Jennifer Weist… Read Full Bio ↴Jennifer Rostock is a rock band from Berlin, Germany.
Jennifer Weist and Johannes "Joe" Walter-Müller are both natives of the German Baltic island Usedom and first met in kindergarten. Walter-Müller started taking music lessons as a five-year-old; he initially began to learn the violin, later he started to play piano. At the age of 13, he met Weist again when she sang at a karaoke show and he invited her to join his school band. They experimented with different genres such as rock, pop, and swing, in the beginning singing in English, later in German and eventually writing their own songs. In 2004, both founded the band Aerials.
They met Werner Krumme who would later become their producer during a songwriting workshop in Rostock. After both had finished school having completed the Abitur (German equivalent of A-levels) in summer 2006, they moved to Berlin to pursue a career in music. There they also met their future band members Alex, Christoph, and Baku.
The band's name was based on a misunderstanding at first. Employees at the Planet Roc studios in Berlin repeatedly wrote notes for them addressed to "Jennifer Rostock." Weist later explained, "Jennifer was directed at me, and Rostock, because they remembered we are from the coast, and Rostock was probably the only town the studio guys knew up there." This working title was eventually embraced by the band and became their official name.
In 2007, the group gave their first concerts as "Jennifer Rostock" and they signed a recording contract with Warner Music. They mainly performed in the Berlin club scene and played as opening acts for the British bands Chikinki and Gallows. In Oktober, Jennifer Rostock released their first EP - "Ich will hier raus" and started to get air time with local radio stations in Berlin. In February 2008, their first single "Kopf oder Zahl" was placed in rotation by MTV Germany. They competed with that song at the Bundesvision Song Contest, a German television show based on the Eurovision Song Contest, and came in at fifth place.Jennifer Rostock’s debut album Ins offene Messer was released the following day and entered the German album charts at number 31.
The band's unorthodox and innovative German lyrics are collectively written by Weist and Walter-Müller, who also compose and arrange the songs. Although the group is difficult to categorise, Jennifer Rostock is often compared to the Neue Deutsche Welle, especially due to their first single, "Kopf oder Zahl," and its similarities to the German 1980's band Ideal. The newspaper "Taz" described their music as "somewhere between glam punk, electropop and Berlin-rock".
On June 13th they released the album's second single "Feuer" (Fire), it was released as a Premium as well as a Basic version.
Drahtseiltakt
Jennifer Rostock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Düb Düdüb Düüüü
Düdüdüdüb Düb Düb Düüüü Düüü Düüüü Düüüü Düüüü
Düb Düdüdüdüb Düüü
Du stehst vor meiner Tür
mit einem Strauß Neurosen in der Hand
Und dem Rücken an der Wand
Denn dein Drachen darf nicht erwachen
Düdüdüdüb Düüüü
Düb Düdüb Düüüü
Jeder Atemzug unter ihnen
Ist ein Risiko
Was du auch sagst und tust - du bleibst inkognito
Ihre Blicke brennen tief in deinen Wunden wie Salz
Das Herz rutscht dir in die Hose
Und schlägt dir bis zum Hals
Düb Düb Düb Düb Düdüdüdüdüdüdüdüb
Selbst der Blick in den Spiegel
Ist dir nicht mehr geheuer
Denn gebrannte Kinder scheuen das Feuer
Bewaffnet bis an die Zähne
Und doch fühlst du dich nackt
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drachtseil-, Drahtseiltakt, Ahhh
Düdüdüdüb Düüüü
Düb Düdüb Düüüü
Düdüdüdüb Düb Düb Düüüü Düüü Düüüü Düüüü Düüüü
Düb Düdüdüdüb Düüü
Du sagst Gegenseitigkeit
Beruht bei dir meist auf Antipathie
Und ich hol meine Ironiebrille aus dem Etui
Dein Herz schlägt schneller als meins,
Denn die Leichen
In deinem Keller lassen meine erbleichen
Ungezählte Schafe
Und die Monster in deinem Schrank
Halten mich wach
Und machen mich krank
Und schon bröckelt der Putz von den Fassaden
Und an deinem seidenen Faden
nagen schon die Maden
Selbst der Blick in den Spiegel
Ist dir nicht mehr geheuer
Denn gebrannte Kinder scheuen das Feuer
Bewaffnet bis an die Zähne
Und doch fühlst du dich nackt
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drachtseil-, Drahtseiltakt, Ahhh
Düdüdüdüb Düüüü
Düb Düdüb Düüüü
Selbst der Blick in den Spiegel
Ist dir nicht mehr geheuer
Denn gebrannte Kinder scheuen das Feuer
Düb Düdüb Düüüü
Bewaffnet bis an die Zähne
Und doch fühlst du dich nackt
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drahtseiltakt,
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drahtseiltakt,
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drahtseiltakt
...
