In the mid-1980s, Rieke and Schmidt formed the Terminal Team, which Dürr and Beck joined in 1989. Under the new name Die Fantastischen Vier they made German hip hop, or Deutschen Sprechgesang (German spoken-song) as they called it, popular in Germany. Although there were German hip-hop artists prior to them (such as Advanced Chemistry from Heidelberg), it was Die Fantastischen Vier who registered the first chart hit with their 1992 single "Die da?!" (Her?!) from the album 4 gewinnt, hitting No. 2 in Germany and No. 1 in Austria and Switzerland.
After traveling to Los Angeles in the late 1980s, the group realized the lack of connection between the struggles of "the poor blacks in the United States and middle-class whites in Germany", and made a conscious effort to move away from the typical and cliché American gangsta rap. The group never got involved with gangsta rap clichés, reacting with tongue-in-cheek humor to verbal attacks of alleged German 'gangsta rappers'. In the albums following 4 gewinnt, the band matured and progressed to a more serious and philosophic style.
In addition to the group's works, Thomas D, Hausmarke, and Ypsilon also produced successful solo albums and the four had their own weekly show Die 4. Dimension, named after their third album, which aired on the German pay TV channel Premiere in 1993 and 1994. At the 1996 Popkomm in Cologne, Die Fantastischen Vier announced the establishment of their label, Four Music. Headquarters were in Stuttgart, but were later moved to Berlin-Kreuzberg.
Three years later, the group's seventh album 4:99 was released on their own label, with four singles from the album following. After the No. 2 hit "MfG", three singles were released at the same time, a first in German music business. Each one can be associated with one of the rappers: "Le Smou" (Smudo), "Michi Beck in Hell" (Michi Beck), and "Buenos Dias Messias" (Thomas D).
In late September 2004, the group released the album Viel, the following tour being their most successful and best-attended to date.
In 2005, Fanta 4's first greatest-hits album, Best of 1990-2005, was published. It includes all singles, as well as several other songs and rare footage from the group's early days, when they were still called Terminal Team and rapped in English.
On 7 April 2007, the number-one album Fornika was released, preceded by the single "Ernten was wir säen" (Reap what we sow). The song was released as a download for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in December 2007 and was covered by rock band Oomph! in 2009.
Die Fantastischen Vier are also the German voices of the Penguins (Michael Beck as Skipper, Thomas D. as Kowalski, Andreas Rieke as Rico and Michael Bernd Schmidt as Private) in the Madagascar film series.
In 2010, Für dich immer noch Fanta Sie peaked again at number one of the German charts. The 2014 release of the album Rekord marked the 25th anniversary of the band. It also topped the charts in Germany. In 2018, the single "Zusammen", featuring Clueso, from the album Captain Fantastic, was chosen as the official song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup by German public broadcaster Das Erste.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Fantastischen_Vier
Studio albums
Jetzt geht’s ab (1991)
4 gewinnt (1992)
Die 4. Dimension (1993)
Lauschgift (1995)
4:99 (1999)
Viel (2004)
Fornika (2007)
Für dich immer noch Fanta Sie (2010)
Rekord (2014)
Captain Fantastic (2018)
Albert und die Philosphie
Die Fantastischen Vier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Schopenhauers Wort
Der Mensch kann wohl tun was er will
Aber er kann nicht wollen was er will
Begeleitet mich in allen Lebenslagen
Und versöhnt mich mit den Handlungen der Menschen
Diese Erkenntnis von der Unfreiheit des Willens
Schützt mich davor mich selbst und die Mitmenschen
Als handelnde und urteilende Individuen
Allzu ernst zu nehmen und den guten Humor zu verlieren
The lyrics to Die Fantastischen Vier's song "Albert und die Philosophie" delve into the philosophical concept of the freedom of will. The first line declares, "I do not believe in the freedom of the will," referencing the teachings of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. The subsequent lines quote Schopenhauer directly, saying, "The human can indeed do what they will, but they cannot will what they will." This idea of the limitation of free will guides the singer through all of life's situations and helps them reconcile with the actions of others, even painful ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Ich glaube nicht an die Freiheit des Willens
I don't believe in free will
Schopenhauers Wort
The word of Schopenhauer
Der Mensch kann wohl tun was er will
Man can indeed do what he wants
Aber er kann nicht wollen was er will
But he cannot want what he wants
Begeleitet mich in allen Lebenslagen
Accompanies me in all situations
Und versöhnt mich mit den Handlungen der Menschen
And reconciles me with the actions of people
Auch wenn sie mir recht schmerzlich sind
Even if they are quite painful for me
Diese Erkenntnis von der Unfreiheit des Willens
This realization of the unfreedom of the will
Schützt mich davor mich selbst und die Mitmenschen
Protects me from taking myself and my fellow human beings
Als handelnde und urteilende Individuen
As acting and judging individuals
Allzu ernst zu nehmen und den guten Humor zu verlieren
Too seriously and losing good humor
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREAS RIEKE, MICHAEL BECK, MICHAEL B SCHMIDT, THOMAS DUERR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind