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
Komm zu Papa
Die Ärzte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Die Tür geht auf - ein neues Tief
Sojawurst im Kühlregal
Der Schaden ist kollateral
Wünschelrouten-Marathon
Was hat unsereins davon?
Sagt der Auje zu dem Kuddel
"Gib mir mal 'ne Pechbrot-Stulle"
Ein Drama
Ein Hammer
Ein Jammer
........
(and I feel not alright)
Friede, Freude, Sackgesicht
Meine Stimme kriegst du nicht
Große Worte, wenig Sinn
Wer rauskommt, der war vorher drin
Aus den Mäulern quillt der Dreck
Den Hinkefuß nur schlecht versteckt
Wütend schnaubt der Opapa
Oma hat kein Pechbrot da
Ein Drama
Ein Hammer
Ein Jammer
Geht's noch Strammer?
Komm
Komm zu Papa
.......
Komm zu Papa
Komm zum Meister des Lichts
Komm
Komm zu Papa
Immer einen Gag in Petto
Immer Brutto, niemals Netto
Ich war mal Polizeibeamter
Ich Mutterficker, ich Verdammter
In Spandau wurde ick jeborn
is trotzdem wat aus mir jeworn
Ich weiß genau wovon ich sprech
und mein Brot, dass ist vom Pech
Ein Drama
Ein Hammer
Ein Jammer
Geht's noch Strammer?
Ewiger Winter
Gefangen im Sprinter
Ich komm nicht dahinter
Nicht mal über Inter-
Com
Komm zu Papa
.......
Komm zu Papa
Komm zum Meister des Lichts
Komm
Komm zu Papa
Komm zu Papa
Komm zu Papa
The lyrics to the Die Ärzte song Komm zu Papa describe a series of misfortunes and frustrations that the singer is experiencing. From failed attempts at finding good food (Sojawurst im Kühlregal), to feeling ostracized from society (Friede, Freude, Sackgesicht, meaning "peace, joy, jerkface"), to struggling to connect with others (Nicht mal über Intercom, meaning "not even over intercom"), the lyrics paint a picture of someone who is feeling alienated and angry. Despite all of this, the singer offers a kind of refuge to the listener in the form of "Papa" - the master of light who seems to have all the answers. The repetition of the chorus ("Komm zu Papa") creates a sense of urgency and a desire for connection that runs throughout the song.
The verses are dense with wordplay and references to different cultural touchstones, including German food brands (Pechbrot) and neighborhood names (Spandau), as well as the slang of Berlin (ick jeborn). These references help to add texture to the song and create a specific sense of time and place. Overall, the lyrics to Komm zu Papa are an evocative and complex exploration of modern life and the search for meaning and connection in a chaotic world.
Line by Line Meaning
Wiedermal geht alles schief
Once again, everything is going wrong
Die Tür geht auf - ein neues Tief
The door opens - a new low
Sojawurst im Kühlregal
Soy sausage in the refrigerator
Der Schaden ist kollateral
The damage is collateral
Wünschelrouten-Marathon
Dowsing route marathon
Was hat unsereins davon?
What's in it for us?
Sagt der Auje zu dem Kuddel
Auje says to Kuddel
"Gib mir mal 'ne Pechbrot-Stulle"
"Give me a slice of bad-luck bread"
Ein Drama
A drama
Ein Hammer
A hammer
Ein Jammer
A pity
.......
(and I feel not alright)
(and I don't feel alright)
Friede, Freude, Sackgesicht
Peace, joy, sackface
Meine Stimme kriegst du nicht
You won't get my vote
Große Worte, wenig Sinn
Big words, little meaning
Wer rauskommt, der war vorher drin
Whoever comes out was already in
Aus den Mäulern quillt der Dreck
Dirt oozes out of mouths
Den Hinkefuß nur schlecht versteckt
The limp is only poorly hidden
Wütend schnaubt der Opapa
The angry grandpa snorts
Oma hat kein Pechbrot da
Grandma doesn't have any bad-luck bread
Geht's noch Strammer?
Can it get any tighter?
Komm
Come
Komm zu Papa
Come to papa
......
Komm zum Meister des Lichts
Come to the master of light
Immer einen Gag in Petto
Always a joke up my sleeve
Immer Brutto, niemals Netto
Always gross, never net
Ich war mal Polizeibeamter
I used to be a police officer
Ich Mutterficker, ich Verdammter
I motherfucker, I damned
In Spandau wurde ick jeborn
I was born in Spandau
is trotzdem wat aus mir jeworn
But something still came out of me
Ich weiß genau wovon ich sprech
I know exactly what I'm talking about
und mein Brot, dass ist vom Pech
And my bread, that's made of bad luck
Ewiger Winter
Eternal winter
Gefangen im Sprinter
Trapped in a van
Ich komm nicht dahinter
I can't figure it out
Nicht mal über Inter-
Not even over inter-
Com
com
Komm zu Papa
Come to papa
......
Komm zum Meister des Lichts
Come to the master of light
Komm
Come
Komm zu Papa
Come to papa
Komm zu Papa
Come to papa
Contributed by Gabriella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@walouzockt
Single nicht Singel
@meursault3528
Selten dämliches Lied.
@L0REN0R2Z0RR0
Echte B-Seite, das wäre niemals auf ein Album gekommen, höchstens vielleicht auf Im Schatten der Ärzte oder so :D