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)
Springtime in Paris
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The couples are ready, well, into this steady
But when you don't love me today, hey oh,
You'll have to love me later anyway, anyway
Love, Love is the one thing, aha, aha, the soul's treasure
Un croissant pour moi, un petit boulangerie
Donne-moi un cafe' au lait, garcon, c'est mon cheri
Bonsoir Madame Catherine Deneuvre
Bonsoir Monseiur Truffaut
Voulez, voulez-vous un Picasso
Ou coucher avec Brigette Bardot?
Springtime in Paris, again and again
The couples are ready, well, into this steady
But when you show too much devotion
You may drown in the Ocean of Emotion
You'll have to make your own choice;
Just listen to your Inner Voice!
Un croissant pour moi, un petit boulangerie
Donne-moi un cafe' au lait, garcon, c'est mon cheri
Donne-moi un croissant amandine
Bonsoir Madame Catherine Deneuvre
Bonsoir Monseiur Truffaut
Voulez, voulez-vous un Picasso
Ou coucher avec Brigette Bardot?
Un croissant pour moi, un petit boulangerie
Donne-moi un cafe' au lait, garcon, c'est mon cheri
Donne-moi un croissant amandine
Bonsoir Madame Catherine Deneuvre
Bonsoir Monseiur Truffaut
Voulez, voulez-vous un Picasso
Ou coucher avec Brigette Bardot?
Un croissant pour moi, un petit boulangerie
Donne-moi un cafe' au lait, garcon, c'est mon cheri
Donne-moi un croissant amandine
Bonsoir Madame Catherine Deneuvre
Bonsoir Monseiur Truffaut
Voulez, voulez-vous un Picasso
Ou coucher avec Brigette Bardot?
The opening line of Nina Hagen's Springtime in Paris has a pleasant and romantic feel to it. The repetition of 'again and again,' paired with the image of couples ready and in a steady rhythm, hints at the excitement and anticipation of love in springtime. However, the song's tone takes a turn when Hagen brings up the possibility of unrequited love or delayed affection. She sings, "But when you don't love me today, You'll have to love me later anyway." This line underscores how love can sometimes be unpredictable, but ultimately will find its way.
Hagen then takes the listener on a tour of Paris, painting images of a boulangerie (bakery) where she has her tried and true French breakfast (croissant, cafe au lait, and amandine), along with namedropping famous French personalities Catherine Deneuve, Francois Truffaut, and offering the choice between a Picasso or sleeping with Brigitte Bardot. This whimsical and playful nod to French culture elevates the song beyond a straightforward love ballad, into a celebration of life's pleasures.
Finally, Hagen crescendos to the song's last line, "You'll have to make your own choice, Just listen to your Inner Voice," a reminder to trust one's instincts and heart when it comes to love. Overall, Springtime in Paris is a song about love, adventure and celebration of life's pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
Springtime in Paris, again and again
The recurring feeling of hope and excitement that arrives with the coming of spring in Paris
The couples are ready, well, into this steady
People in love are eager and prepared for this season of possibility and renewal
But when you don't love me today, hey oh,
When love is not reciprocated, it can feel disappointing and heart-wrenching
You'll have to love me later anyway, anyway
But eventually, love will come, whether it be with someone new or the same person in the future
Love, Love is the one thing, aha, aha, the soul's treasure
True love is the most valuable and fulfilling experience a person can have in life
Un croissant pour moi, un petit boulangerie
A classic French breakfast of a croissant from a small bakery
Donne-moi un cafe' au lait, garcon, c'est mon cheri
Ordering a café au lait from a waiter, who is addressed by a term of endearment
Donne-moi un croissant amandine
Asking for a specific type of croissant, which has an almond flavor
Bonsoir Madame Catherine Deneuve
Greeting the famous French actress Catherine Deneuve in the evening
Bonsoir Monsieur Truffaut
Also saying hello to the celebrated film director François Truffaut
Voulez, voulez-vous un Picasso
Asking if someone would like to see a painting by the great artist
Ou coucher avec Brigitte Bardot?
Or if they would rather spend the night with the iconic actress Brigitte Bardot
But when you show too much devotion
Sometimes, giving too much of yourself in a relationship leads to being consumed by intense emotions
You may drown in the Ocean of Emotion
One can get lost in the tumultuous waters of love if they are not careful
You'll have to make your own choice;
Ultimately, it is up to oneself to decide how to navigate the complexities of love
Just listen to your Inner Voice!
The best guide when it comes to matters of the heart is the voice within oneself
Contributed by Kaelyn M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Homoholic
I hated 'Nunsexmonkrock' when I first heard it on the Polish radio (I like it now), but I loved this album right away. One of my all-time favorite albums.