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
Living Hell
Die Ärzte Lyrics
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Und auf dem Asphalt steht die Luft
Die Blumen blühen, als würden sie dafür bezahlt
Doch das lässt mich so kalt wie ihr Duft
Zu viele Frauen, zu viel Geld, viel zu viel, was mir auch viel zu gut gefällt
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, ich fühle mich so leer
Immer laut, immer bunt ist auf die Dauer nicht gesund
Ich brauch kein Haus aus purem Gold, ich hab das alles nicht gewollt
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe, das wär nicht schlecht
Ich will nicht müssen, was ich muss; ich hasse diesen Überfluss
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe, dann komm ich schon zurecht
Ich kann doch nichts dafür, dass ich ein Glückspilz bin
Und jedes Herz gewinne, Tag für Tag
Das ist der Fluch der Menschen, die zu gut aussehen
Es hört niemand hin, wenn ich was sag
Und noch ein Flirt, noch ein Kuss, nur noch einmal vögeln, dann ist wirklich Schluss
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, wo ist der Notausgang?
Zu viel Sex, zu wenig Schlaf, wofür werde ich denn nur bestraft?
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, schon viel zu lang
Ich brauch kein Haus aus purem Gold, ich hab das alles nie gewollt
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe und etwas Zeit
Das Leben ist zum Lachen da, drum nehme ich Psychopharmaka
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe und Einsamkeit
In jeder zweiten Zeitschrift steht, wie gut es jedem Menschen geht
Der immer alles haben kann
Die Wahrheit ist, ich glaub nicht mehr daran
The first stanza of Die Ärzte's song Living Hell describes a world that seems perfect on the surface, but only serves to leave the singer feeling empty and disconnected. The imagery suggests a world that is too colorful, too bright, and too much for the singer to handle. The lyrics suggest that too much of a good thing can be just as unhealthy as too much of anything else. The second stanza describes the singer's desire for simplicity and peace, and their belief that their privileged life has turned into a living hell. Despite their wealth and success, the singer is struggling with feeling unfulfilled and unable to connect with those around them. In the final stanza, the singer expresses their frustration with the shallow nature of society's idea of success and happiness.
Living Hell is a commentary on the nature of modern society, and the way that it can make even the most privileged people feel unfulfilled and disconnected. The song speaks to the idea that pursuing success and happiness can leave us feeling empty, and that true happiness comes from simpler things like peace, quiet, and time alone. The lyrics also touch on the idea that society's idea of success and happiness is often shallow and superficial, and that true fulfillment comes from within.
Line by Line Meaning
Die Sonne scheint, als hätte sie Van Gogh gemalt
The sun shines as though painted by Van Gogh
Und auf dem Asphalt steht die Luft
And the air stands on the asphalt
Die Blumen blühen, als würden sie dafür bezahlt
The flowers bloom as if they were paid for it
Doch das lässt mich so kalt wie ihr Duft
But that leaves me as cold as their scent
Zu viele Frauen, zu viel Geld, viel zu viel, was mir auch viel zu gut gefällt
Too many women, too much money, too much of what I enjoy
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, ich fühle mich so leer
My life is a living hell, I feel so empty
Immer laut, immer bunt ist auf die Dauer nicht gesund
Always loud, always colorful is not healthy in the long run
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, ich kann nicht mehr
My life is a living hell, I can't take it anymore
Ich brauch kein Haus aus purem Gold, ich hab das alles nicht gewollt
I don't need a house made of pure gold, I never wanted all of this
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe, das wär nicht schlecht
I just need some peace and quiet
Ich will nicht müssen, was ich muss; ich hasse diesen Überfluss
I don't want to have to do what I have to do; I hate this excess
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe, dann komm ich schon zurecht
I just need some peace and quiet, then I'll be fine
Ich kann doch nichts dafür, dass ich ein Glückspilz bin
I can't help that I'm a lucky guy
Und jedes Herz gewinne, Tag für Tag
And I win every heart, day by day
Das ist der Fluch der Menschen, die zu gut aussehen
That is the curse of people who are too good-looking
Es hört niemand hin, wenn ich was sag
No one listens when I speak
Und noch ein Flirt, noch ein Kuss, nur noch einmal vögeln, dann ist wirklich Schluss
And one more flirt, one more kiss, one last time having sex, then it's really over
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, wo ist der Notausgang?
My life is a living hell, where is the emergency exit?
Zu viel Sex, zu wenig Schlaf, wofür werde ich denn nur bestraft?
Too much sex, too little sleep, what am I being punished for?
Mein Leben ist die Hölle, schon viel zu lang
My life is a living hell, and it's been that way for far too long
Ich brauch kein Haus aus purem Gold, ich hab das alles nie gewollt
I don't need a house made of pure gold, I never wanted all of this
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe und etwas Zeit
I just need some peace and quiet and some time
Das Leben ist zum Lachen da, drum nehme ich Psychopharmaka
Life is meant to be laughed at, that's why I take psychopharmaceuticals
Ich brauch nur etwas Ruhe und Einsamkeit
I just need some peace and quiet and some loneliness
In jeder zweiten Zeitschrift steht, wie gut es jedem Menschen geht
In every other magazine it says how good everyone's life is
Der immer alles haben kann
The one who can have everything
Die Wahrheit ist, ich glaub nicht mehr daran
The truth is, I don't believe it anymore
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Farin Urlaub
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind