Jennifer Rostock is a rock band from Berlin, Germany.

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.

Schmutzig! Schmutzig!
Jennifer Rostock Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(4, 3, 2, 1)

Der Ton der Musik macht den Kohl nicht fett
Mein Bein im Bett, ein Stein im Brett
Und die Venus im Schafspelz - ist das der Preis?
Da hol ich mir die Kuh lieber selbst vom Eis

Sie sehen den Baum vor lauter Wald nicht mehr

Sie reden und roden und kreuz und quer
Der Mord - ihr Dienst, die Beute - mein Skalp
und dann singen sie und tanzen ums goldene Kalb

Nimm deine Hand von meiner Hand, denn sie ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Ich steck' dein Tagebuch in Brand, denn es ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Nur Luft und Lügen, sich zu fügen muss genügen
Doch mich selber zu betrügen, wär' nicht fair
Ich will mehr! Mehr! Mehr!

Ich verkauf mein Geld, ich verkauf mein Geld
Wenn ich die Zügel und die Welt mir die Steigbügel hält
Statussymbol oder Bodenkontakt?
Schau hin, schau hin - der Kaiser ist nackt!

Ich hör mich nicht, ich hör nur "ich"
Wer geht auf dem Strich? Was steht unterm Strich?
Ich kenn den Zaunpfahl, ich versteh den Wink
Tausend Flamingos und der Himmel ist pink

Nimm deine Hand von meiner Hand, denn sie ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Ich steck' dein Tagebuch in Brand, denn es ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Nur Luft und Lügen, sich zu fügen muss genügen
Doch mich selber zu betrügen, wär' nicht fair
Ich will mehr! Mehr! Mehr!
Ich will mehr! Mehr! Mehr!

Dann kämm' ich mir die Mähne und renn um den heißen Brei
Rasier' mir jeden Tag die Zähne, stell mein Leben auf Stand-by
Dein Blick wird eng, die Zeit wird enger - ich bin nicht langsam,
ich brauch nur länger
Ich wünschte, es wär' morgen - ich wünschte,
das wär' alles vorbei

Nimm deinen Fuß aus meiner Tür, denn er ist schmutzig, schmutzig!
Du sollst die Unschuld nicht verführen, denn du bist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Nimm deine Zunge aus meinem Ohr, denn sie ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Ich hab genug von deinen Worten, sie sind schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)

Nimm deine Hand von meiner Hand, denn sie ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Ich steck' dein Tagebuch in Brand, denn es ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Nur Luft und Lügen, sich zu fügen muss genügen
Doch mich selber zu betrügen, wär' nicht fair

Ich will mehr! Mehr! Mehr!
Ich will mehr! Mehr! Mehr!

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "Schmutzig! Schmutzig!" by Jennifer Rostock sets the tone for a song that takes on the pressure put on people to conform to society's standards. The lyrics assert that listening to music one likes or having a lover in bed does not make up for the sacrifices they make to maintain a veneer of perfection. The lines are sharp, sarcastic and sometimes cynical in nature to address the absurdity of the expectations put on people.

As the song progresses, the lyrics highlight the senselessness of the rat race towards success in society. The verse about the tree and the forest metaphor emphasizes that people become so focused on achieving their goals that they forget to see what is precious around them. Commercialization, as symbolized by the singing, dancing and worshipping of the golden calf, replaces morality, but the singer is not buying it. The chorus insists that they want more and deserve more than a conformist existence of lies and illusions.

The song culminates with a powerful chorus that addresses the singer's disgust with the constraints of predetermined paths, the desire for more than simply following their routine to fit in with what society deems "right." It challenges people to look beyond the status symbols that are deemed essential and recognize what truly matters in life.

Overall, "Schmutzig! Schmutzig!" is a critical commentary on society's pressures that make people compromise their beliefs and desires.

Line by Line Meaning

Der Ton der Musik macht den Kohl nicht fett
The melody of music is enjoyable, but not enough to make a difference.

Mein Bein im Bett, ein Stein im Brett
I have a comfortable and secure position in bed.

Und die Venus im Schafspelz - ist das der Preis?
Is it worth it to have something that looks good on the surface but is actually disguising something else?

Da hol ich mir die Kuh lieber selbst vom Eis
I prefer to solve my problems on my own, rather than relying on others.

Sie sehen den Baum vor lauter Wald nicht mehr
They are too caught up in details and are missing the big picture.

Sie reden und roden und kreuz und quer
They talk a lot and take actions without any direction or purpose.

Der Mord - ihr Dienst, die Beute - mein Skalp
They commit crimes and reap rewards, while I have to fight for myself.

und dann singen sie und tanzen ums goldene Kalb
Then they celebrate their success and worship their wealth and status.

Nimm deine Hand von meiner Hand, denn sie ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Don't touch me with your impure intentions or actions!

Ich steck' dein Tagebuch in Brand, denn es ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
I will destroy your diary because it contains lies and secrets.

Nur Luft und Lügen, sich zu fügen muss genügen
Living a life of conformity and deception is not enough.

Doch mich selber zu betrügen, wär' nicht fair
But it's not fair to deceive myself.

Ich will mehr! Mehr! Mehr!
I want more out of life!

Ich verkauf mein Geld, ich verkauf mein Geld
I willingly give up my money and resources.

Wenn ich die Zügel und die Welt mir die Steigbügel hält
If I have control and assistance, I can succeed.

Statussymbol oder Bodenkontakt?
Is it more important to have a symbol of success or to stay grounded?

Schau hin, schau hin - der Kaiser ist nackt!
Pay attention, the supposed leader or authority figure is actually weak and vulnerable.

Ich hör mich nicht, ich hör nur "ich"
I am only focused on myself and what I want.

Wer geht auf dem Strich? Was steht unterm Strich?
Who is selling themselves out for profit? What is the bottom line?

Ich kenn den Zaunpfahl, ich versteh den Wink
I am aware of the hints and signals being sent my way.

Tausend Flamingos und der Himmel ist pink
There are many bright and wonderful things in the world.

Dann kämm' ich mir die Mähne und renn um den heißen Brei
Then I try to look presentable and avoid direct confrontation.

Rasier' mir jeden Tag die Zähne, stell mein Leben auf Stand-by
I maintain a surface-level appearance and put my life on hold.

Dein Blick wird eng, die Zeit wird enger - ich bin nicht langsam, ich brauch nur länger
You are becoming impatient, but I am not slow, I just need more time.

Ich wünschte, es wär' morgen - ich wünschte, das wär' alles vorbei
I wish it was tomorrow and this all would be over.

Nimm deinen Fuß aus meiner Tür, denn er ist schmutzig, schmutzig!
Get your dirty feet out of my personal space!

Du sollst die Unschuld nicht verführen, denn du bist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Don't try to manipulate me into losing my innocence, because you are not pure yourself.

Nimm deine Zunge aus meinem Ohr, denn sie ist schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
Stop whispering vulgar and inappropriate things in my ear!

Ich hab genug von deinen Worten, sie sind schmutzig! (Schmutzig!)
I am tired of your lies and deceitful words!

Contributed by Mia G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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