The Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF) is an influential industrial /… Read Full Bio ↴The Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF) is an influential industrial / Neue Deutsche Welle band from Düsseldorf, formed in 1978 in Wuppertal, Germany featuring drummer/synth player Robert Görl, vocalist Gabi Delgado-Lopez/Gabi Delgado, guitarist Wolfgang Spelmans, Kurt Dahlke "Pyrolator", Michael Kemner, bassist and bassist/keyboardist/saxophonist Chrislo Haas. The band's name is a term that had originally been used in West Germany, without irony, in the early years of the Cold War, at the height of German popular enthusiasm for all things American, and as humoristic counterpart to the "deutsch-sowjetische Freundschaft" (german-soviet-friendship) parole used in the German Democratic Republic. (GDR, or DDR in german)

DAF's most famous song is the grimly sarcastic "Der Mussolini" from the album "Alles Ist Gut", a pulsing dance song featuring the lyrics "Dance the Mussolini, move your behind, clap your hands, and now the Adolf Hitler, and now the Jesus Christ, and now the communism ...". The song caused a scandal amongst the more humourless elements of German liberal society.

In interviews they claimed to not target anything or anyone specific while creating lyrics to be taken as a parody of words and phrases floating around in the public media. "Sato-Sato" and "Der Mussolini" are both examples of songs written around Delgado-Lopez's fascination with the sound of a particular word.

The album "Alles Ist Gut" (All Is Well) received the German "Schallplattenpreis" award by the "Deutsche Phono-Akademie", an association of the German recording industry.
Following that they released two more similar albums called "Gold und Liebe" and "Für Immer", all produced by legendary Conny Plank.

After experimenting with more mainstream attempts of their particular style of contemporary dance music on the 1986 album "1st Step to Heaven" but with limited success DAF split up (1986).

A few months before the 2003 invasion of Iraq DAF released "Der Sheriff (anti-amerikanisches lied)" (An Anti-American Song) criticizing perceived American imperialism.

In the hiatus of DAF 1985-2002 both Robert and Gabi had their own careers. DAF was more or less resurrected by Gabi alone when he toured in 1994-5 as DAF OPD (On Public Demand) touring with classic and remixed DAF material. Following the success of that partial comeback he started Daf.Dos with Wotan Wilke. They released two more techno oriented albums and toured much until Gabi and Robert reunited for the album "Fünfzehn Neue DAF lieder" in 2003.

Notable is also Robert Görls contribution to Eurythmics first album In the Garden where he unmistakably plays the drums on the tracks Belinda and Caveman Head.

Gabi Delgado continued releasing music under his own name, creating the following albums: 1 (2013), X (2014), and 2 (2015).

Gabi Delgado died in March 2020, thus ending his career, but forever immortal in the music and style he created, which would inspire and spawn whole music genres in decades to come.

Rote Lippen
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot

Die Lippen so rot, mein Schatz
Die Lippen so rot, mein Schatz
Deine Lippen sind so rot

Lippen sind so rot
(Oh, mein Schatz)

Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot
Deine Lippen sind so rot

Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich
Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich
Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich
Ich sehe deinen Mund, mein Schatz
Ich sehe deinen Mund, mein Schatz
Ich sehe deinen Mund
(Oh, mein Schatz)
Ich sehe deinen Mund

Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot
Dein Kleid ist so rot

Ich liebe deinen Mund, mein Schatz
Ich liebe deinen Mund, mein Schatz
Ich liebe deinen Mund
Ich liebe deinen Mund

Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich

Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich
Ich sehe deinen Mund, mein Schatz

Overall Meaning

The DAF song "Rote Lippen" is a very straightforward and repetitive love song that centers around the color red. The singer is enamored with their lover's red dress and red lips, declaring their love for both repeatedly throughout the song. The repetition and simplicity of the lyrics suggest a singular focus on this physical aspect of the lover, as if they are transfixed by the sight of the red color. The lines "Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich" ("The whole world is red for me") reiterates this obsession with the color, implying that everything else fades away and pales in comparison to the sight of their lover in red.

However, one could interpret the song as having a deeper meaning beyond its surface level simplicity. The intense focus on the color red could be seen as a symbol for passion and desire, and the singer's repetition of their love for their lover's lips suggests a strong desire for physical intimacy. The repetition of "Oh, mein Schatz" throughout the song also adds a sense of desperation to the singer's love and desire for their partner.

Line by Line Meaning

Dein Kleid ist so rot
Your dress is very red

Deine Lippen sind so rot
Your lips are very red

Die ganze Welt ist rot für mich
Everything in the world appears red to me, because I am so focused on your red lips

Ich sehe deinen Mund, mein Schatz
All I can see is your mouth, because it is so red and captivating

Ich liebe deinen Mund
I love your mouth and its red color

Contributed by Lila S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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