Kemmler's career began as a member of a trio named Hubert Kah, consisting of Hubert Kemmler (vocals, keyboards), Markus Löhr (guitars, keyboards) and Klaus Hirschburger (bass) at the time of the New German wave 1982 commercial success with the singles "Rosemarie", "Sternenhimmel" ("Starry Sky") and "Einmal Nur Mit Erika... (Dieser Welt Entfliehn)" ("Just Once With Erika ... To Escape This World"), and with the albums Meine Höhepunkte ("My High Points") and Ich Komme ("I'm Coming"). During this time, Kemmler caused quite a stir by his TV appearances, wearing a nightdress or straitjacket. Before Kemmler's music career, he studied law at the University of Tübingen.[2]
As of 1984, the band began working with producer Michael Cretu. After a German album Goldene Zeiten (1984), the band recorded the English-language albums Tensongs (1986) and Sound of My Heart (1989), which were partly successful internationally. Together with Michael Cretu, Kemmler wrote and produced songs for other artists, including "Dancing into Danger" by Inker & Hamilton, "Liebe Auf Den Ersten Blick" by the band Münchener Freiheit and a number of tracks by Sandra such as "Maria Magdalena", "Heaven Can Wait". Hubert Kemmler also contributed backing vocals to most of Sandra's hit singles between 1985 and 1989.[3]
Kemmler fell ill in the latter 1980s with depression and withdrew from music completely. After his recovery, he appeared with a new version of the band in 1996 with the self-titled Hubert Kah and the singles "C'est La Vie" and "Sailing". The production with classic elements was not commercially as successful as hoped for by Kemmler. In 1998, a new single "Love Chain" and a Best Of CD were released. Kemmler then became ill again and had to undergo medical treatment.[1]
In 2005, Kemmler began his second comeback with the album Seelentaucher ("Soul Diver"). The first single was called "No Rain". The album featured a mixture of English and German language tracks.[4]
In the spring of 2007, Kemmler went as Ice King Kini in the musical Princess Lillifee, on tour in Germany. On 26 May 2007, he was one of four guests of honor at the acoustic concert of the band ASP on the Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2007 in Leipzig.
Kemmler recorded new songs with Sandra for her new album Stay in Touch, which was released in late 2012.
Drowning
Hubert Kah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the Artic snow
And now we can't turn back
Our bodies frozen
And the compass gone
But I don't feel a thing
On your warm soft breast
And Jasmin tea in June
And a finger tip
Inside your thigh
Now I need them so much
Under water...
...And they say dead fish
Can't swim home
With no direction
In a trap of ice
My hands are getting numb
And Mr. Frost has taken one last bite
But it doesn't worry me
Take me down to the garden shed
To feel your warm embrace
And I'll be with you
When the night comes down
No, I can't forget
Under water...
Under water...
The lyrics to Hubert Kah's song "Drowning" tell the story of being lost in a barren, icy landscape and facing imminent death. The singer recognizes that they are unable to turn back and are slowly freezing to death. Despite their dire circumstances, they find comfort in the memories of moments that brought them joy, such as sipping Jasmin tea in June and embracing a loved one. The lyrics also allude to a sense of resignation, as the singer accepts their fate and is not afraid of what may come.
The opening lines suggest that the singer and others with them are lost in the Arctic snow, likely on some kind of expedition or journey. The second line, "and now we can't turn back" suggests that they have made irreversible choices that have led them to this point. The mention of their bodies being frozen and the compass being gone reinforces the notion that they are in dire straits, with no hope of rescue or survival. Despite this, the singer notes "but I don't feel a thing", perhaps indicating a numbness to their situation or an acceptance of the inevitable.
The second stanza takes on a more romantic tone, as the singer recalls moments of physical intimacy with a lover. The imagery of "touching lips on your warm soft breast" and "a finger tip inside your thigh" creates a sense of intimacy and comfort, even in the face of death. However, this nostalgia is short-lived, as the chorus repeats the phrase "under water". It is unclear whether this alludes to a literal drowning or is a metaphor for the sinking feeling of hopelessness and despair.
The final stanza suggests that the singer is at peace with their fate. The mention of "Mr. Frost" taking a "last bite" hints at a finality to their journey, while the line "but it doesn't worry me" shows a sense of acceptance. The final lines, "and I'll be with you when the night comes down / No, I can't forget" bring the song full circle, bringing back the notion of finding comfort in love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
We're lost forever
We are now hopelessly lost and there is no way out.
