Guano Apes is an alternative metal band formed in 1994 in Göttingen, German… Read Full Bio ↴Guano Apes is an alternative metal band formed in 1994 in Göttingen, Germany. The group consists of Sandra Nasic (vocals), Henning Rümenapp (guitar), Stefan Ude (bass) and Dennis Poschwatta (drums). Their energetic rock mix is mostly described as crossover, going from rap over funky, from melodic singing to hardcore screaming of their lead singer. The band has released five studio albums, with four Top 10 songs in Germany.

The band was already established in 1994 by Rümenapp, Ude and Poschwatta, when the vocalist Sandra Nasic joined later that year. They recorded 3 demo tapes, but their career took off in 1996 after winning the Local Hero contest for unsigned bands. They used the prize money for recording their first hit "Open Your Eyes" and shot a video for that song. They also signed to GUN/Supersonic Records.

"Open Your Eyes" was released as a single (#5 GER) and was followed by their debut album Proud Like a God in 6 October 1997. The album ranked #4 and it was certified platinum in Germany. Two other singles helped the album's popularity and sales: "Rain" (#76 GER) and "Lords of the Boards" (#10 GER). "Lord of the Boards" is performed as the closing song on every Guano Apes concert.

In 1999, they issued the stand alone single "Don't You Turn Your Back on Me" (# 50 GER).

In 2 May 2000, Guano Apes released the sophomore album, Don't Give Me Names. This #1 album in Germany was certifed gold in the same country and it was promoted by four singles: "Big in Japan" (#9 GER, #5 IT), "No Speech" (#75 GER), "Living in a Lie" (#84 GER) and "Dödel Up" (#57 GER).

In 2001, the band credited as Guano Babes featuring Michael Mittermeier, issued the stand alone single "Kumba Yo!" (#3 GER).

Their third album Walking on a Thin Line was released in 3 February 2003. The album peaked #1 and it was certified gold in Germany. Guano Apes released three singles from this album: "You Can't Stop Me" (#10 GER), "Pretty in Scarlet" (#51 GER) and "Quietly" (#51 GER).

After the very long promo tour to the WOATL album, the band decided to take a rest for a while. In 2004 they issued a Best Of album titled Planet of the Apes and the single "Break the Line". The band broke up after a final tour in February 2005. A year later, their label released the compilation Lost (T)apes, which contains previously unreleased demos, originally recorded in 1994 and 1995.

Dennis Poschwatta formed the crossover band Tamoto with his friend G-Ball and released the album Clemenza. Henning Rümenapp worked for Horus Studios in Germany. Sandra Nasic released her solo album The Signal in 2007. In 2006 Dennis, Henning and Stefan formed a new group with singer Charles Simmons, called IO. IO realeased their studio album For the Masses in 2008.

In 2009 Guano Apes reformed and played some dates including Enterro da Gata (Portugal), Rock am Ring (Germany), Nova Rock (Austria), Woodstock Festival (Poland), Sofia (Bulgaria), Bucharest (Romania). In Bucharest, Sandra announced the band is working on a new studio album.

Their fourth album Bel Air was released in Spring 2011, preceded by the single "Oh What a Night".

Official site: http://www.guanoapes.org

Heaven
Guano Apes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The night comes
I'm not at home
Bodies next to me
On the ground
Sons are running
Over your screen
It is red now
Where the grass once was green

Standing, running, I'm back again
Please don't look at me

My hands are not the same, mama
Won't you forgive me my sins

Heaven lies over your
Lies lying over your

The night is gone
The morning comes
My sun is lost
In cloudy skies
Knights come home
Being proud of their deeds
And I know you well

I miss you, I forgive you
I kiss you, but you are not here

Heaven lies over your
Lies lying over your

Frighting, your shining, rising, your fear

Heaven lies over your
Lies lying over your

Heaven lies over your
Lies lying over your name

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Guano Apes' "Heaven" paints a dark and haunting picture of a person who is lost and haunted by their past sins. The song begins with the night falling and the persona describing himself as not being at home, surrounded by the bodies of others on the ground. The vivid imagery gives the sense that there has been some kind of tragedy or violence, and the persona is in the midst of it. The sons running over the screen imply that the violence is so great that it spills over onto the screens where the images are being transmitted, and the green grass that was once there is now stained red with blood.

The chorus of the song is where the title "Heaven" comes in, reminding us of the hope that is always there, even in the darkest of times. The persona is searching for forgiveness for his sins and for the comfort of Heaven. He knows he can't erase the past, but he wants to make amends for his actions.

The second verse of the song has a more reflective tone, as the morning comes, and the sun is lost in cloudy skies. The knights who have come home from their battles are proud of their deeds, but the persona is haunted by his actions. He misses the person he is singing to and forgives them, but they are not here to receive his forgiveness. The repetition of the phrase "lies lying over your name" in the chorus implies that there is a history of deceit, betrayal, and cover-ups that have led to this tragic state.

Overall, "Heaven" is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for forgiveness and redemption. The vivid and poetic lyrics paint a picture of a person who is struggling to come to terms with their past actions and the consequences that have followed.

Line by Line Meaning

The night comes
The darkness sets in

I'm not at home
I am not in a familiar place

Bodies next to me
People are around me

On the ground
They are lying down

Sons are running
Boys are moving quickly

Over your screen
On a display

It is red now
The color is now red

Where the grass once was green
Where there was once life, now there is death

Standing, running, I'm back again
I am on my feet and moving once more

Please don't look at me
I cannot bear to be seen

My hands are not the same, mama
Physically, I am not the same as before