Die Ärzte were formed in 1982 by Jan Vetter (alias Farin Urlaub), Dirk Felsenheimer (alias Bela B.) and bassist Hans Runge (alias Sahnie). Bela and Farin had previously played together in the punk band Soilent Grün; after that band broke up they decided to form a band playing fun songs, in contrast to the mostly political bands of the punk scene at that time. While deriving from that punk scene, their early music was heavily influenced by pop and rock and roll, especially The Beatles, whom Farin heard a lot as a child due to his mother playing their records.
In the first two years they mostly played in clubs of their hometown of Berlin. Their first release was a contribution to the sampler "20 schäumende Stimmungshits" (roughly, "20 exuberant mood hits"), which contained a strong alcohol theme. In 1983 they won a rock contest in Berlin; with the prize money they recorded their debut EP "Uns gehts Prima" ("We're doing great"). Finally Columbia Records signed them, and they released their first LP "Debil" in 1984 and the second one ("Im Schatten der Ärzte") a year later.
After the second record they parted ways with Sahnie due to internal problems. On the third record he was replaced by producer Miccey Meuser; later Hagen Liebig, better known as The Incredible Hagen, played bass for them during live performances until their breakup.
In 1987 the German Federal Centre for Media Harmful to Young Persons put the songs Geschwisterliebe ("Sibling Love", a song about incest, from Die Ärzte), Claudia hat 'nen Schäferhund ("Claudia has a German Shepherd", about zoophilia, from "Debil") and Schlaflied ("Lullaby", about a monster coming and eating you after falling asleep, also from "Debil") on the German List of Media Harmful to Young People. This prohibited the band from performing the songs live and, more importantly, promoting the two albums, and shops from openly displaying the records in their shelves. After several trials against shops that still openly sold the records a lot of shops removed Die Ärzte completely from their stock. The result was a drop in record sales and big financial problems for the band. In response they released the compilation "Ab 18" ("Adults Only") with all their songs on the index and some other old and new tasteless songs, and the greatest hits album "Ist das alles?"("Is this everything?" but also can be translated as "Is this the end?"). The album and the new singles were fairly successful, partly because of growing media interest due to the previous censorship.
The following album "Das ist nicht die ganze Wahrheit" ("That is not the whole truth") was even more successful, climbing into the top 10 in the German album charts. They decided to go out on a high note in 1988, breaking up after doing one last tour and recording a live double album that became their first number one in the album charts.
Neither Farin's new band King Køng nor Bela's Depp Jones were really successful, so in 1993 they decided to do a reunion. As bass player they invited Rodrigo Gonzales, who was guitarist in Depp Jones and a friend of Bela. Their comeback single was Schrei nach Liebe ("Cry for Love"), their first ever political song, that they published as a statement against what was perceived as growing racism and right wing extremist violence in Germany at that time.
The album was more diverse than ever, with ballads, punk, rock and traditional German sounds. Both album and single became big hits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The follow-up "Planet Punk" was also very successful.
In 1996 they wanted to make an EP just about hair, but they wrote too many songs for an EP and made the Album "Le Frisur" ("The Hairdo") instead. It was slightly less successful than its predecessors. Apart from their own tours they also supported Kiss in that year, a dream come true for Bela and Rod.
1998 was perhaps the most successful year of their career, the single "Männer sind Schweine" ("Men are Pigs") being their first Number 1 single in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the album 13 also being Number 1 in Germany and Switzerland. After a lot of promotion and touring in that year they decided to take a break, deciding also to never play again "Männer sind Schweine" at a concert due to the too great success this song had. They did not like the upcoming unwanted and rather unoriginal remakes by other bands as e.g. "Frauen sind Schweine" ("Women are pigs") and also did not like to see their song played at mass tourist beach parties at places like Mallorca/Spain.
In 2000 they came back with another very successful album, "Runter mit den Spendierhosen, Unsichtbarer!", and two top 10 singles. As the third single from the album they released the 30-second-song "Yoko Ono", which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the shortest single ever released - another example of their sense of humour. On their tour in 2001 they sold the limited Album "5, 6, 7, 8 Bullenstaat" consisting of short punk songs that were written and recorded while recording the full length album published a year before, and some cover songs published in 1994 on a tour only EP.
After that they again took a break: Bela did some acting, Farin recorded his first solo album (Endlich Urlaub!). In late 2002 they did an MTV Unplugged in a school auditorium together with the school band. After that they made a new double album Geräusch that was released in 2003. On the next tour a Live DVD was recorded and published one year later.