In the Artic snow
We are stranded in the freezing Arctic tundra.
And now we can't turn back
We are unable to go back to where we came from.
Our bodies frozen
Our bodies are affected by the harsh cold and become numb.
And the compass gone
We've lost our only guide and source of direction.
But I don't feel a thing
Despite the cold and hopelessness, I no longer feel anything.
Touching lips
Kissing each other passionately.
On your warm soft breast
Feeling the warmth and comfort of their partner's chest.
And Jasmin tea in June
The memory of drinking jasmine tea in the warmth of June.
And a finger tip
Gently touching the soft skin of an inner thigh.
Inside your thigh
Touching the most intimate and sensitive part of their partner's body.
Now I need them so much
Yearning for these physical sensations again.
And they say dead fish
As the saying goes, someone who is hopeless or in a bad situation is compared to a 'dead fish'.
Can't swim home
Unable to find their way back home, just like a dead fish cannot swim back to its origin.
With no direction
Lost and unable to find the way forward.
In a trap of ice
Stuck and unable to escape the frozen environment.
My hands are getting numb
The cold is taking a toll on their body, affecting their extremities.
And Mr. Frost has taken one last bite
The cold has caused one final, fatal effect on their body.
But it doesn't worry me
Despite the dire situation, I am no longer afraid or concerned.
Take me down to the garden shed
Taking me to a private, intimate location.
To feel your warm embrace
Yearning for physical comfort and warmth from their partner.
And I'll be with you
Choosing to be with their partner and not fight against the inevitable circumstances.
When the night comes down
Through the darkness and uncertainty, they will remain together.
No, I can't forget
Despite the tragic outcome, they will always cherish the memories they created together.
Under water...
Continuing to sing while drowning in the cold waters and freezing to death.
Under water...
The repeated phrase, embodying the feeling of being stuck and inescapable.
Writer(s): markus löhr, nikolai karo & ken taylor, hubert kemmler
Contributed by Nicholas G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Beate Kraus
We're lost forever
In the Artic snow
And now we can't turn back
Our bodies frozen
And the compass gone
But I don't feel a thing
Touching lips
On your warm soft breast
And Jasmin tea in June
and a finger tip
Inside your thigh
Now I need them so much
Under water...
...And they say dead fish
Can't swim home
With no direction
In a trap of ice
My hands are getting numb
And Mr. Frost has taken one last bite
But it doesn't worry me
Take me down to the garden shed
To feel your warm embrace
And I'll be with you
When the night comes down
No, I can't forget
Under water...
Under water...
LegoDad
As a huge fan in the United States, I rank Tensongs as one of my all time favorite albums. I listen to so much different music and it is simply amazing that so few know of this gem of an artist. His subsequent albums were also amazing too, but this is really where it all began for me, true music compared to what we're subjected to today in 2015. There's a mystique to the music that I also feel when I listen to Sandra and Enigma, and it just never gets old.
Soldger Spaß 757
Уникальное чувство когда слышишь песни Хуберта-слушая его песни погружаешься в необъяснимый Релакс!
Hev Hogg
I managed to download this album Spring 2011, and I still love it. Timeless album <3
325iaddict
Thanks to THIS video I bought the Tensongs CD!! This is indeed a marvellous song, together with Pogo the Clown and Lonesome Cowboy, but the rest is also worthwhile! Thanks for uploading this gem from the past...
325iaddict
Yes, I think this is truly a special album. I have several other albums and co-operations from Hubert Kah with other artists, but... the question is: are there more old albums like this I missed??
Mо Caт
Hi! Which cooperations with H. Kah do you mean? Could you tell me some of them? Plizz? :) I think, I don't know them all and would be glad, to know more of them.
Hev Hogg
This entire song is absolutely amazing, you're right in saying that this song is experimental. That is what Hubert Kah does best. However the second part of the song to me, leaves so much to the imagination. Imagine what a music video might look like to this song, if ever there was one made. A lot of his songs were experimental, especially 'Gigolo' and 'Golden Zeiten' which as well in the second half would just be instrumental and leaving the listener to come up with their own interpretation
Mо Caт
They said once in an interview back then, that they would like to leave the imagination on other people´s minds. That´s why they kept their videos so simple. Without any effects or something special.
You seem to have a certain interest for this group. I read all your comments. What do you think? Why they were and are so underrated?
Dorota M.
Fajne!!!
mattpopfavourites
I'm glad to hear it. Tensongs is a rather special album, I think.