He sings about politics, society, sexuality, religion, and many other topics, usually in a humorous way. He accompanies his songs with the guitar, sometimes with the harmonica. He founded the band Lassie Singers. Since 1978 he has lived in Berlin. He is married and has four children.
The punk band Die Toten Hosen interpreted some of his songs, notably Trauriges Arschloch, Bayern, Frauen dieser Welt, and Lesbische schwarze Behinderte. Die Schröders, another punk rock band, made his song Saufen more famous.
As of 2005 van Dannen had published nine albums; except for Info 3, Herzscheiße and Nebelmaschine all were recorded live.
His newest Album "Authentic Trip" appeared in 2005 and is, one more time, a live-album, recorded on 2 evenings in Munich.
Holy Man
Funny van Dannen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No evil spell can bring him down Cause he´s a holy man
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
When he rode into Jerusalem The people said: Hello
They screamed at him: How do you do? And he said: I don´t know
I´m a holy man, I´m a holy man I´m a holy man, I´m a holy man
And the stones, they knew And the trees, they knew
And the girls an boys They whispered it, too
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
They build three crosses upon a hill
The sky was overcast
The earth did quake a little bit
Some birds fell down at last
And the water knew
And the fire, too
And the winds, they blew
Be true, be true
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
He´s a holy man, he´s a holy man
The lyrics of Funny van Dannen's song "Holy Man" depict a wandering preacher who travels from town to town, spreading a message of goodness and hope. The singer is depicted as being invincible, immune to any evil magic that may be thrown his way, simply because he is a "holy man." This could be interpreted as a commentary on the power of faith and belief, as well as a critique of the idea that one person can be so pure of heart as to be completely invulnerable.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "He's a holy man" several times, emphasizes the central theme of the song - that this man is someone to be revered and respected because of his supposed religious purity. But ultimately, it is unclear whether this holy man is truly as righteous and holy as he appears, or if he is merely putting on a show of righteousness for his listeners.
The song's final verses describe his crucifixion, with the natural world seemingly reacting to this event - birds fall from the sky, the earth quakes, and the elements of nature seem to mourn his loss. It is up to the listener to decide whether this holy man's death truly represents a triumph of good over evil, or whether it is simply the result of human cruelty and indifference.
Line by Line Meaning
He´s travelling from town to town
He's constantly on the move, going from one town to another.
He´s preaching what he can
He's spreading whatever message he can to anyone who will listen.
No evil spell can bring him down
He's so righteous that no harm can come to him.
Cause he´s a holy man
His faith and religious devotion protect him from harm.
When he rode into Jerusalem
He made a grand entrance into a major city.
The people said: Hello
The locals greeted him with welcoming words.
They screamed at him: How do you do?
The crowd was excited and energized, shouting questions at him.
And he said: I don´t know
He modestly deflected attention from himself and downplayed his own importance.
And the stones, they knew
Even inanimate objects recognized his holiness.
And the trees, they knew
The natural world also recognized his sanctity.
And the girls an boys
Even children could sense his special qualities.
They whispered it, too
They spoke of it quietly, as though it was a secret.
They build three crosses upon a hill
He faced persecution and execution as a result of his beliefs.
The sky was overcast
The weather reflected the somber mood of the moment.
The earth did quake a little bit
The impact of his death was felt widely.
Some birds fell down at last
The natural world was affected by his passing.
And the water knew
Even the elements felt the absence of his holy presence.
And the fire, too
All of nature was in mourning for him.
And the winds, they blew
The forces of nature reacted to his death.
Be true, be true
His message was to be sincere and honest in all things.
He´s a holy man
Despite his death, his memory and beliefs continued to inspire others.
He´s a holy man
His teachings lived on after he was gone.
He´s a holy man
Through his sacrifice, he became an enduring symbol of faith and devotion.
He´s a holy man
His legacy as a holy man was secure for all time.
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.