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)
Revolution Ballroom
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Showing us the truth
He sacrificed himself
To purify the roots
He said "Blessed be the one
Who knows my father's name
When the time has come"
I can put my trust in Jesus,
But can he put his trust in me
Do I do my best in service,
Even though no-one can see
I can say that he's my saviour,
And from sin he set me free
I can put my trust in Jesus,
But can he put his trust in me
Revolution ballroom
Bringing light into the dark
Revolution dancehall
Nothing more to day
Revolution ballroom
Like a rainbow shining in the sky
Revolution dancehall
Looking for a better day
The same story happened
On Kumaoni Hill
When Babaji appeared
Shaking our wills
He said "Be fearless and courageous,
cross ice and fire at the funeral pyre"
I can put my trust in Babaji,
But can he put his trust in me
Do I help those who would need me,
Do I really set them free
I can say that he's my guru,
And from death he set me free
I can put my trust in Babaji,
But can he put his trust in me
Revolution ballroom
Bringing light into the dark
Revolution dancehall
Nothing more to day
Revolution ballroom
Like a rainbow shining in the sky
Revolution dancehall
Looking for a better day
We're all the same
Like stars in the night
Let's stop the war
Let's drop the fight
Swim in oceans of love
Instead of blood and tears
'Cause the times are near
Glory Glory Halleluja, Om Namah Shivaya
Glory Glory Halleluja, Om Namah Shivaya
Glory Glory Halleluja, Om Namah Shivaya
Revolution ballroom
Bringing light into the dark
Revolution dancehall
Nothing more to day
Revolution ballroom
Like a rainbow shining in the sky
Revolution dancehall
Looking for a better day
Om Namah Shivaya...
The lyrics of “Revolution Ballroom” by Nina Hagen reflect a longing for spiritual purification and revolution. The song references Jesus and Babaji, both revered for their spiritual teachings and self-sacrifice. The song questions whether the singers themselves are worthy enough to be trusted by their spiritual figures. The lyrics of the song suggests that both Jesus and Babaji have set the singers free from sin and death, however, they must hold up their end of the bargain too. They must live a courageous and selfless life that helps others.
The chorus of the song refers to a revolution ballroom and a revolution dancehall, conveying a sense of communal celebration and activism. The “revolution” in the song’s title isn’t about violence or destruction, but rather a call to dance for a better day. The song implores that we come together as equals, treating each other with love and respect. The end of the song suggests that there is some hope for the future, as the singers sing a phrase in both Christian and Hindu spiritual languages, indicative of harmony and universality.
Line by Line Meaning
When the Lord was in the flesh Showing us the truth He sacrificed himself To purify the roots
Jesus sacrificed himself to save us from our sins.
He said "Blessed be the one Who knows my father's name When the time has come"
Jesus will bless those who truly know God's name.
I can put my trust in Jesus,
But can he put his trust in me
Do I do my best in service,
Even though no-one can see
I can say that he's my saviour,
And from sin he set me free
I can put my trust in Jesus,
But can he put his trust in me
Can Jesus trust that we are truly serving him and following his teachings?
Revolution ballroom
Bringing light into the dark
Revolution dancehall
Nothing more to day
Revolution ballroom
Like a rainbow shining in the sky
Revolution dancehall
Looking for a better day
The revolution of love and peace will bring hope and light into the darkness of the world.
The same story happened
On Kumaoni Hill
When Babaji appeared
Shaking our wills
He said "Be fearless and courageous,
cross ice and fire at the funeral pyre"
Babaji appeared to help people overcome their fears and obstacles in life.
I can put my trust in Babaji,
But can he put his trust in me
Do I help those who would need me,
Do I really set them free
I can say that he's my guru,
And from death he set me free
I can put my trust in Babaji,
But can he put his trust in me
Can Babaji trust that we are truly following his guidance and helping others?
We're all the same
Like stars in the night
Let's stop the war
Let's drop the fight
Swim in oceans of love
Instead of blood and tears
'Cause the times are near
We need to love and accept each other as we are, and put an end to conflicts to achieve a better future.
Glory Glory Halleluja, Om Namah Shivaya
Glory Glory Halleluja, Om Namah Shivaya
Glory Glory Halleluja, Om Namah Shivaya
Praise to God in both Christian and Hindu traditions.
Contributed by Aaliyah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-gq8uq4zr1t
A wonderful bombastic feast of an album by the greatest queen of contemporary avant- guarde rock ! Very little is left standing after this musical ordnance releases its explosive rhythmical compulsions ! Nina has it all and is faithfully exposing it in a relentless forward thrust!....
@enzalouislouisenza9793
un de ses albums préférés!!!🤩🤩🤩
@skiboltskieskye1238
Nina Hagen never disappoints.
@GianlucaColantoni
Wunderbar, I didn't know she sang in italian, what a gift! I Love her since I was a child (mid eighties)!!! I have nearly all of his works, but I didn't had the chance to buy this album back then... and I have a rarity: Nina singing the Musical HAIR in German ;) Thank you so much for posting, grazie baci!
@Myplop
My fave of her albums
@darrenhampton10
❤️🖤💚
@peterbosma3692
Top album!
@mtlamont
Such a wonderful album!
@ninahagenbygilles7599
Oh yes, I love it too.
@kommanderofkaos5843
Классный альбом!!