The band formed out of the ashes of punk band, ZK, founded 1978. The members of Die Toten Hosen (literally "The Dead Trousers" in English; "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "lifeless", "boring", or "nothing going on") are Campino (Andreas Frege), Kuddel (Andreas von Holst), Vom (Stephen George Ritchie), Andi (Andreas Meurer) and Breiti (Michael Breitkopf). Vom replaced Wölli as the drummer in 1999 (Wölli's untimely departure from the band was due to injuries caused by a car accident), who himself had replaced Trini in 1985 and is still an honorary member of the band; Trini became the band's manager.
The band has existed for over 20 years, and their songs' focus gradually shifted from funny and nonsensical to serious; the songs from their first LP were mostly about having fun, but by the end of the 1980s they were focusing more on political and social issues such as racism.
Part of the folklore surounding the band is the story that in their early days they played for free on private birthday parties or similar events. However only under the conditions that the host provided for unlimited beer supply and paid for all damages caused by the band.
The debut single "Wir sind bereit" ("We are ready") was released in 1982, and was followed by their first album, "Opel-Gang", the next year. In 1988, Die Toten Hosen released the LP "Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau". It refers to the movie A Clockwork Orange based on the book by Anthony Burgess. In 1993, Frank Castorf produced a German theater version of the book, in which Die Toten Hosen performed as actors and musicians.
Their 1000th concert was on 28th June 1997, in the Düsseldorfer Rheinstadium, and was attended by more than 60,000 fans. A Dutch girl died in the crowd; after various talks with security and police, the band decided to play soft songs until the end, in order not to panic the crowd. Later the band produced the song "Alles ist Eins" in memoriam for the Dutch girl.
Die Toten Hosen have collaborated with numerous other musicians (like Bad Religion, AC/DC, U2, Rolling Stones); they are also one of the few German punk bands popular outside of Germany (esp. in South America, Australia, eastern Europe) other notable bands being Die Ärzte and Rammstein.
As longtime fans of the their local soccer team Fortuna Düsseldorf they have been sponsoring the club from 2001 to 2003.
After their Unplugged concert in the end of 2005 they've taken a time-out. But they disclaimed rumors, that this is the end of the band.
In 2008 they released the Album "In aller Stille.
In 2012, Die Toten Hosen released their album Ballast der Republik. A special edition includes a bonus CD with cover versions of songs that influenced the band. On 26 April 2016, it was announced that former drummer Wolfgang Rohde had died of cancer.
Man
Die Toten Hosen Lyrics
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'Cause you don't know who I am
I'll you all about myself
Then you'll understand
You wish that we were strangers
But I've got other plans
I'm your lover and your best friend, your biggest enemy
I'm nothing that you wanted but I'm everything you need
I'm good and I'm evil
I'm love and I'm hate
Sometimes I'm the real thing
Sometimes I'm a fake
I'm honestly a liar
I'm your history, your fate
I'm the hunter and the hunted, I'm always on the run
I'm cowardice and courage, anxiety and fun
I'm always out there searching but I never know what for
I'm the winner and I'm the loser in the same sick war
Now you know my name
Now you know who I am
I am you, you are me
My name is Man
I talk about my feelings with a mask upon my face
Declare myself as healthy, intelligent and sane
Control my life so carefully I slowly suffocate
My hands are full of blood but my heart is full of gold
I'm law and I'm religion, I never can grow old
I've crowned myself the king and Mother Earth's my throne
I'm longing for the sunlight, I'm heading for the moon
I'm turning in a circle but I think I'm moving on
I live here and I die here within a single breath
I'm body and I'm spirit, I'm saving and condemned
Now you know my name
Now you know who I am
I am you, you are me
My name is Man
Now you know my name
Now you know who I am
I am you, you are me
My name is Man
In Die Toten Hosen's song "Man," the lyrics describe the complexity and duality of human nature. The song begins with the singer introducing himself and saying that he will explain himself so that the listener can understand who he is. The singer then reveals that he is both the listener's lover and best friend, as well as their biggest enemy who will stab them in the back. The singer acknowledges that they may not be everything the listener wanted, but they are everything they need. The singer is both good and evil, love and hate, real and fake, honest and a liar, and both the hunter and the hunted. They are constantly searching for something but never quite finding it.
The chorus of the song reveals the big reveal: the singer is actually the listener themselves. The singer says, "Now you know my name, now you know who I am. I am you, you are me. My name is Man." The song continues to describe this complex nature of being human, with the singer wearing a mask to talk about their feelings, controlling their life so carefully that they suffocate, and having both blood on their hands and a heart of gold. The singer proclaims themselves to be both law and religion and never able to grow old. They have crowned themselves as king, and Mother Earth is their throne. The singer is always searching for something and turning in a circle, but they believe they are moving on. They are both body and spirit, both saving and condemned.
"Man" is a song that explores the complexity of being human and the duality that exists within all of us. It shows that people can be both good and evil, friends and enemies, and that these complexities are what make us human.
Line by Line Meaning
You ask me what my name is
You inquire about my identity
'Cause you don't know who I am
Because you are unaware of who I truly am
I'll you all about myself
I will give you a clear picture of my true self
Then you'll understand
After I explain, you will comprehend my true nature
You wish that we were strangers
You would prefer if we did not have any connection
But I've got other plans
However, I intend to maintain our relationship
I'm your lover and your best friend, your biggest enemy
I embody multiple roles in your life
I'll stab you in the back while you are shaking hands with me
I may betray you even when we are interacting positively
I'm nothing that you wanted but I'm everything you need
I may not be what you expected, but I am indispensable to you
I'm good and I'm evil
I am capable of both kindness and malevolence
I'm love and I'm hate
I can express both affection and hostility
Sometimes I'm the real thing
Occasionally, I am genuine and authentic
Sometimes I'm a fake
At other times, I am a phony
I'm honestly a liar
I lie but maintain that I am honest
I'm your history, your fate
I am intrinsically linked to your past and future
I'm the hunter and the hunted, I'm always on the run
I am simultaneously prey and predator, always in a state of motion
I'm cowardice and courage, anxiety and fun
I experience fear as well as bravery, and can evoke feelings of nervousness and enjoyment in equal measure
I'm always out there searching but I never know what for
I am constantly questing, yet unsure of what exactly I want
I'm the winner and I'm the loser in the same sick war
I am both victorious and defeated in a never-ending, twisted conflict
Now you know my name
You have finally been introduced to me
Now you know who I am
You have gained an understanding of my true self
I am you, you are me
We are two sides of the same coin
My name is Man
My identity is simply human
I talk about my feelings with a mask upon my face
I conceal my true emotions behind a façade
Declare myself as healthy, intelligent and sane
I claim to possess optimal physical and mental attributes
Control my life so carefully I slowly suffocate
My obsessive management of my existence is slowly killing me
My hands are full of blood but my heart is full of gold
I may have committed atrocious acts, but I believe my intentions are pure
I'm law and I'm religion, I never can grow old
I embody societal traditions and beliefs, which are deemed eternal
I've crowned myself the king and Mother Earth's my throne
I believe I have absolute power over nature and the environment
I'm longing for the sunlight, I'm heading for the moon
I am seeking both earthly pleasures and unattainable dreams
I'm turning in a circle but I think I'm moving on
I am trapped in a cycle of repetition but believe I am progressing
I live here and I die here within a single breath
My life is fleeting and my death is certain
I'm body and I'm spirit, I'm saving and condemned
I possess both physical and spiritual aspects and have the potential for redemption or damnation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDREAS FREGE, ANDREAS VON HOLST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vaudix Kroeger
This is one of my favorite songs of all time, thanks for the upload.