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
Omaboy
Die Ärzte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ins Altenheim für anderthalb Jahr
Alles lief voll nach Planung, nie hätt' ich mich beklagt
Endlich würden all meine Träume wahr
Denn seh' ich schneeweißes Haar, ja, dann lauf ich Gefahr
Mich vor Liebe und Sehnsucht fast zu vergessen
Denn in dieser unseren Welt, wo Schönheit und Jugend nur zählt
Wenn ich ihre Krampfadern zähle an formlos geschwollenen Beinen
Oberweite am Bauch, das nenn' ich gut gebaut (Ohoho)
Stargetrübte Augen, schlechter Atem von den Gallensteinen
Starkes Make-up über hängender Haut (Ohoho)
Models in Strapsen sind schick, doch ich krieg meinen Kick
Von welkenden Schenkeln, die sich in Stützstrumpfhosen pressen
Denn seh' ich schneeweißes Haar, ja, dann lauf ich Gefahr
Mich vor Liebe und Sehnsucht fast zu vergessen
Je älter, je besser (Ohoho)
Sie sind so unendlich viel mehr erfahren in Liebesdingen
Wisst ihr, welche Gefühle sich in ihnen regen?
Ich werde in neue Regionen der Liebe eindringen
Denn heut' werd' ich eine flach legen
Denn seh' ich schneeweißes Haar, ja, dann lauf ich Gefahr
Mich vor Liebe und Sehnsucht fast zu vergessen
Denn in dieser unseren Welt, wo Schönheit und Jugend nur zählt
Bin ich auf die Liebe greiser Frauen versessen je älter, je besser
Je älter, je besser
Je älter, je besser
Je älter, je besser
"Musste ich so alt werden, um dieses erleben zu dürfen?
Dass ein junger Mann mir so die Lust aus dem Körper saugt?"
"Ah, ich muss erst mal 'ne Zigarette rauchen"
"Oh, steck' dir eine an, mein Schatz, Tut dir gut."
The Die Ärzte song "Omaboy" tells the story of a young man who avoided military service by undertaking civil service in a nursing home for a year and a half. He finds himself attracted to the elderly women who reside there and describes them as more enticing than young, beautiful women. He is attracted to their wisdom and experience in love, which makes them more desirable to him. He notes their physical flaws, such as varicose veins and sagging skin, and relishes in them, finding them more appealing than the unrealistic beauty standards of youth.
Essentially, the song celebrates beauty in all its forms, including the unexpected and unconventional. It suggests that love and attraction do not have to adhere to society's narrow beauty ideals and that there is something to be said for the experience and wisdom that comes with age.
Line by Line Meaning
Ich hab mich dem Bund verweigert, Zivildienst war angesagt
I had refused to join the army, so civil service was required
Ins Altenheim für anderthalb Jahr
I was sent to a nursing home for a year and a half
Alles lief voll nach Planung, nie hätt' ich mich beklagt
Everything went according to plan, I never complained
Endlich würden all meine Träume wahr
Finally all my dreams would come true
Denn seh' ich schneeweißes Haar, ja, dann lauf ich Gefahr
Because when I see snow white hair, I run the risk
Mich vor Liebe und Sehnsucht fast zu vergessen
Of almost forgetting about love and longing
Denn in dieser unseren Welt, wo Schönheit und Jugend nur zählt
Because in this world of ours where only beauty and youth count
Bin ich auf die Liebe greiser Frauen versessen, je älter, je besser
I am obsessed with the love of old women, the older the better
Wenn ich ihre Krampfadern zähle an formlos geschwollenen Beinen
When I count their varicose veins on shapeless swollen legs
Oberweite am Bauch, das nenn' ich gut gebaut (Ohoho)
Breasts on the stomach, that's what I call well-built (ohoho)
Stargetrübte Augen, schlechter Atem von den Gallensteinen
Cross-eyed eyes, bad breath from gallstones
Starkes Make-up über hängender Haut (Ohoho)
Heavy make-up on sagging skin (ohoho)
Models in Strapsen sind schick, doch ich krieg meinen Kick
Models in garters are fancy, but I get my kick
Von welkenden Schenkeln, die sich in Stützstrumpfhosen pressen
From withering thighs, squeezed in with support stockings
Sie sind so unendlich viel mehr erfahren in Liebesdingen
They are infinitely more experienced in matters of love
Wisst ihr, welche Gefühle sich in ihnen regen?
Do you know what feelings are stirring inside them?
Ich werde in neue Regionen der Liebe eindringen
I will penetrate new regions of love
Denn heut' werd' ich eine flach legen
Because tonight I'm going to lay someone flat
Je älter, je besser (Ohoho)
The older, the better (ohoho)
"Musste ich so alt werden, um dieses erleben zu dürfen?
"Did I have to get so old just to experience this?
Dass ein junger Mann mir so die Lust aus dem Körper saugt?"
That a young man sucks the desire out of my body?"
"Ah, ich muss erst mal 'ne Zigarette rauchen"
"Ah, I need to smoke a cigarette first"
"Oh, steck' dir eine an, mein Schatz, Tut dir gut."
"Oh, light one up, my dear, it's good for you."
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dirk Felsenheimer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tanja Pahl
Meine Fresse ich bin 15 und mein Vater hat immer die Ärzte mit mir gehört und ich liebe ihre Musik so sehr. Danke Papa 🙏❤️
rafael petterson
das waren noch songs !! wo alle sich wundern weil man inner u bahn aufeinmal so ein breites grinsen unter seinen kopfhörern kriegt ...ein wares meisterwerk
Ray Di
Nach 25 Jahren, noch immer genial! Ich werde alt...
Lars Hummelbeck
😂Damals war ich 22 heute bin ich 50 mein Gott ist das lang her,heute wie damals einfach nur geil. 😂
Leo ...
Danke, danke! :) Die Ärzte - ihr seid wirklich Klasse! Belas Stimme - mmmmmmm... :) Gruesse aus Lettland! Ihr habt Fans ueberall - und nicht umsonst ;) nur weiter so!
Frank T. Wells
An diesem song sieht man wie genial die jungs sind.
juan_pe
Bin jetzt 51 ... Muß immerhin noch lachen. 😊🤘
Rippenhengst
63!😂
Carmen Boecker
2023 noch immer schocking geil
Angie
Ich weiß noch wie ich das meinem Bruder immer vorgesungen habe, als er den Zivildienst angetreten hat. Hach, Kindheit...^^