated from the people around him is frequently present. The lyrics are built through a series of metaphors, creating surreal and dark imagery that reflects the singer's psyche.
The first verses set the scene with vivid imagery: "Sitting in my daycare, the art is deco painted, Blessed by the drink, upon the corner's where we've seen it." The singer talks about his current location as a daycare, where he is trapped, and the psychedelic and art deco paintings that surround him. The singer then shifts his attention to the outside world, mentioning the plane and the shadows that haunt him. The second stanza is a mixture of paranoia and vulnerability, where he wonders if he can trust people or rely on his perception when he can't even trust his senses.
The chorus describes the world as a dangerous and unpredictable place, where one can't trust anyone: "Hell is 'round the corner where I shelter Isms and schisms, we're living on a skelter if you believe, I'll deceive, then common sense says shall you receive." This introspective piece of music reflects on the singer's psyche and his perception of the world, inviting the listener to enter his own world.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting in my day care, the art is deco painted
I am currently lounging in my personal space, decorated with retro-looking art.
Blessed by the drink, upon the corner's where we've seen it
We have witnessed something happen on this corner while we were drinking.
Chased by the plane it, haunted by the medium
I feel scared and troubled, as though I'm being followed by supernatural or otherworldly forces.
Too high to flow toward to break the tedium
I am too intoxicated to do much other than sit and exist in this dull moment.
Glow from my TV set was blue like neon
The blue light from my television set looks like a neon light.
Activated the remote, I put the BBC on
I turned on the TV and selected the BBC channel to watch.
I've seen this city somewhere, I'm looking out for no one
I recognize this city but I'm not actively searching for anything or anyone in particular.
Pallor in my eyes, it get blue like neon
My eyes appear pale and blue, similar to the neon light from my TV.
Hell is 'round the corner where I shelter
I am currently situated in a place that feels like it could become a terrible situation.
Isms and schisms, we're living on a skelter
We are living in a society with a lot of division and conflicts.
If you believe I'll deceive, then common sense says shall you receive
If you believe that I am dishonest, it's likely that you will receive untrue information.
Let me take you down the corridors of my life
Allow me to provide a glimpse into my life and experiences.
And when you walk, do you walk to your preference
Do you choose to walk in a certain manner or direction?
No need to answer till I take further evidence
I don't require an immediate answer until I acquire more information.
I seem to need a reference to get residence
I require proof of some sort in order to feel at home or comfortable in a place.
A reference to your preference to say I'm a good neighbour
Your preferences can indicate whether or not I am being neighborly/how good of a neighbor I am.
I trudge, so judge me for my labour
I work diligently and with effort, feel free to evaluate me based on that.
I walk in a bar and immediately, I sense danger
Upon entering the bar, I am immediately filled with fear.
You look at me, girl, as if I was some kind of a, A total stranger
You stare at me as though we've never met before.
Hysterical, ecstatical, no matter, call me stags
I am feeling happy and high-energy, regardless of my surroundings or feelings.
Hard to get a drink or a girl to relax
It's difficult to obtain alcoholic beverages or get girls to unwind.
Upon phono, no go zone I go through
When listening to music, I feel like I can go into a space where nobody else can join me.
Aching awaits just to relocate you
I am eagerly waiting for the opportunity to move to a new location.
Kill us with your fist, now baby, mix it with me
Be violent with me before engaging in pleasant activities.
You see me function better when I get approximately
I tend to perform tasks better when I'm mildly intoxicated.
High by my technical flyby
I am feeling high and euphoric in this moment.
I function better with the sun in my eyes, so goodbye
I have an easier time accomplishing tasks and feeling good when the sun is shining.
Take a second of me, you beckon I'll be
Spend a moment with me and I'll be at your disposal.
And when you're sad, I'll mourn
I will feel sadness or grief if you are in a similar state.
And when you tear, I'm torn
If you are crying, I feel as though I am crying as well.
I stand firm for our soil
I am passionate about protecting our land.
Lick a rock off foil
I have ingested drugs by licking them off of foil.
So reduce me, seduce me
Make me feel smaller or insignificant, but also attract me.
Dress me up in Stussy
Clothe me in apparel made by the Stussy brand.
Show me and I'll stick 'em
If you show me something, I will be interested or engaged by it.
Will you be my victim?
Are you willing to be the target of my actions (in a potentially dangerous or romantic way)?
Mad over you, mad over me, an analogy
We are both incredibly infatuated with each other, which is similar to an analogy.
Baby, tagging up all of my stationary
You are marking up all of my stationary objects (possibly with graffiti or tags).
Colliding with the jam until the drink got dated
Mixing beverages (jam) until the drink becomes less enjoyable or old.
Window indigo when they go boom
The window looks blue when there's an explosion.
I run inside my room, no sense, you can trust me
I enter my private space without much thought or reason, but you can trust me anyway.
Climb on my sofa, roll in a daydream
I jump on my couch and live inside of my mind's daydreams.
Spliff make daddy go sleep-a-trip dream
Smoking a joint causes me to have vivid dreams and rest well.
Contributed by Liam M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.