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
Ich weiss nicht ob es Liebe ist...
Die Ärzte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du warst so betrunken - Du konntest kaum noch stehen.
Aus Mitleid hab' ich Dich nach Haus gebracht.
Du sagtest zдrtlich: "Mein Schatz, gute Nacht".
Mein Schatz hast Du gesagt. Vielleicht war es nur ein Scherz?
Amors Pfeil durchbohrte mein Herz.
Jetzt weiЯ ich nicht, was ich denken soll.
Ist es wirklich Liebe oder finde ich Dich nur toll?
Wenn man nicht mehr trinkt und iЯt,
Wenn man an Eine denkt und eine andere kьЯt.
Ich weiЯ nicht ob das Liebe ist.
Am nдchsten Tag habe ich Dich besucht.
Als das Bier alle war hast Du laut geflucht.
Du lagst auf dem Bett und warst ziemlich breit,
Aber immerhin waren wir allein zu zweit.
Ich wollte mit Dir reden ьber Deine Frisur,
Und ьber Liebe, aber Du lachtest nur.
Jetzt weiЯ ich nicht, was ich denken soll.
Ist es wirklich Liebe oder finde ich Dich nur toll?
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist,
Wenn man alle Frauen an einer miЯt,
Wenn man etwas hцrt und es sofort vergiЯt.
Ich weiЯ nicht ob das Liebe ist.
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist.
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist.
Wenn man beim Pinkeln stдndig neben's Becken piЯt.
The Die Ärzte's song, Ich weiss nicht ob es Liebe ist, is a humorous take on the confusion and uncertainty that surrounds falling in love. The song is about the singer's confusion regarding his feelings for a woman he recently met. The two first met at a party where the woman was so drunk that the singer had to carry her home. While putting her to bed, she called him "my sweetheart," and the singer is left wondering if it was a genuine moment or just drunk talk.
The next day, the singer visits the woman again, only to find her still drunk and angry that the beer has run out. Despite this, the two spend time together, and the singer tries to get her to talk about her hair and love. However, she is uninterested and only laughs. The singer continues to wonder whether he is genuinely in love with the woman or merely infatuated with her.
The song's lyrics are funny yet relatable, touching on the confusion and uncertainty that comes with falling in love. It suggests that even the most straightforward things in life, like love, can be challenging to understand. Ultimately, the song's message is that it's okay not to know whether it's love or just strong attraction.
Line by Line Meaning
Vor zwei Wochen hab' ich Dich zum ersten Mal gesehen.
Two weeks ago I first saw you.
Du warst so betrunken - Du konntest kaum noch stehen.
You were so drunk that you could barely stand.
Aus Mitleid hab' ich Dich nach Haus gebracht.
Out of pity, I took you home.
Du sagtest zдrtlich: "Mein Schatz, gute Nacht".
You said tenderly, "My love, good night."
Mein Schatz hast Du gesagt. Vielleicht war es nur ein Scherz?
You called me "my love". Maybe it was just a joke?
Amors Pfeil durchbohrte mein Herz.
Cupid's arrow pierced my heart.
Jetzt weiЯ ich nicht, was ich denken soll.
Now I don't know what to think.
Ist es wirklich Liebe oder finde ich Dich nur toll?
Is it really love or do I just think you're cool?
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist,
I don't know if it's love,
Wenn man nicht mehr trinkt und iЯt,
When you stop drinking and eating,
Wenn man an Eine denkt und eine andere kьЯt.
When you think of one person and kiss another.
Ich weiЯ nicht ob das Liebe ist.
I don't know if that's love.
Am nдchsten Tag habe ich Dich besucht.
The next day I visited you.
Als das Bier alle war hast Du laut geflucht.
When the beer ran out, you cursed loudly.
Du lagst auf dem Bett und warst ziemlich breit,
You were lying on the bed and pretty wasted,
Aber immerhin waren wir allein zu zweit.
But at least we were alone together.
Ich wollte mit Dir reden ьber Deine Frisur,
I wanted to talk to you about your hair,
Und ьber Liebe, aber Du lachtest nur.
And about love, but you just laughed.
Jetzt weiЯ ich nicht, was ich denken soll.
Now I don't know what to think.
Ist es wirklich Liebe oder finde ich Dich nur toll?
Is it really love or do I just think you're cool?
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist,
I don't know if it's love,
Wenn man alle Frauen an einer miЯt,
When you measure all women against one,
Wenn man etwas hцrt und es sofort vergiЯt.
When you hear something and immediately forget it.
Ich weiЯ nicht ob das Liebe ist.
I don't know if that's love.
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist.
I don't know if it's love.
Ich weiЯ nicht, ob es Liebe ist.
I don't know if it's love.
Wenn man beim Pinkeln stдndig neben's Becken piЯt.
When you constantly miss the toilet bowl while peeing.
Contributed by Caroline T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tom Kuhl
Dieses Lied habe ich als Teenager so gefeiert, wie auch das gesamte Album. Herrliche Zeit :-) Alles liebe an alle DÄ Fans
M. Schn.
Erinnert mich nicht nur an meine Teenager Zeit.... nein, ein Junge aus meiner Klasse wollte es immer bei mir hören und ich habe es nicht gerafft 😅. Party ging vor 😹
max hanzen
Ich weiß definitv das es Liebe ist, innige, ewige Männerliebe! Es wird Zeit Euch wieder LIVE zu hören, bis dahin durchbort Amors Pfeil noch immer mein Herz.
Mog Moogle
They were great at that time!! Awesome song!!
Moönchild
indeed
Stephan Münz
Die Jüngeren hier werden es nicht nachvollziehen, aber es tut mehr weh dies Lied jetzt zu hören als damals vor unfaßbaren 35 Jahren. Da kommen viele Erinnerung hoch...
M. Schn.
Mir tut es tatsächlich nicht weh, bin wohl in Deinen Alter... es war eine schöne Zeit. Hatte gute Freunde und daran zehre ich 😇
Rita Horvath
.
A M A S T E R P I E C E ❗
♡
YTC SHÆR7
Pinkle seit über 30 Jahren nebens Becken! Es muss wohl Liebe sein, was ich für euch empfinde.^^
Vielen Dank ! ;)
Black Bomber
Ich weiß nicht ob das Liebe ist,
ich weiß nicht ob das Liebe ist...
wenn man beim pinkeln..
ständig neben's Becken pisst...oouuooh
Diese letzte Strophe fehlt da oben. Wir wollen hier mal nicht rumfreveln, das ist schließlich die beste Strophe aus dem Song :D ;)