From 1972 to 1973, Hagen enrolled in the crash-course performance program at The Central Studio for Light Music in East Berlin. Upon graduation, she joined the band Automobil (picture), which released a well-received album in Germany, including her first hit "Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen" in 1974.
After a concert for a West German labour union in 1976 her stepfather, Wolf Biermann, was forbidden to return to the GDR. Because of their protests against it her mother, Eva-Maria Hagen and Nina were thrown out of GDR in 1977, and followed Biermann to his hometown Hamburg.
Nina subsequently met West-Berlin photographer Jim Rakete (who also produced some bands he shot the cover-photos for - like "Nena" some years later). He brought Nina together with the politically left-wing band "Lokomotive Kreuzberg" (later known as "Spliff"): thus the "Nina Hagen Band" was born.
In 1978 The Nina Hagen Band released their self-titled debut album, which included titles like "TV-Glotzer" (a cover of "White Punks on Dope" by The Tubes) and "Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo".
According to reviewer Fritz Rumler, she thrusts herself into the music, aggressively, directly, furiously, roars in the most beautiful operatic alto, then, through shrieks and squeals, precipitates herself into luminous soprano heights... she parodies, satirises, and howls on stage like a dervish.
Nina Hagen's eccentricity led to big disputes in the band and during a subsequent European tour Hagen decided to leave the band, though she was still under contract to produce a second album in 1979. This LP, Unbehagen (in addition to the obvious pun on her name, in German this also means 'discomfort' or 'unease'), was eventually produced with the band recording their tracks in Berlin and Hagen recording the vocals in Los Angeles, California. It included the single "African Reggae"/"Wir leben immer... noch" (a cover of Lene Lovich's "Lucky Number"). The headless Nina Hagen Band soon developed a successful independent musical career as Spliff.
Meanwhile, Hagen's public persona was steadily creating an increasing media uproar and she became infamous for an appearance on an Austrian talk show called Club 2, in which she performed an explicit simulation of masturbation. She also acted with Dutch sex-drugs-and-rock-'n'-roll legend Herman Brood in the movie Cha Cha, along with Lene Lovich and various Dutch bands.
An European tour with a new band in 1980 was cancelled, she had a love affair with a 16 year old punk from Amsterdam called Noddy (www.noddyriot.co.uk) and sang a RHCP rapduet with him at the OneWorldPoetry festival at the MilkyWay and lived with him in New York and in the Bahamas.
In 1982 her first solo album NunSexMonkRock, a dissonant mix of punk, funk and opera, was a minor hit, and led to a world tour with the No Problem Orchestra.
In 1983 came the album Angstlos and a minor European tour. By this time, Hagen's public appearances were becoming even stranger; over the years they frequently included discussions of God, UFOs, her social and political beliefs, animal rights / vivisection and claims of alien sightings. The English version of Angstlos, 'Fearless', generated two major club hits in America , "Zarah" and the disco/punk/opera classic, "New York New York".
1985's 'Nina Hagen In Ekstasy' fared less well, but it did generate club hits with "Universal Radio" and a cover of "Spirit In The Sky", and it also featured her hardcore punk take on Frank Sinatra's "My Way", which had been one of her signature live tunes in previous years. Her contract with CBS over, she released the Punk Wedding EP independently in 1987, a celebration of her marriage to an 18-year old punk. It followed an independent 1986 one-off single with Lene Lovich, the anthemic "Don't Kill The Animals".
In 1989 Hagen released the album Nina Hagen which was backed up by another German tour. Now living in Paris with her daughter Cosma Shiva, in 1991 she toured Europe in support of her new album Street.
In 1992 Hagen became the host of a TV show on RTLplus. The following year she released Revolution Ballroom and two years later the German-language album Freud Euch appeared, recorded in English as Beehappy in 1996. Also in 1996, Hagen collaborated with electronic music composer Christopher Franke on "Alchemy of Love", the theme song for the Tenchi Universe movie Tenchi Muyo! in Love.
In 1998, Hagen became the host of a weekly science fiction show on the British Sci-Fi-Channel, in addition to embarking on another tour of Germany. In 1999, she released the devotional album Om Namah Shivay, which was distributed exclusively online. She also sang "Witness" on KMFDM's Adios.
Nina has a strong interest in various religions, but that is mainly driven by her urge to build a better world and her own colorful freedom within it.
In 2000, her song Schön ist die Welt became the official song of Expo 2000. The album The Return of the Mother was released in February 2001, accompanied by another German tour.
Hagen dubbed the voice of Sally in the German release of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and she also did some voice work in Hot Dogs by Michael Schoemann.
Hagen has been featured on many songs by other bands, for instance Oomph!'s song Fieber, a cover of Rammstein's "Seemann" with Apocalyptica and in 2008 appeared readily on psy-trance act S.U.N. Project's X Black Album, most notably on the fully vocal track We're In Space. She also sang the song "Garota de Berlim" with Brazilian singer Supla in her early years.
Her two children are Cosma Shiva and Otis.
