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
Die Nacht
Die Ärzte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Das Dunkel birgt Gefahr – wer weitergeht, bleibt nicht unversehrt
Und die Düsternis verspricht und lockt – ich kann nicht widerstehn
Will das Dunkel des Mondes in deinen Augen sehn
In der Nacht hat jede Berührung ihre Wichtigkeit
Wir ergeben uns ihrer Verführung – sie hüllt uns in ihr schwarzes Kleid
Die Nacht, sie lässt dich Dinge tun, die du bei Tage nicht mal denkst
Die Nacht muss eine Frau sein, denn sie hat uns geboren
Weil ihre Macht uns so vertraut scheint, fühlen wir uns auserkoren
Von ihr…
Der Nacht
Du spürst die Neugier auch – ich kann Wellen in deinen Augen sehn
Spürst du ihren warmen Hauch – willst du mehr, musst du nur weitergehn
Die Nacht macht uns zu Helden – ihre Stille bedeckt unsere Haut
Wir schließen die Augen und selten warst du mir mehr vertraut
Vater Tag predigt uns Arbeit, Vater Tag predigt uns Vernunft
Ich ersehne die Nacht – sehne mich nach der Zusammenkunft
Die Nacht muss eine Frau sein, denn sie hat uns geboren
Weil ihre Macht uns so vertraut scheint, fühlen wir uns auserkoren
Von ihr…
Der Nacht
Die Nacht ähnelt dem Tod – vielleicht ist sie uns deshalb so nah
Betreten kurz sein schwarzes Boot – ein paar Tropfen auf seinen Altar
Und Blasco führt uns in sein Reich, serviert uns roten Wein
Er lässt uns in der Ewigkeit niemals allein…
Die Nacht muss eine Frau sein, denn sie hat uns geboren
Weil ihre Macht uns so vertraut scheint, fühlen wir uns auserkoren
Von ihr…
Der Nacht
The song "Die Nacht" by Die Ärzte is a poetic and introspective reflection on the allure and seductive power of the night. The lyrics delve into the idea that the darkness of the night is a threshold to a realm of fantasy and freedom that is beyond the reach of daylight. The lines "Die Dämmerung ist die Grenze – hier machen viele kehrt / Das Dunkel birgt Gefahr – wer weitergeht, bleibt nicht unversehrt" suggest that the boundary between day and night is like a line between safety and danger, and that those who venture into the night must be willing to take risks and face the unknown.
Throughout the song, the night is portrayed as a feminine entity with a primal, almost sacred power over human desires and emotions. The line "Die Nacht muss eine Frau sein, denn sie hat uns geboren / Weil ihre Macht uns so vertraut scheint, fühlen wir uns auserkoren / Von ihr... der Nacht" suggests that the night is like a mother figure who gives birth to our deepest desires and instincts. The lyrics also touch on the idea that the night is a gateway to a spiritual realm beyond our mortal existence. The lines "Die Nacht ähnelt dem Tod – vielleicht ist sie uns deshalb so nah / Betreten kurz sein schwarzes Boot – ein paar Tropfen auf seinen Altar" suggest that the night is like a momentary escape from life's burdens, a funeral procession to the ultimate mystery of death.
Overall, "Die Nacht" is a mesmerizing ode to the enigmatic and mesmerizing power of the night, offering a glimpse into the psychological and philosophical dimensions of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Die Dämmerung ist die Grenze – hier machen viele kehrt
Twilight is the boundary – many turn back at this point
Das Dunkel birgt Gefahr – wer weitergeht, bleibt nicht unversehrt
The darkness is dangerous – whoever continues will not remain unharmed
Und die Düsternis verspricht und lockt – ich kann nicht widerstehen
And the gloom promises and entices – I cannot resist
Will das Dunkel des Mondes in deinen Augen sehn
Want to see the darkness of the moon in your eyes
In der Nacht hat jede Berührung ihre Wichtigkeit
In the night, every touch is significant
Wir ergeben uns ihrer Verführung – sie hüllt uns in ihr schwarzes Kleid
We give in to its seduction – it envelopes us in its black garment
Die Nacht, sie lässt dich Dinge tun, die du bei Tage nicht mal denkst
The night makes you do things that you wouldn't even think of during the day
Doch das geschieht nur, wenn du ihr dein Vertrauen schenkst
But that only happens if you trust it
Die Nacht muss eine Frau sein, denn sie hat uns geboren
The night must be a woman because she gave birth to us
Weil ihre Macht uns so vertraut scheint, fühlen wir uns auserkoren
Because her power seems so familiar to us, we feel chosen
Du spürst die Neugier auch – ich kann Wellen in deinen Augen sehn
You also feel the curiosity – I can see waves in your eyes
Spürst du ihren warmen Hauch – willst du mehr, musst du nur weitergehn
If you feel its warm breath – if you want more, you just have to go further
Die Nacht macht uns zu Helden – ihre Stille bedeckt unsere Haut
The night makes us heroes – its silence covers our skin
Wir schließen die Augen und selten warst du mir mehr vertraut
We close our eyes and rarely have you been more familiar to me
Vater Tag predigt uns Arbeit, Vater Tag predigt uns Vernunft
Father Day preaches work, Father Day preaches reason
Ich ersehne die Nacht – sehne mich nach der Zusammenkunft
I yearn for the night – longing for the gathering
Die Nacht ähnelt dem Tod – vielleicht ist sie uns deshalb so nah
The night resembles death – maybe that's why it's so close to us
Betreten kurz sein schwarzes Boot – ein paar Tropfen auf seinen Altar
Briefly board his black boat – a few drops on his altar
Und Blasco führt uns in sein Reich, serviert uns roten Wein
And Blasco leads us into his kingdom, serves us red wine
Er lässt uns in der Ewigkeit niemals allein…
He never leaves us alone in eternity...
Contributed by Miles H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.