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.
The Passenger
Die Toten Hosen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I ride and I ride
I ride through the city's backsides
I see the stars come out of the sky
Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight
I am the passenger
I look through my window tonight
I see the stars come out tonight
I see the bright and hollow sky
Over the city's ripped backside
And everything looks good tonight
Singin' la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la la-la
Oh the passenger
How how he rides
Oh the passenger
He rides and he rides
He looks through his window
What does he see?
He sees the bright and hollow sky
He sees the stars come out tonight
Over the city's ripped backside
He sees the winding ocean drive
Singin' la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la la-la
Oh the passenger
He rides and he rides
He sees the bright and hollow sky
He sees the city sleep at night
And all of it is yours and mine
And all of it is yours and mine
So let's ride and ride and ride and ride and ride!
Singin' la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la, la la
I'm going la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la, la la
I'm going la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la, la la
Singin' la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la, la la
I'm going la la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la
La la la la la-la-la la, la la
In Die Toten Hosen's song "The Passenger," the lyrics describe a person who is taking a ride as a passenger, looking out through the windows, and observing the city's surroundings. The passenger is an observer of his surroundings, seeing the stars come out of the sky and everything looking good tonight. He is under glass, separated from the world he observes. The lyrics suggest that he is not a part of the city but rather an outsider looking in, viewing the bright and hollow sky and the city's ripped backside.
The chorus of the song, "la la la la la-la-la la," is a representation of the passenger's freedom, enjoyment of the ride, and being in the present moment. The song repeats the phrase "ride, ride, ride" as part of the chorus, emphasizing the enjoyment and power of the journey, rather than the destination.
The lyrics suggest that the passenger is searching for something but is not yet sure what it is. The song describes the winding ocean drive, suggesting that the destination may be far away or unknown. It is about the journey through life, experiencing different things, and taking in sights and sounds along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the passenger
The singer is describing themselves as the passenger, implying that they are not in control of their own life.
And I ride and I ride
The passenger is being moved through life without actively choosing where they're headed.
I ride through the city's backsides
The passenger is traveling through parts of the city that are often ignored or unseen by most people.
I see the stars come out of the sky
Despite being in the city, the passenger is still able to see the beauty of the natural world.
Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
The sky above the city is described as 'hollow' which could imply that the city is devoid of meaning or depth.
You know it looks so good tonight
Despite the flaws of the city, the passenger is still able to enjoy its beauty and appreciate it for what it is.
I stay under glass
The passenger is being transported inside a vehicle, effectively isolated from the outside world.
What does he see?
The passenger is being questioned about what they are observing as they journey through life.
He sees the bright and hollow sky
The passenger sees the same sky as before, but is reminded of its emptiness.
Over the city's ripped backside
Again, the passenger is seeing parts of the city that are often ignored or hidden from view.
He sees the winding ocean drive
The passenger is now seeing something else, possibly a metaphor for change or new opportunities.
And all of it is yours and mine
The artist is acknowledging that everything they see belongs to everyone, implying a sense of shared experience.
So let's ride and ride and ride and ride and ride!
The singer is encouraging the reader to embrace life and keep moving forward, no matter what obstacles they might face.
I'm going la la la la la-la-la la
The chorus is mostly meaningless, with 'la la la' serving as a placeholder for unspoken feelings or experiences.
La la la la la-la-la la
The repeated use of 'la la la' reinforces the idea of a shared experience that cannot be easily put into words.
La la la la la-la-la la, la la
The chorus repeats, further emphasizing that the journey through life is complex and difficult to express in words.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Newell Osterberg, Ricky Gardiner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Machine Gun
fucking awesome version! \m/
Sarah Faundez
Buenos cover hace die tótem hosen
Robin Gronwald
Da merkt man die gute alte Punker Stimme von Campino
Prauser Gutierrez
For me its Best Cover, Campino It gives strength to this song, maybe what they heard likes it differently but I love Punketeada, because very Psychedelic it is very gay too
lemmy motor
🇦🇷❤
Stoney McMechan
Да, заебатый кавер.
LisaVanilla
Geil
sheena is a punk rocka
1.25 velocidad
Matias Nazareno Olivera Rodriguez
usted entendió todo
Eddie Hoare
Bad rendition. Also Very weak. This is a song that needs passion. We play as a Psychedelic Thrash Jazz Rock band (The Frillyboys) and our 133 decibel version knocked the plaster off The Kimberley Club walls... All The Best. Ed.