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)
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You say "neither" I say "neither"
"Either" "either", "neither" "neither"
Let's call the whole thing off
You say "potato," I say "patattah"
You say "tomato", I say "creole tomata"
Oh, let's call the whole thing off
Oh, if we call the whole thing off
If we ever part, that would break my heart
So, I say "ursta" you say "oyster"
I'm not gonna stop eatin' urstas just cause you say oyster,
Oh, let's call the whole thing off
Oh, I say "pajamas", you say "pajamas"
Sugar, what's the problem?
Oh, for we know we need each other so
We'd better call the calling off off
So let's call it off, oh let's call it off
Oh, let's call it off, baby let's call it off
Sugar why don't we call it off,
I'm talking baby why call it off
Call it off¡¬
Let's call the whole thing off
The lyrics of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" by Nina Hagen is a playful conversation between lovers or partners using different accents and pronunciations of the same words, which creates misunderstandings, disagreements, and differences between them. The song is about the conflicts and compromises that partners in a relationship must make to understand and accept each other's differences and preferences.
The first part of the song highlights the differences in the way they pronounce either and neither, which causes confusion and conflict between them. The second verse focuses on different pronunciations of potato, tomato, and pajamas, which further emphasizes the divide between the two. However, the chorus reminds the listeners that despite their differences, they must call off any plans to part ways, as they need each other.
The third verse is the most significant part of the song, where the singer argues that just because their partner has a different pronunciation for oysters or urstas, they won't stop eating them. Here, the singer is trying to convince their partner that they should be allowed to keep their individual preferences in food, practices, or customs, and not change themselves or their way of life for their partner.
In conclusion, the song is a playful representation of the conflicts and differences in a relationship but ultimately highlights the importance of acceptance, understanding, and compromise.
Line by Line Meaning
You say "either" and I say "either"
We have a slight difference in pronunciation, but it doesn't matter.
You say "neither" I say "neither"
We have a slight difference in pronunciation, but it doesn't matter.
"Either" "either", "neither" "neither"
We have a few pronunciation differences, but it doesn't affect our relationship.
Let's call the whole thing off
Let's not worry about our minor differences in pronunciation and move past them.
You say "potato," I say "patattah"
You say potato one way, I say it another, but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.
You say "tomato", I say "creole tomata"
We have another minor pronunciation difference but it doesn't have a significant impact on our relationship.
Oh, let's call the whole thing off
Let's not let our slight differences drive a wedge between us.
Oh, if we call the whole thing off
If we get too hung up on our pronunciation we might have to end our relationship.
Then we must part and oh
If our objections go beyond this minor issue, we may need to end our relationship.
If we ever part, that would break my heart
Ending our relationship would cause me great pain and sadness.
So, I say "ursta" you say "oyster"
We have another difference in pronunciation, this time with the word oyster, but it's not a big deal.
I'm not gonna stop eatin' urstas just cause you say oyster,
I'm not going to let pronunciation differences control my actions or eating habits.
Oh, let's call the whole thing off
Let's avoid letting tiny differences like this come between us - it's just not worth it.
Oh, I say "pajamas", you say "pajamas"
We finally agree on the pronunciation of a word - pajamas!
Sugar, what's the problem?
This issue seems to be resolved, why are we still concerned?
Oh, for we know we need each other so
In the grand scheme of things, our relationship is far more important than minor pronunciation differences.
We'd better call the calling off off
We need to avoid ending our relationship - it's more important than these pronunciation differences.
So let's call it off, oh let's call it off
Let's put this argument behind and move forward with our relationship.
Oh, let's call it off, baby let's call it off
We've both had enough of this dispute - let's let it go.
Sugar why don't we call it off,
Why are we still talking about this argument? Let's just move on.
I'm talking baby why call it off
Why should we end our relationship because of minor differences? Let's not.
Call it off
Let's put this argument to rest and not let it linger any longer.
Let's call the whole thing off
Overall, let's not get too caught up in tiny differences and let them come between us.
Contributed by Tyler K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.