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

Fremder Mann
Monika Martin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nur zwei Schritte, zwei, drei Schritte trennen mich von Dir.
Doch was hilft es, ja was hilft es, denn Du tanzt mit ihr.
Oh warum kann ich nicht die and're sein?
Warum muß ich hier ganz im Geheimen träumen?

Fremder Mann, schau' mich an, Du bist schuld daran.
Schuld daran, fremder Mann, daß ich nicht schlafen kann.
Darum glaub' mir: Ich will bei Dir sein,

mach' es mir nicht so schwer.
Du, Du bist für mich längst kein fremder Mann mehr.

Schon seit Tagen, vielen Tagen, bin ich nicht mehr ich.
Du wohnst drüben, Nummer sieben, und oft seh' ich Dich.
Du stehst am Fenster, wie zum greifen nah,
und ich möcht' Dir nur zu gern' mein Leben geben.

Fremder Mann, schau' mich an, Du bist schuld daran.
Schuld daran, fremder Mann, daß ich nicht schlafen kann.
Darum glaub' mir: Ich will bei Dir sein,
mach' es mir nicht so schwer.
Du, Du bist für mich längst kein fremder Mann mehr.

Ich will bei Dir sein,

mach' es mir nicht so schwer.
Du, Du bist für mich längst kein fremder Mann mehr.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Monika Martin's song "Fremder Mann" tell the story of the singer's secret infatuation with a man who she sees frequently but does not know. She describes how she is only two or three steps away from him, but he is dancing with another woman, leaving her to dream of being the one he pays attention to. She wonders why she cannot be the other woman and why she is forced to keep her feelings hidden.

The chorus of the song reveals her frustration with the situation, blaming the "fremder Mann" (stranger) for her inability to sleep and begging him to make it easier for her to be with him. She admits that he is no longer a stranger to her and pleads with him to notice her and make her dreams come true.

Overall, the song is a poignant and emotional exploration of unrequited love and the pain of yearning for someone who does not feel the same way. It highlights the difficulty of keeping feelings hidden and the hope that things will eventually work out in the end.

Line by Line Meaning

Nur zwei Schritte, zwei, drei Schritte trennen mich von Dir.
I am so close to you, just a few steps away, but it doesn't matter because you are dancing with someone else.

Doch was hilft es, ja was hilft es, denn Du tanzt mit ihr.
Even though we are close, it doesn't change the fact that you are dancing with someone else and not with me.

Oh warum kann ich nicht die and're sein?
I wish I could be the one dancing with you instead of watching you dance with someone else.

Warum muß ich hier ganz im Geheimen träumen?
Why do I have to dream about you secretly? Why can't I express my feelings and be with you?

Fremder Mann, schau' mich an, Du bist schuld daran.
You are the reason why I can't sleep at night, stranger man. Look at me and see what you have done.

Schuld daran, fremder Mann, daß ich nicht schlafen kann.
You are to blame for my sleepless nights, stranger man.

Darum glaub' mir: Ich will bei Dir sein,
Believe me when I say that I want to be with you.

mach' es mir nicht so schwer.
Don't make it so hard for me to be with you.

Du, Du bist für mich längst kein fremder Mann mehr.
You are no longer a stranger to me, you are someone I care about deeply.

Schon seit Tagen, vielen Tagen, bin ich nicht mehr ich.
For many days now, I have not been myself because I am consumed by thoughts of you.

Du wohnst drüben, Nummer sieben, und oft seh' ich Dich.
You live over there, number seven, and I often see you from afar.

Du stehst am Fenster, wie zum greifen nah,
Sometimes I see you standing by the window, and I feel like I could almost touch you.

und ich möcht' Dir nur zu gern' mein Leben geben.
I want to give you my life, to be with you and make you happy.

Ich will bei Dir sein,
I want to be with you.

mach' es mir nicht so schwer.
Don't make it so hard for me to be with you.

Du, Du bist für mich längst kein fremder Mann mehr.
You are no longer a stranger to me, you are someone I care about deeply.

Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.