His name Farin Urlaub is a pun on the German expression "Fahr in Urlaub!", which means "Go on vacation!", to refer to his love of traveling. He is also a pescetarian, a teetotaler, a non-smoker and a pacifist. He speaks seven languages: German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Japanese, and a supporter of Greenpeace and Amnesty International (amongst others). For the last few years he has been living in a village near Hamburg, where he has his own recording studio.
In 1980 he joined Bela B.'s band Soilent Grün as guitarist. When the band broke up in 1982, Urlaub, Bela B. and Hans Runge (better known as Sahnie) formed Die Ärzte, one of the most successful German pop punk rock bands of the 1980s. In 1988, at the height of their popularity, Die Ärzte disbanded.
Urlaub then formed King Køng, which remained unsuccessful, even for an indie band. Die Ärzte reunited in 1993 and have had continued success ever since. Urlaub still writes most songs for Die Ärzte which has the consequence that not all of them can be used for the band.
Therefore, in 2001, Urlaub started his solo career with the album Endlich Urlaub! ("Vacation at last!", which can also be read as pun on his name, as in "Urlaub at last!"). Am Ende der Sonne ("At the end of the Sun") was released in 2005, followed by the release of the live album Livealbum of Death in 2006. This live album was released under the name of Farin Urlaub's live band Farin Urlaub Racing Team. However, Urlaub announced that subsequent studio releases will also be made under the name Farin Urlaub Racing Team.
And so their latest studio album Die Wahrheit übers Lügen ("The truth about lying") was released in 2008, followed by a live album/video Lass es wie einen Unfall aussehen ("Make it look like an accident") in 2010. The video material was intended to become a live DVD, but was then released as a free download on the artist's website www.farin-urlaub.de, due to difficulties during the live sound recording (which led to the name).
Saudade
Farin Urlaub Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
eu quero prestar
a sua opinão.
A minha não dá.
A minha não dá.
A minha não é.
A minha não tem jeito.
A minha não existe.
A minha não quer.
A minha não dá.
Se for possível,
queria adaptar,
a sua verdade.
A minha não dá.
A minha não dá.
A minha não é.
A minha não tem jeito.
A minha não está.
A minha não existe.
A minha não quer.
A minha não dá.
Eu convencia,
vocês a prestar,
a sua educação.
A minha não dá.
A minha não dá.
A minha não é.
A minha não tem jeito.
A minha não está.
A minha não existe.
A minha não quer.
A minha não dá.
Com licença,
eu quero prestar,
a sua realidade ...
The lyrics to Farin Urlaub's song Saudade convey a sense of futility and disconnection in communication. The singer expresses a desire to understand and adapt to the other person's viewpoint, but ultimately comes to the conclusion that their own perspective is insufficient. The repetition of the phrase "A minha não dá" is particularly striking, emphasizing the singer's frustration with their inability to connect with the other person.
The use of the word "Saudade" in the title of the song is also significant. Saudade is a Portuguese word that refers to a feeling of longing or nostalgia for something that is absent or distant. This sense of longing and disconnection is reflected in the lyrics, as the singer struggles to bridge the gap between themselves and the other person.
Overall, the lyrics to Saudade convey a sense of frustration and helplessness in the face of communication breakdowns. The repetition of the phrase "A minha não dá" underscores the difficulties that arise when trying to connect with others, particularly when there are significant differences in perspective or experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Com licença
Excuse me
eu quero prestar
I want to express
a sua opinão.
your opinion.
A minha não dá.
I cannot give mine.
A minha não é.
Mine is not valid.
A minha não tem jeito.
Mine cannot be helped.
A minha não está.
Mine is not present.
A minha não existe.
Mine does not exist.
A minha não quer.
Mine does not want to.
A minha não dá.
Mine cannot give.
Se for possível,
If possible,
queria adaptar,
I would like to adapt
a sua verdade.
your truth.
Eu convencia,
I would convince
vocês a prestar,
you to provide
a sua educação.
your education.
Com licença,
Excuse me,
eu quero prestar,
I want to express
a sua realidade ...
your reality...
Contributed by Sadie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.