Die Toten Hosen is a punk band from Düsseldorf (NRW), Germany. They are one… Read Full Bio ↴Die Toten Hosen is a punk band from Düsseldorf (NRW), Germany. They are one of very few German-language acts who have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.

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 Product
Die Toten Hosen Lyrics

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You'll be glad that you selected
This product from our range
We're sure that you'll enjoy it
And we hope you'll come again

Always first with the technology,
Performance and design
And we stand true to our maxime

"The customer is right!"

You'll be glad that you selected
This product from our range
We knew you had the money,
Now we know that you've got taste

You want the finest quality,
That's why you choose our brand,
Where every song is custom-made
And always played by hand

The music's really simple,
There are tunes that you can sing
And there's lots of lovely pictures
On the packaging.

You'll be glad that you selected
This product from our range
And if you're not, we're sorry,
But it cannot be exchanged

The money's not refundable,
Don't bother to complain

We're having such fun spending it
Please come again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Die Toten Hosen's song The Product seem to be a cynical commentary on consumer culture and the notion of planned obsolescence. The song is speaking from the perspective of a corporation, promising the customer that they will be happy with their purchase, but at the same time leaving the impression that they are willing to sacrifice quality for profit.

The first stanza introduces the product, suggesting that the customer will be satisfied with their purchase and that the corporation hopes they will return for more. The second stanza boasts about the corporation's technology, performance, and design, while also emphasizing their commitment to customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, the third stanza suggests that the customer has both the money and the taste to appreciate the corporation's high-end brand, which includes custom-made music and attractive packaging. However, the final stanza reveals the irony in the song's message - that despite the corporation's promises, they have no intention of offering a refund or exchange. Instead, they are more interested in profiting from the customer's dissatisfaction.

Overall, The Product draws attention to the way that corporations often prioritize profit over customer satisfaction and product quality, in their pursuit of growth and success. The lyrics offer a pointed critique of consumer culture and the way that people often buy into marketing campaigns without considering the true value of the products they are purchasing.

Line by Line Meaning

You'll be glad that you selected
You made a good choice opting for our product

This product from our range
Our brand's product lineup has this particular item

We're sure that you'll enjoy it
We are confident you will find it pleasing

And we hope you'll come again
We look forward to having you as a repeat customer

Always first with the technology,
We are always advanced in technology

Performance and design
We excel in delivering quality performance and design

And we stand true to our maxime
We adamantly follow our motto

"The customer is right!"
The customer's wishes are paramount

We knew you had the money,
We were aware you had the financial means

Now we know that you've got taste
We now know that you have a discerning palate

You want the finest quality,
You are looking for the highest quality standards