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)
Hey Baby
Die Fantastischen Vier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Auf diese Vierspur (okay)
Einfach so, nur so zum Spaß (Spaß, hehehe)
Hey Baby, komm doch mal her zu mir
Hey Baby, Baby, Baby, komm her zu mir, ein bisschen näher
Weil ich finde, Baby, du siehst gut aus
Du siehst gut, gut, gut, gut aus
Ich will dich poppen, poppen, poppen
Baby, komm ein bisschen zu mir näher, Baby
Ich will dich poppen
Baby, ich will dich poppen, popp, Baby, Baby
The lyrics of Die Fantastischen Vier's song Hey Baby are about a guy who sees a girl he finds attractive and wants to get closer to her. He talks directly to her through his music, telling her to come closer and stating that he wants to have her. The lyrics are straightforward and quite explicit, expressing the desire for physical closeness and intimacy with the girl. The lyrics use colloquial German phrases and slang words, reflecting a casual, relaxed tone that captures the flirting and seduction of the situation.
While on the surface, the lyrics may appear to be just another song about sex and hooking up, the song goes deeper to explore the theme of connection and desire. The guy is not just looking for a one-night stand, but he wants to establish a deeper connection with the girl he has his eye on. He finds her physically attractive, but he also wants to get to know her better and create a bond with her.
Overall, the lyrics of Hey Baby combine flirtation, seduction, and a deeper desire for connection, creating a thematic complexity that elevates the song beyond a simple sexual encounter.
Line by Line Meaning
So, jetzt (ja) sprech' ich einfach so hier auf die Kiste (aha)
Ok, I'm just speaking here on the mic
Auf diese Vierspur (okay)
This beat is bumping
Einfach so, nur so zum Spaß (Spaß, hehehe)
Just having fun with this freestyle
Hey Baby, komm doch mal her zu mir
Hey girl, come over here
Hey Baby, Baby, Baby, komm her zu mir, ein bisschen näher
Hey girl, come closer to me
Weil ich finde, Baby, du siehst gut aus
Because I think you look good
Du siehst gut, gut, gut, gut aus
You look so damn fine
Ich will dich haben, ich will dich haben, Baby
I want you, I really want you
Ich will dich poppen, poppen, poppen
I want to have sex with you, a lot
Baby, komm ein bisschen zu mir näher, Baby
Come a little bit closer to me
Ich will dich poppen
I want to have sex with you
Baby, ich will dich poppen, popp, Baby, Baby
Baby, I want to have sex with you, a lot
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andreas Rieke, Michael Beck, Michael B Schmidt, Thomas Duerr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind