Laibach are best known for their cover versions of pop songs which have been rerendered in such a way as to reveal formerly hidden or unnoticed messages, often commenting on political totalitarianism or rock stardom’s own forms of dictatorship. This was done most successfully on Opus Dei, especially on their cover of One Vision. Named Geburt Einer Nation after D. W. Griffith’s classic film The Birth of a Nation, Queen’s lyrics are sung in German to a strident military beat. All of a sudden lines like “one flesh, one blood, one true religion” start sounding suspiciously familiar...
However the bulk of Laibach’s output is their own work. Their own early experiments with totalitarian ambiguity led to their being outlawed in then-Communist Yugoslavia; their name was made illegal so the band resorted to using their black-cross emblem on posters instead. To this day their work deals with similar ideas but frequently Laibach reference their own legendary status and tongue-in-cheekily play with the kinds of in-jokes a band accrues in over 25 years of work.
Laibach’s musical style has varied a lot over the years. They began as avant-garde industrial musicians, producing what could best be described as ambient noise but soon discovered the joys of the martial rhythm. Having produced a couple of albums of heavy martial industrial music, they began to expand sonically. Following the collapse of Yugoslavia their difficult but rewarding album Kapital included hip-hop influences among many others and NATO borrowed from techno while keeping the bombastic atmosphere. The next offering Jesus Christ Superstars came after quite a hiatus and it may have shocked a lot of people with its balls-out metal guitar riffs. The 2003 album WAT returns to a more electronic sound; working with techno producer umek has produced a slightly odd album of electro beats.
Volk was released on October 20, 2006, preceded by the single Anglia. The album contains 14 songs composed and produced together with Silence, inspired by national anthems.
2008 Laibach released new album, titled Kunst der Fuge. This album is the laibachian interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach's work The Art of Fugue (Die Kunst der Fuge). The majority of the material has been created already in 2006 and premierly performed the same year on June the 1st at Bachfest festival in Leipzig.
VOLKSWAGNER is the title of a musical project which was realized in collaboration between Laibach and the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra (2009). Laibach also cooperated with the composer and conductor Izidor Leitinger on this project, and it was decided that together they would compose a work which will in a specific manner interpret some of Wagner's better known musical motifs and combine them into a unified symphonic electronic suite.
From a formal point of view, the collaborating artists have decided to seek in Wagner the rudiments of modernism, which first through Mahler, Bruckner, and Debussy, and subsequently through Schöenberg, Berg, and Webern, developed into the core of the jazz music of the sonic experimentalists, such as Miles Davis and Sun Ra, and to upgrade them with the ambient electronic spectrum that has been developing over the last three decades. In addition, the suite will address the history of the 20th century – modernism crossbred with pop art.
4.4. 2012 a movie titeled Iron Sky was released. Laibach in collaboration with Ben Watkins as a co-writer and producer of the score provided soundtrack for Moon Nazi Invasion in Iron Sky.
Official Laibach website: www.laibach.org
Jesus Christ Superstar
Laibach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't understand
Why you let the things you did
Get so out of hand
You'd have managed better
If you'd had it planned
Now why'd you choose such a backward time
If you'd come today
You could have reached the whole nation
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication
Don't you get me wrong
Only want to know
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ
Superstar
Do you think you're what they say you are?
Jesus Christ
Superstar
Do you think you're what they say you are?
Tell me what you think
About your friends at the top
Now who d'you think besides yourself
Was the pick of the crop?
Buddah was he where it's at?
Is he where you are?
Could Muhammmed move a mountain
Or was that just PR?
Did you mean to die like that?
Was that a mistake or
Did you know your messy death
Would be a record breaker?
Laibach’s song Jesus Christ Superstar is a questioning and challenging take on Jesus Christ and his actions. The song’s lyrics begin with questioning why Jesus Christ allowed himself to fail and choose a strange land for his mission. The song also questions whether Jesus would have been more successful if he had come to the present day, as back in Israel in 4 BC, there was no mass communication. The song also critiques Jesus’ followers, asking who among them was the best, besides Jesus himself.