On 2 November 2007, Die Ärzte released their latest album, Jazz ist anders ("Jazz is nothing like this", literally "Jazz is different").
In August 2011 the band announced that they are working on a new album which is set to be released in 2012 with a tour called "Das Ende ist noch nicht vorbei" ("The end is not over yet") following in the summer 2012.
The official homepage for Die Ärzte is www.bademeister.com
14:53
Die Ärzte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mach doch watte denkst
Mach doch watte denkst
Alter mach doch watte denkst
Alter du Hengst
Mach doch watte denkst
Die Pistole die macht Peng
Du kriegst wat geschenkt
Dit haste dir nit gedenkt
Alter von mir
Hier umsonst, uffm Kanal äh
Denn raubkopieren ist ein Kavaliersdelikt
raubkopieren ist in manchen Kreisen ziemlich schick
raubkopieren ist gesellschaftlich hoch angesehen
raubkopieren ist wunderschön
raubkopiere doch dieses lied für mich
raubkopiere alles, es ist wirklich herrlich
raubkopiere am besten gleich Geld vonna Bank
raubkopiere, raubkopieren gibt es zum Gott sei Dank
Raubkopieren ist das schönste auf der Welt
raubkopieren ist besser als Sex und besser als Geld
raubkopieren ist meine neue Freundin, sie hießt: Raubkopie
Uns Ich liebe Sie
wäh
uh
ahhhh
mach doch watte willst
mach doch watte willst
mach doch watte willst
mach doch watte willst
watte willst
watte willst
watte willst
The lyrics to Die Ärzte’s song “14:53” are a satirical commentary on the act of pirating and the culture that surrounds it. The song opens with the repeated phrase “Mach doch watte denkst” which roughly translates to “Do what you think”. The singer then addresses the listener, calling them an “alter du Hengst” or “old stud” and urging them to act on their desires, even if they are illegal. The phrase “die Pistole die macht Peng”, or “the gun goes bang”, suggests a rebellious attitude and a willingness to cause chaos.
The next verse refers to the act of pirating and how it is viewed in society. The band suggests that pirating is seen as a “Kavaliersdelikt”, or a “gentleman’s crime”, and that it is “in manchen Kreisen ziemlich schick” or “pretty cool in some circles”. They go on to say that it is “gesellschaftlich hoch angesehen”, or “highly respected in society”. The chorus then encourages the listener to pirate the band’s own music, as well as anything else they desire.
Overall, the lyrics of “14:53” criticize the culture of piracy and the attitude of entitlement that often accompanies it. The band takes a satirical approach, encouraging the listener to act on their desires while simultaneously showing how damaging and selfish those desires can be.
Line by Line Meaning
Mach doch watte denkst
Do whatever you want and think whatever you want.
Alter mach doch watte denkst
Old man, just do what you want and think whatever you please.
Die Pistole die macht Peng, und du machst watte denkst, watte denkst, watte denkst, watte denkst
The gun goes bang, and you do whatever you want and think whatever you please, over and over.
Du kriegst wat geschenkt, Dit haste dir nit gedenkt
You get something for free, something you didn't expect.
Alter von mir, Hier umsonst, uffm Kanal äh
Old man, from me, here for free, on the channel.
Denn raubkopieren ist ein Kavaliersdelikt
Because pirating is a gentlemanly crime.
raubkopieren ist in manchen Kreisen ziemlich schick
Pirating is quite fashionable in certain circles.
raubkopieren ist gesellschaftlich hoch angesehen
Pirating is highly regarded in society.
raubkopieren ist wunderschön
Pirating is beautiful.
raubkopiere doch dieses lied für mich
Pirate this song for me.
raubkopiere alles, es ist wirklich herrlich
Pirate everything, it's really wonderful.
raubkopiere am besten gleich Geld vonna Bank
Just pirate money from the bank.
raubkopiere, raubkopieren gibt es zum Gott sei Dank
Pirating, thank God, is still around.
Raubkopieren ist das schönste auf der Welt
Pirating is the most beautiful thing in the world.
raubkopieren ist besser als Sex und besser als Geld
Pirating is better than sex and better than money.
raubkopieren ist meine neue Freundin, sie hießt: Raubkopie
Pirating is my new girlfriend, her name is Pirate Copy.
Uns Ich liebe Sie
And I love her.
mach doch watte willst
Do whatever you want.
watte willst
Whatever you want.
Contributed by Chloe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.