The song "Drahtseiltakt" by Jennifer Rostock highlights the feelings of paranoia, insecurity, and fear that come with trying to navigate the complexities of social situations. The lyrics describe a person who is constantly on edge, wary of saying or doing the wrong thing and drawing attention to themselves. The metaphor of walking on a tightrope or "Drahtseiltakt" emphasizes the precariousness of their position, as they struggle to balance their desire for connection with their fear of rejection or exposure.
Despite their anxiety and isolation, the singer assures the listener that they are not alone. They offer support and solidarity, acknowledging that they too are familiar with the struggle of feeling vulnerable in a world that can be hostile and unforgiving. The repeated refrain of "Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im Drahtseiltakt" ("but I'm here and I'm balancing with you on the tightrope") reinforces this message of solidarity and suggests that there is strength to be found in facing our fears together.
Overall, "Drahtseiltakt" invites listeners to reflect on the challenges of social interaction and the importance of finding community and support in the midst of these challenges. The lyrics offer a poignant reminder that we are all just trying to navigate the tightrope of life, and that it is okay to stumble along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Du stehst vor meiner Tür
mit einem Strauß Neurosen in der Hand
Und dem Rücken an der Wand
Jeder Schritt von dir nur auf Zehenspitzen
Denn dein Drachen darf nicht erwachen
The singer describes someone who comes to her door with a bouquet of neuroses, visibly nervous and not wanting to wake their dragon – or their inner demons.
Jeder Atemzug unter ihnen
Ist ein Risiko
Was du auch sagst und tust - du bleibst inkognito
Ihre Blicke brennen tief in deinen Wunden wie Salz
Das Herz rutscht dir in die Hose
Und schlägt dir bis zum Hals
The singer narrates about the fear that one has when exposed, feeling helpless and vulnerable. She emphasizes the risk and the burden of judgment from others.
Selbst der Blick in den Spiegel
Ist dir nicht mehr geheuer
Denn gebrannte Kinder scheuen das Feuer
Bewaffnet bis an die Zähne
Und doch fühlst du dich nackt
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drachtseil-, Drahtseiltakt, Ahhh
The song speaks about the fear of being exposed and judged, even when one is fully armed and ready to fight. The singer stresses the importance of having a companion during such fearful moments. Together, they can balance and face the challenges of life confidently.
Du sagst Gegenseitigkeit
Beruht bei dir meist auf Antipathie
Und ich hol meine Ironiebrille aus dem Etui
Dein Herz schlägt schneller als meins,
Denn die Leichen
In deinem Keller lassen meine erbleichen
The artist describes someone who reciprocates feelings based on dislike, and she responds with ironic humor. She also confronts the fear of the unknown, the skeletons in someone's closet, and the effect they have on her.
Ungezählte Schafe
Und die Monster in deinem Schrank
Halten mich wach
Und machen mich krank
Und schon bröckelt der Putz von den Fassaden
Und an deinem seidenen Faden
nagen schon die Maden
The singer invokes the metaphor of counting sheep to battle insomnia and speaks about the frightening monsters hiding in one's closet, alluding to the decay and rot that can be hidden underneath the facade of someone's life.
Bewaffnet bis an die Zähne
Und doch fühlst du dich nackt
Aber ich bin hier und balancier mit dir im
Drahtseiltakt,
The singer reiterates the theme of being scared and yet equipped to face life's challenges. She empathizes with someone who is going through the struggle, but she reminds them that she is there and that they can balance and work through challenges together.
Contributed by Bentley N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.