The chorus of the song asks Jesus who he really is, and what he has sacrificed. The label “Jesus Christ Superstar” is used sarcastically, as the song questions Jesus’ authenticity as a savior. The song makes an effort to compare Jesus with other religious leaders such as Buddha and Muhammad, by questioning whether Buddha is where it’s at, and if Muhammad could move a mountain. The song concludes with the question of whether Jesus intended to die in the messy fashion that he did, or if it was just an accident.
Overall, Laibach’s Jesus Christ Superstar is a song that challenges and questions the idea of religion and power, and criticizes the overly glorified image of Jesus Christ.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I look at you
The singer is confused and reflects on his feelings whenever he sees Jesus.
I don't understand
The singer is unable to comprehend Jesus' actions and motives.
Why you let the things you did
The singer wonders why Jesus allowed certain events to unfold.
Get so out of hand
The singer feels that Jesus' actions caused more trouble than what was necessary.
You'd have managed better
The singer thinks Jesus could have done a better job with planning.
If you'd had it planned
The singer believes Jesus could have succeeded if he had a better strategy.
Now why'd you choose such a backward time
The singer questions Jesus' timing for his arrival.
And such a strange land?
The singer wonders why Jesus picked a relatively unknown area to start his mission.
If you'd come today
The singer believes Jesus would be more successful today.
You could have reached the whole nation
The singer thinks modern technology would allow Jesus to spread his message to more people.
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication
The singer points out that the time and place where Jesus arrived didn't support mass communication.
Don't you get me wrong
The singer clarifies that he doesn't mean to criticize Jesus and is just curious.
Only want to know
The singer just wants to understand who Jesus really is and what he stands for.
Jesus Christ/ Superstar
The singer addresses Jesus and emphasizes his importance, calling him a superstar.
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
The singer wants to know more about Jesus' identity and what he has sacrificed to become so famous.
Tell me what you think
The singer asks Jesus for his opinion.
About your friends at the top
The singer inquires about Jesus' relationship with powerful people.
Now who d'you think besides yourself
The singer wants to know who Jesus thinks is the most successful among his friends.
Was the pick of the crop?
The singer questions who truly deserved to be at the top.
Buddah was he where it's at?
The singer asks if other religious figures like Buddha are as influential as Jesus.
Is he where you are?
The singer wants to know if other religious figures exist where Jesus is.
Could Muhammed move a mountain
The singer questions if other religious figures like Muhammed have supernatural abilities.
Or was that just PR?
The singer wonders if these abilities were just for show, to attract followers.
Did you mean to die like that?
The singer asks Jesus if he intended to die in a violent way.
Was that a mistake or
The singer inquires if Jesus' death was unplanned or accidental.
Did you know your messy death
The singer wonders if Jesus was aware that his death would be gruesome and disturbing.
Would be a record breaker?
The singer thinks that Jesus' death would go down in history as a shocking and unprecedented event.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bryan Cooper
This is why I love Laibach.
Don't get me wrong.
Julius Jaxxon
InstaBlaster...
Alistair Boom
@Bryan Cooper Thanks for the kind words, Bryan. The good news is my kids love Laibach as much as me! Rock on, and take care!
Bryan Cooper
@Alistair Boom Be safe.
Read books.
Listen to music.
Be safe, be happy, take care!
Alistair Boom
Ba haha! LMAO Bryan! Cool post!
Bryan Cooper
I cannot believe that I am replying to myself. However, If I must:
Perhaps you do not 'get' me. I understand that.
My CD collection is resting in a land-fill, in Essex.
Music is my life (and film, and books).
My CD collection grows, and Laibach are part of it.
Virginia Hughes
When I'm drunk an om a different country I always blast this song in my ears and dance around on whatever balcony i have access to. Awesome band
MrJemoederopeenstokj
If you like to dance,try setting the speed to x1.4
sZephon
WTF, but yeah i do the same!
Dick Burns
Laibach never ceases to amaze me. No challenge too great. it's just conquered with a self assured majesty.