Known to her fans as Der Stille Star (i.e., the Silent Star), Monika Martin… Read Full Bio ↴Known to her fans as Der Stille Star (i.e., the Silent Star), Monika Martin is an Austrian schlager singer with a long track record of hitmaking, going all the way back to her 1996 debut single, "La Luna Blu." Though generally classified as schlager, she can also be considered one of the leading Austrian practioners of volkstьmliche musik, a variant of volksmusik which incorporates contemporary themes and styles rather than the Alpine motifs generally associated with volksmusik. At least three times Martin has competed for the Austrian Grand Prix der Volksmusik ("La Luna Blu," 1996; "Goodbye Farewell," 1998; and "Heute Fьhl Ich Mich Wie Zwanzig," 2006).

Born on May 7, 1962, in Graz, Martin studied solo singing at Kunstuniversitдt Graz (i.e., University of Music and Dramatic Arts) in 1982 and, as a means of financing her studies, sung lead vocals in the tanzband the Heart Breakers from 1986 until 1992. Her band released one album, Dafьr Dank' Ich Dir (1990), billing itself as the Heart Breakers mit Dr. Ilse Bauer. During this period, Martin also studied art history and ethnology, earning her Ph.D. in 1990; from 1990 until 2000 she worked as an art teacher, starting her own ceramics business in Graz in 1994.

In 1995 Martin embarked on her solo singing career, signing to Koch Records and proceeding to release her solo debut, La Luna Blu (1996). The album spawned one of her all-time hits in the title track, which competed for the Grand Prix der Volksmusik, ultimately winning second place among Austrian participants. Martin's second album, Immer Nur Sehnsucht (1997), also put her in the running for the Austrian Grand Prix der Volksmusik, spawning the major hit "Goodbye Farewell." Martin's third album, Klinge Mein Lied (1999), became her most successful to date -- her first to reach gold sales status -- despite not spawning a hit on the level of "La Luna Blu" or "Goodbye Farewell."

Well established as a hitmaker with commercial appeal, Martin retired from teaching in 2000 and began focusing on her singing career full-time. A long string of popular albums resulted, including Mein Liebeslied (2000), Napoli Adieu (2001), Drei Stimmen d'Amour (2001; co-featuring Mara Kayer and Francine Jordi), Mein Gefьhl (2002), Das Beste von Monika Martin (2002), Himmel aus Glas (2003), Eine Liebe Reicht fьr Zwei (2004), Ave Maria: Lieder zur Stillen Zeit (2004), Ein Kleines Glьck (2005), Schmetterling d'Amour (2005), Heute Fьhl' Ich Mich Wie Zwanzig (2006), and Aloha Blue (2007) -- most of which were Top 20, if not Top Ten, hits in Austria and anywhere from Top 50 to Top 100 hits in Germany. Her most popular singles during this period include "Gib Einem Kind Deine Hand" (2000), "Schweige Mein Herz" (2000), "My Love" (2000), "Napoli Adieu" (2001), "Hast Du Heute Schon Gelдchelt" (2002), "Eine Liebe Reicht fьr Zwei" (2004), "Ich Trдum Mich Heute Nacht in Deine Arme" (2005), and "Heute Fьhl Ich Mich Wie Zwanzig" (2006). ~ Jason Birchmeier

Draußen vor der Tür
Monika Martin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ein Kind geht durch die Stadt
mit allem
was es hat.
Allein in dieser kalten Nacht

es kommt von sehr weit her
und merkt den Schnee nicht mehr

der ihm den Weg so endlos macht.
Das Kind sucht einen Mann

es kennt nur seinen Namen
und ein schon verblaátes Bild.
Die Frau
die es grad fragt

sie nickt den Kopf und zeigt
hierher auf unser Namensschild.

Drauáen vor der Tür
steht ein Junge ohne Schuhe im Schnee.
Er will zu dir
er möchte dich wiederseh'n.
Er kommt von weit her
und er sagt
daá du sein Vater bist

er hat dich lange gesucht

weil er dich so vermiát.

Damals warst du jung
und Liebe macht oft blind

ein Feuer
das so schnell erlischt.
Dem Mädchen ging's wie dir

dich hielt nichts mehr bei ihr
und
dann bist du über Nacht entwischt

doch hier ist nun dein Kind

das dich will
deine Liebe.
Ohne sie kommt es nicht aus

den Namen und das Leben hast du ihm gegeben

nun gib ihm auch ein Zuhaus'.

Overall Meaning

The song "Draußen vor der Tür" by Monika Martin tells the emotional story of a child who is wandering through the cold city streets, searching for his father. The child is alone and carrying everything he has with him. Despite the cold weather and the snow-covered streets, the child does not seem to notice the harsh conditions. The child is searching for a man whom he only knows by name and an old, faded photograph.

As the child continues his search, a woman notices him and asks him what he is looking for. The woman recognizes the name of the person the child is searching for and points to a nearby building. The child then goes to the building and stands outside in the snow, waiting for his father to come out. The child is without shoes and seems desperate to find his father.

After a while, the father finally emerges from the building and sees his child waiting outside. The father is shocked to see his child and is reminded of a past love that he had left behind. The song describes the emotions experienced by the father and the child as they are reunited after many years apart. The father is asked to take his child in and to give him a home.

Overall, "Draußen vor der Tür" is a heart-wrenching song about love, loss, and desperation. The lyrics are filled with symbolism and metaphor, reflecting the emotions that both the child and the father are feeling.

Line by Line Meaning

Ein Kind geht durch die Stadt
A child is walking through the town

mit allem was es hat
Carrying everything they have

Allein in dieser kalten Nacht
Alone in this cold night

es kommt von sehr weit her
It comes from very far away

und merkt den Schnee nicht mehr
Unaware of the snow underfoot

der ihm den Weg so endlos macht
The snow makes the road seem endless

Das Kind sucht einen Mann
The child is searching for a man

es kennt nur seinen Namen
It only knows his name

und ein schon verblaßtes Bild.
And a faded picture of him

Die Frau die es grad fragt
The woman who just asked it

sie nickt den Kopf und zeigt
She nods and points