In Extremo (abbreviated InEx, or just IE) began as two projects: a nameless, purely medieval band, and a rock band. They became known at that time through frequent appearances at medieval market meetings, at which they performed their acoustic pieces and sold CDs of their renditions of traditional songs. On April 11, 1995, during the recording for that year's season, Michael Rhein (alias Das letzte Einhorn, engl. "The Last Unicorn") found the project name "In Extremo, "Latin for "At The Edge".
Most of the band members perform under stage names. The initial members of the medieval band were Das letzte Einhorn (engl. "The Last Unicorn," vocals), Flex der Biegsame (engl. "Flex the Flexible," bagpipes), Dr. Pymonte (bagpipes), Conny Fuchs (who left the band before the official release date, due to her pregnancy, and was replaced by Dr. Pymonte) and Sen Pusterbalg (replaced shortly after the official release by Yellow Pfeiffer, engl. "Yellow Piper," bagpipes). The rock band originally consisted of Thomas der Münzer (engl. "Thomas the Coiner," guitar), Der Morgenstern (engl. "The Morning Star," drums), and Die Lutter (engl. "The Lutter," bass guitar). Der Münzer subsequently left the band and, as of 2000, the band's guitarist is Van Lange (engl. "The Long One"). As noted below, almost all of the band members play multiple instruments.
The increasing number of visitors, success of their CDs, and the popular interest, as well as cross-pollination from groups such as Corvus Corax and Bathory, encouraged In Extremo in 1995 to attempt to start a band combining bagpipes and other traditional instruments with rock guitars. The result was the current incarnation of In Extremo, a rock group that integrates modern instruments like the drum set, electric bass and guitar with the acoustic elements previously used for the medieval songs, and which plays both types of music as well as a hybrid of the two.[1]
In August 1996, they began work on the first In Extremo album, which already contained two tracks of the new rock project. Because the album had no official name, it became known as Gold because of the golden cover. In February 1997, like the single Der Galgen (engl. "The Gallows"), it quickly sold out in Medieval markets.
In Extremo played separately as a medieval and a rock band, until on March 29, 1997, when they played their first live rock concert. Since that time, they have given this date as their date of establishment. The two projects were officially merged on January 11, 1998. April 1998 saw the first "high occupancy" In Extremo concert in the Rabenstein castle in Brandenburg.
Over the years, their music became more heavy metal based, while at the same time becoming increasingly commercially successful. The classical instruments, however – bagpipes, shawms, and lutes – still play a large role. The band is likewise noted for their conspicuous stage costumes and known for using pyrotechnics in their concerts, including Der Morgenstern playing cymbals which have been set on fire.
On 26 February 2010 In Extremo announced that Der Morgenstern left the band because of musical differences via their homepage. On June 11, Florian "Specki T.D." Speckardt was announced as his replacement on drums. Since then, they have proceeded to release 3 albums: Sterneneisen, Kunstraub, and Quid Pro Quo, all of which have reached the top 10 in the German charts, with Sterneneisen and Quid Pro Quo both having number 1 positions for a time. Their 13th album, Kompass zur Sonne was released in May 2020.[2], but it was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 30th, 2020, they played an online livestream concert for Wacken World Wide.
Der Rattenfänger
In Extremo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Der vielgereiste Rattenfänger
Den diese altberühmte Stadt
Gewiss besonders nötig hat
Und wärens Ratten noch so viele
Und wären Wiesel mit im Spiele
Von allen saubere ich diesen Ort
Sie müssen alle mit mir fort
Dann ist der gutgelaunte Sänger
Mitunter auch ein Kinderfänger
Der selbst die wildesten bezwingt
Wenn er die goldenen Märchen singt
Und wären Knaben noch so trutzig
Und wären Mädchen noch so stutzig
In meinen Saiten greif ich ein
Sie müssen alle hintendrein
Von allen saubere ich diesen Ort
Sie müssen alle mit mir fort
Greife ich einen Akkord
Gehen sie mit mir fort
Mit dem ganzen Pack
Verlasse ich die Stadt
In der Nacht auf der Jagd
Dann ist der vielgewandte Sänger
Gelegentlich ein Mädchenfänger
In keinem Städtchen langt er an
Wo erґs nicht mancher angetan
Und waren Mädchen noch so цde
Und waren Weiber noch so sprцde
Doch allen wird so liebesbang
Bei Zaubersaiten und Gesang
Von allen saeubere ich diesen Ort
Sie muessen alle mit mir fort
Greife ich einen Akkord...
Euch zum Spott und Hohn
Hole ich nun meinen Lohn
The lyrics to In Extremo's song Der Rattenfänger describe a well-known singer and rat-catcher who is much needed by an old and famous city. The singer claims to be able to clean the city of rats, even if there are many of them, and he also describes himself as a children's and girls' capturer, able to lure them with his golden fairy tales and magical strings. He claims that he can make even the most stubborn boy or reluctant girl follow him. He then sings about leaving the city with his pack in the night and hunting.
It is interesting to note that the lyrics to Der Rattenfänger are inspired by a medieval legend from the town of Hamelin, Germany, in which a mysterious piper frees the town from rats before luring away its children. The legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin has been the subject of many literary and musical adaptations.
Line by Line Meaning
Ich bin der wohlbekannte Sänger
I am the well-known singer
Der vielgereiste Rattenfänger
The rat-catcher who has traveled far and wide
Den diese altberühmte Stadt
Whom this famously old city
Gewiss besonders nötig hat
Certainly needs especially
Und wärens Ratten noch so viele
And even if there were so many rats
Und wären Wiesel mit im Spiele
And if there were weasels at play too
Von allen saubere ich diesen Ort
I will clean this place of them all
Sie müssen alle mit mir fort
They all must go with me
Dann ist der gutgelaunte Sänger
Then the cheerful singer
Mitunter auch ein Kinderfänger
At times is also a catcher of children
Der selbst die wildesten bezwingt
Who can even conquer the wildest
Wenn er die goldenen Märchen singt
When he sings the golden tales
Und wären Knaben noch so trutzig
And even if the boys were so obstinate
Und wären Mädchen noch so stutzig
And if the girls were so wary
In meinen Saiten greif ich ein
I intervene with my strings
Sie müssen alle hintendrein
They all must follow behind
Von allen saubere ich diesen Ort
I will clean this place of them all
Sie müssen alle mit mir fort
They all must go with me
Greife ich einen Akkord
When I play a chord
Gehen sie mit mir fort
They all go with me
Mit dem ganzen Pack
With the whole pack
Verlasse ich die Stadt
I leave the city
In der Nacht auf der Jagd
On the hunt in the night
Dann ist der vielgewandte Sänger
Then the versatile singer
Gelegentlich ein Mädchenfänger
At times a catcher of girls
In keinem Städtchen langt er an
No town is beyond his reach
Wo er’s nicht mancher angetan
Where he has not won many over
Und waren Mädchen noch so müde
And even if the girls were so tired
Und waren Weiber noch so spröde
And if the women were so shy
Doch allen wird so liebesbang
Yet they all become lovesick
Bei Zaubersaiten und Gesang
From magical strings and song
Euch zum Spott und Hohn
To you for mockery and ridicule
Hole ich nun meinen Lohn
Now I will collect my reward
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHANN WOLFGANG VON +1832 GOETHE, REINER MORGENROTH, MARCO ZORZYTZKY, ANDRE STRUGALA, BORIS YELLOW PFEIFFER, KAY LUTTER, MICHAEL RHEIN, SEBASTIAN LANGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GermanChick85
Klassiker!!! Oh Mann, ich fühle mich wieder 10 Jahre jünger, das ist so unglaublich cool! Danke!!! *sing* greif ich ein Akkord, geh'n sie mit mir fort. Mit dem ganzen Pack verlasse ich die Stadt... ...konnte ja die geniale Diskussion hier nicht übersehen... ich sage es mal so: Man kann In Extremo hören und ein bisschen was über die Deutsche Saga lernen, abgesehen von der absolut genialen Musik. Man kann natürlich auch Bushido hören und dann so redegewandt sein, wie die Herrschaften hier ;-)
ringghul
wiedermal der Beweis das Goethe schon damals gewusst hat was gute zeitlose Texte sin :) Geniale Bearbeitung auch von den 7 Vaganten wobei mir die Ougenweide Version ja auch gefällt :) cheers
Will Classified
JÁ! Það lítur mikið flótt út! Þetta likar ég svo mikið!
Julia.Caliban1993
Bei dem Lied bekomme ich so ne Gänsehaut!!! Ich liebe es
Syney Babolluwnie
me encanta *-*
What Ever
Ein wirklich großartiges Lied. Immer noch.
Erk Malygos
In Extremo ist und bleibt einfach nur geil fette grüße aus Hameln
Bennymiles
Dieses Lied habe ich fast zehn jahre nicht mehr gehört, weil es mit meiner damaligen Ex eines "unserer Lieder" war und ich es danach irgendwie verdrängt hatte^^ Aber immer noch so geil wie eh und je... :D
EDWARD LEO MCALLEN
THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS ON HERE, VERY GOOD, GOD BLESS, ED
Easyfox87
sehr genial...hör ich immer wieder gern wenn ich durch Hameln laufe :-)