URLs:
BEST archive for Nina Hagen pictures and stuff (regrettably just in German), incl. very old GDR pics like a beautiful one at the age of 18 and one shot by the "Stasi" (together with her stepfather Wolf Biermann - wiki)
Barbed Wire
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is that everything's the way it should be
Freedom, true love, new love, do love, love making love, right back to you
Now don't be blue, just try to be true
True to yourself, 'cause you're so smart
And we all know what drove us apart was all that
Barbed wire all around your heart [Repeat x3]
You said you're changing your telephone number
If I don't stop calling you, you don't wanna hear
You want me out of your life forever
Well I think that's great, now I'll have to learn to love you
Like I love God, like other ones that I've loved
You must not fear, but I'm always here, and now it's clear
You don't want me, you want your anonymous programs
Barbed wire around your heart
Barbed wire all around your heart [Repeat x3]
The rude boy loves the rude girl then leaves her crying for more,
Just rapes her and makes her feel like a whore
First ecstasy and unity then misery and cruelty
But look who's having problems with the program
A.A., once an addict, always verdict
Evil brainwash therapy for alcoholics
They go there ever day and make the good thing go away
They keep up their sobriety for that's what they make them fear
But Jesus is no part of it, Bill kicked him off the program
Babaji you don't really seek, you think he's just a geek
You hate me now with all your guts
You think I'm the one who was nuts
Well wait and see and go, go on with your program
You think I'm evil and bad, but I'm only human
My love for you complete is great, you think it's an obsession
You really are my sweetest treasure,
But I will not enter your evil paradise, don't worry! You've got
Barbed wire all around your heart
Barbed wire all around your heart
Barbed wire around your heart
Barbed wire all around your heart
"Barbed Wire" by Nina Hagen is a song about love and rejection. Hagen sings about the pain of trying to win back someone's love and the idea that they have built up barriers around their heart that prevent them from letting her in. However, the song is also about Hagen's own self-discovery and realization that she needs to be true to herself regardless of the opinions of others.
The song begins with Hagen talking about how everything feels right and in place. She talks about freedom, true love, new love, and love-making, but then she interrupts that flow with the line, "Now don't be blue, just try to be true. True to yourself, 'cause you're so smart." The chorus then comes in to underscore the point that the person has constructed barriers around their heart to keep her out.
The second verse begins with Hagen speaking directly to the person she is trying to win back. She talks about how the person has asked her to leave and that they want her out of their life forever. Hagen responds by saying that she will have to learn to love them in the same way that she loves other things, but she emphasizes that she will not enter their "evil paradise."
Overall, "Barbed Wire" is a complicated song that deals with love, rejection, and self-discovery. It is an intense and emotional song that highlights the complexity of relationships and the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
What makes me feel so good
The feeling of everything being perfect and in its place is what makes me content.
Is that everything's the way it should be
Everything is going according to plan, and I feel fulfilled.
Freedom, true love, new love, do love, love making love, right back to you
I have been blessed with love in various forms - love that gives me a sense of freedom, new love, love that helps me to make love to myself, and love that I give back to you.
Now don't be blue, just try to be true
Don't be low, try to remain true to your principles.
True to yourself, 'cause you're so smart
Being genuine to oneself is crucial as you're intelligent.
And we all know what drove us apart was all that
We're all aware that all those things created a rift between us.
Barbed wire all around your heart [Repeat x3]
The singer feels that the individual has built protective barriers around their emotions, much like barbed wire fencing.
You said you're changing your telephone number
You conveyed to me that you will be changing your contact number.
If I don't stop calling you, you don't wanna hear
You implied that you do not wish to hear from me if I continue to call you.
You want me out of your life forever
You desire me to be out of your life for eternity.
Well I think that's great, now I'll have to learn to love you
The singer thinks that the decision is excellent and must now learn to love the individual in a new way.
Like I love God, like other ones that I've loved
The artist intends to love the individual with divine love, similar to how they have loved other people.
You must not fear, but I'm always here, and now it's clear
The individual should not be afraid as the singer will always be there for them, and now this is evident.
You don't want me, you want your anonymous programs
You do not want the singer's love but instead want to remain a part of your anonymous program.
The rude boy loves the rude girl then leaves her crying for more,
The impolite male loves the impolite female and then leaves her wanting more.
Just rapes her and makes her feel like a whore
He violates her and makes her feel cheap.
First ecstasy and unity then misery and cruelty
The relationship began with joy and harmony but then devolved into pain and cruelty.
But look who's having problems with the program
The individual who wants the singer out of their lives now has program issues.
A.A., once an addict, always verdict
A.A. delivers a life sentence for those who have struggled with addiction.
Evil brainwash therapy for alcoholics
The therapy used to help alcoholics is deemed wicked and brainwashing.
They go there ever day and make the good thing go away
Individuals attend sessions regularly and cause themselves to feel worse.
They keep up their sobriety for that's what they make them fear
They maintain their sobriety because of the fear instilled in them by the program.
But Jesus is no part of it, Bill kicked him off the program
Jesus is not a part of the program anymore, as Bill removed him from it.
Babaji you don't really seek, you think he's just a geek
The individual seems to not have a genuine interest in seeking Babaji as they regard him as a geek.
You hate me now with all your guts
You currently despise me with every fiber of your being.
You think I'm the one who was nuts
You believe that the singer is the one who is foolish.
Well wait and see and go, go on with your program
You should wait and see what happens while continuing with your program.
You think I'm evil and bad, but I'm only human
You consider me to be wicked and vile, but I am human after all.
My love for you complete is great, you think it's an obsession
The artist's unconditional love for the individual is vast, but they perceive it to be an obsession.
You really are my sweetest treasure,
You are the singer's most valued possession.
But I will not enter your evil paradise, don't worry! You've got
The singer will not enter the individual's wicked paradise, as they have built walls around their heart like barbed wire.
Barbed wire all around your heart
The individual's heart is well-protected from any intruders.
Barbed wire all around your heart
The individual's heart is well-protected from any intruders.
Barbed wire around your heart
The individual's heart is surrounded by walls, like barbed wire.
Barbed wire all around your heart
The individual's heart is well-guarded from any external influences.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J C
I wish this arrangement with the German lyrics existed, that would be the best one