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.
Hirnlego
Einstürzende Neubauten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hör es immerzu immerzu immerzu andauernd immernoch
Es scheint mir mir mir mir meine Stimmeme zu sein
doch dies doch diesdiesdiesmal
als Baukasten Baukasten Baukastenkastenkasten
als Bauklotz
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOLEGOLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
Was wächst aus meinem Baum
-ääh- meinem Kopf ?
Was schlägt Wurzeln in mein Origamihirn ?
Ho Ho Ho Hohol mir eine Axt - bitte
undundundundund dann: Timber !
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOLEGOLEHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOLEGOLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
nurdienurdienurdienurdienurdienurdienurdie
nur die Ruhe - setz dich hin !- sag ich mir
glaubglaubglaub graue Zellen sind Bakterien
Kapp meine meinemeinemeine Stromstromversorgunggunggunggung
hab keine ! - ohwehohwehohwehohwehoweh oh weh mir !
schalt dich ab schalt dich ababababaus aus aus
schalt dich abausausausausaus - geht nicht !
denkdenkdenkdenk denkdenkdenkdenk denke mich zuende
kann nicht kann nicht kann nicht anders andersanders
dann nehm ich eine Schere und schneid mein Ende
mein Ende mein Ende mein Ende mein Ende Ende Ende Ende - ab !
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOLEGOLEHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOLEGOLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGO
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLAND
The lyrics to Einstürzende Neubauten's Hirnlego describe a disassociation with one's own mind and the search for a way to escape one's own thoughts. The repetition of phrases like "immerzu andauernd immernoch" and "als Baukasten Baukasten Baukastenkasten als Bauklotz" create a sense of frustration and helplessness. The singer questions what is growing inside their head and begs for a way to cut it out with an axe. In the final verse, the singer contemplates using a pair of scissors to cut off their own thoughts and bring an end to their struggle.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a feeling of being trapped in one's own mind and the desperate search for a way to escape or turn off the constant stream of thoughts. The use of repetition and fragmented syntax creates a sense of disorientation and confusion, echoing the all-consuming nature of mental struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Was ist das hier drin? Hör es immerzu immerzu immerzu andauernd immernoch Es scheint mir mir mir mir meine Stimmeme zu sein doch dies doch diesdiesdiesmal als Baukasten Baukasten Baukastenkastenkasten als Bauklotz
The singer is questioning what is inside their head and constantly hearing their own voice as if it's made up of building blocks or lego pieces.
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO HIRNLEGOLEGOLEHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO HIRNLEGOLEGOLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO
The repetitive chanting of 'Hirnlego' is symbolic of the brain being made up of lego blocks that are constantly being arranged and re-arranged.
Was wächst aus meinem Baum -ääh- meinem Kopf? Was schlägt Wurzeln in mein Origamihirn? Ho Ho Ho Hohol mir eine Axt - bitte undundundundund dann: Timber!
The singer continues to question what's growing inside their mind, and jokingly asks for an axe to cut down their own brain tree. The line 'Timber' represents the falling of the tree which symbolizes the end of a thought process or idea.
nurdienurdienurdienurdienurdienurdie nur die Ruhe - setz dich hin!- sag ich mir glaubglaubglaub graue Zellen sind Bakterien Kapp meine meinemeinemeine Stromstromversorgunggunggunggung hab keine ! - ohwehohwehohwehohwehoweh oh weh mir ! schalt dich ab schalt dich ababababaus aus aus schalt dich abausausausausaus - geht nicht! denkdenkdenkdenk denkdenkdenkdenk denke mich zuende kann nicht kann nicht kann nicht anders andersanders dann nehm ich eine Schere und schneid mein Ende mein Ende mein Ende mein Ende Ende Ende Ende - ab!
The singer is trying to calm themselves down and convince themselves that the cells in the brain are just biological matter. However, they can't seem to stop thinking and eventually resort to the idea of ending their own train of thought by cutting it off with a scissor. The repetition of 'can't' emphasizes the frustration and desperation in their thoughts.
HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO HIRNLEGOLEGOLEHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO HIRNLEGOLEGOLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLEGOLEGO HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOHIRNLEGO HIRNLEGOHIRNLEGOLAND
The song ends with a repetition of 'Hirnlego' followed by 'Legoland', emphasizing the idea of the brain being like legos that can be built into anything or anywhere, including a whole world of imagination.
Contributed by Jason A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Olabarrieta Dunn
Siempre un privilegio volver a escuchar estas obras maestras.
FAMILTONS
Much love from Cincinnati,OH. Yes more of this all day. helps us get shit done!
triphophoney
It really does help me focus on the task at hand.
Matthew Faust
Wish Fiat Lux was offered on music streaming services as separate tracks... Hirnlego is much better than Fiat Lux and Maifestspiele in my opinion. By far one of my favorite Einstürzende Neubauten songs, I think the only one rivalling it is Vanadium-I-Ching(:
LMB222
They deserve more than ca. 650 views...
P
10 years later, 20k :)
Maria C.
It's official. Germany created Hardcore Rap/HipHop beats
Atelier Producciones
mi amor por este tema
Tom T
Hirnlego. The daily pain
Daniela Hodapp
Wie geil ist das denn - Hirn-LEGO - einfach genial