However, Neubauten soon outgrew the confines of even the broad scope of industrial music. In their 25-plus years, they have produced a dozen studio albums, live records, a remix album and EP, scored theatre pieces, and more.
Lead vocalist Blixa Bargeld is perhaps the best-known member of the group, both for his work with Neubauten and as guitarist for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. His fellow founding members Alexander Hacke and N.U. Unruh have likewise been active in various musical roles outside the group over the years.
Bassist Mark Chung was a member of the group from 1981 to 1994. He founded the publishing house Freibank Music Publishing to handle business affairs for Neubauten and other groups, and has continued in this role (concurrently serving as a senior vice-president of Sony Music International for nine years). Percussionist FM Einheit, was a member from 1981 to 1995, and has also been active as a solo artist and member of groups such as Gry.
Since 1997 the group has also included guitarist Jochen Arbeit and percussionist Rudi Moser.
Neubauten's most recent work has been available exclusively to subscribers to their online home, www.neubauten.org. Neubauten completed the third incarnation of their online project in November 2007 and were touring Europe in 2008 in support of their latest album Alles Wieder Offen.
Currently Einstürzende Neubauten is celebrating their 30th anniversary with a tour through Europe and the United States. In October/November 2010 the band is releasing Strategies Against Architecture IV, the fourth album in the archival compilation series by Neubauten which collates the band’s output from 2002-2010.
Befindlichkeit
Einstürzende Neubauten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Das langsam verschwindet
So nur phantomschmerz bleibt
Es dringt kaum hörbar ein fieses lachen
Aus der roten info-box
Und in den gräbern wird leise rotiert
Alles nur künftig ruinen
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Melancholia, mon cher
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Schwebt über der neuen stadt
Und über dem land
Über den schaltzentralen
Über dem stoppelfeld aus beton
Über den heimlichen bunkeranlagen
Die nicht wegzukriegen sind
Marlene go home!
Auch über dem marlene-dietrich-platz
Die neuen tampel haben schon risse
Künftige ruinen
Einst wächst gras auch über diese stadt
Über ihrer letzten schicht
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Melancholia, mon cher
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Schwebt über der neuen stadt
Und über dem land
I'm zerschnittenen himmel
Von den jets zur übung zerflogen
Hängt sie mit ausgebreiteten schwingen
Ohne schlaf, und starren blicks
In richtung trümmer
Hinter ihr die zukunft aufgetürmt
Steigt sie langsam immer höher
Übersieht letztendlich das ganze land
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
The lyrics to Einstürzende Neubauten's song "Die Befindlichkeit des Landes" use highly poetic language to describe the state of a country in decay. "Über dem narbengelände" (over the scarred land) is a recurring line that suggests physical destruction, which is further emphasized by the mention of ruins and crumbling in subsequent lines. The "phatomschmerz" (phantom pain) that remains speaks to the psychological trauma of living in a place that's falling apart but also the nostalgia for the past. The "fieses lachen" (sinister laughter) from the "roten info-box" (red information box) only adds to the ominous tone. The image of graves being quietly rotated evokes the idea that the past is being literally buried and forgotten.
The chorus, which repeats the word "melancholia" several times, adds to the sense of sadness and hopelessness that pervades the rest of the song. Despite this, there's also a sense of resilience and defiance. "Mela, mela, mela, mela" could be interpreted as an onomatopoeic representation of a drumbeat, suggesting the possibility of revolution or a call to action. The line "Marlene go home!" is a direct reference to American actress and singer Marlene Dietrich, who was born in Germany but left during World War II and became an outspoken critic of the Nazi regime. The fact that she's mentioned in a song about decay and destruction could be seen as a way of reclaiming her as a symbol of resistance against fascism.
Overall, "Die Befindlichkeit des Landes" is a complex and multi-layered song that invites multiple interpretations. It's a reflection on the state of a particular country, but also on the broader human condition of living in a world that's constantly changing and often hostile.
Line by Line Meaning
Über dem narbengelände
Above the scarred terrain
Das langsam verschwindet
That is slowly disappearing
So nur phantomschmerz bleibt
Leaving behind only phantom pain
Es dringt kaum hörbar ein fieses lachen
A malicious laugh barely audible
Aus der roten info-box
From the red information box
Und in den gräbern wird leise rotiert
And quietly, people are being buried
Alles nur künftig ruinen
All just future ruins
Material für die nächste schicht
Material for the next layer
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Melancholy in abundance
Melancholia, mon cher
Melancholy, my dear
Schwebt über der neuen stadt
Hovers over the new city
Und über dem land
And over the land
Über den schaltzentralen
Above the control centers
Über dem stoppelfeld aus beton
Above the stubble field of concrete
Über den heimlichen bunkeranlagen
Above the secret bunkers
Die nicht wegzukriegen sind
That cannot be eradicated
Marlene go home!
Marlene, go home!
Auch über dem marlene-dietrich-platz
Also above Marlene Dietrich square
Die neuen tampel haben schon risse
The new buildings already have cracks
Künftige ruinen
Future ruins
Einst wächst gras auch über diese stadt
One day, grass will grow over this city
Über ihrer letzten schicht
Over its final layer
I'm zerschnittenen himmel
In the sliced sky
Von den jets zur übung zerflogen
Dispersed by the jets in taining
Hängt sie mit ausgebreiteten schwingen
It hangs with outstretched wings
Ohne schlaf, und starren blicks
Without sleep and a fixed gaze
In richtung trümmer
Towards the rubble
Hinter ihr die zukunft aufgetürmt
With the future piled up behind her
Steigt sie langsam immer höher
She slowly climbs higher and higher
Übersieht letztendlich das ganze land
Until she finally overlooks the entire land
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: ALEXANDER HACKE, ANDREW CHUDY, BLIXA BARGELD, JOCHEN ARBEIT, RUDOLF MOSER, RUDOLPH MOSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bigarvode
I am from Serbia and I just wanna say that Germany have very good music and movies! I love this song! Great job!
@ilgrigio79
Anche in Italia, sappiamo apprezzare la vera buona musica!
@ingsoc3125
I keep restarting just to hear that powerful bass and kick drum beat at the beginning.
Best musical discovery I've made all year, bar none.
@TheRenamay
Eines der besten deutschen Lieder - immer noch! Zeitlos.
@andreeadobre3190
This song in the film Touch Me Not is just superb 💜
@anndova8098
Alles nur künftige Ruinen
Such a beautiful song
@autumnautopsy
You really have to experience this song at a concert once to really feel its power. It is amazing.
@guzy1971
bist ganz recht
@ThomasWohlke
My first Neubauten Concert was a classical Fun-Effect. Starting "Haus der Lüge" they "accidently" shut down the power-supply of the whole festival
@ThomasWohlke
Do you know the Movie "Elektrokohle" with "Neubauten" and Heiner Müller playing in Live in East-Berlin just a few weeks after opening the Wall in December 1989?