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)
Stacheldraht
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
wenn es donnert, wenn es blitzt, wenn es richtig sprizt
liebe, triebe, hiebe, diebe der liebe doch das geht zu weit,
das tut dir noch leid, du tust mir ja so weh, ja, wenn ich dich so seh,
wie du dich in den teufel verwandelst, wenn du mich so behandelst
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner toten hose
du sagst, du anderst deine telefonnummer,
wenn ich nich' aufhor' bei dir anzurufen
du hast keine lust und dein ganzer frust, den kippste ueber mich,
denn du liebst mich nict, du bist nich auf mich erpicht
aber hab' mal keine angst, ich tu was du verlangst,
ich lass dich f-r immer in ruhe!
ja, das ist's was ich tue, du hast ja
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner toten hose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner toten hose
deine bloede masche mit deiner wodkaflasche
und deine olle glotze, die ist jetzt dine neue
so zieh' doch nach tirol zu deinem onkel alkohol,
what happened to your soul and your sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll
[the above line was altered by me...CD sleeve says "your soul and to your rock & roll, but the song sounds different.]
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner toten hose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner toten hose...
The lyrics of Nina Hagen's song "Stacheldraht" reflect a turbulent relationship that has lost its magic and passion. The singer expresses how she feels happy when there is a big fight, when there is thunder and lightning, and things truly explode. She talks about the pain that she goes through when the person she loves turns into the devil and hurts her with their actions. The lyrics also mention that the person has figurative barbed wire in their underwear, which may represent emotional baggage or a defensive mechanism. The chorus repeats this imagery of barbed wire, emphasizing the idea of feeling hurt and trapped in the relationship.
The second stanza describes how the other person is trying to distance themselves from the singer by changing their phone number and showing little interest in keeping the relationship going. The singer, however, is willing to do whatever it takes to make the person happy and finally leave her alone. The lyrics suggest that the person may have turned to alcohol and television as a way of numbing their pain and escaping reality. The song ends with the singer repeating the chorus, reinforcing the idea that the relationship is painful and hopeless.
Overall, "Stacheldraht" is a raw and emotional depiction of a dysfunctional relationship that has lost its spark. The lyrics express a mix of anger, despair, and longing for something that is no longer there. The song is a reminder of the complexities that can arise in love and how difficult it can be to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
was mich so gluecklich macht, ist wenn's endlich richtig kracht, wenn es donnert, wenn es blitzt, wenn es richtig sprizt liebe, triebe, hiebe, diebe der liebe doch das geht zu weit, das tut dir noch leid, du tust mir ja so weh, ja, wenn ich dich so seh, wie du dich in den teufel verwandelst, wenn du mich so behandelst
I am happy when there is chaos and excitement, but even the extremes of love and passion can become harmful. You hurt me with your behavior and transform into a devil when you treat me poorly.
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
You protect yourself from getting too close to me, pushing me away with thorny barriers.
du sagst, du anderst deine telefonnummer, wenn ich nich' aufhor' bei dir anzurufen du hast keine lust und dein ganzer frust, den kippste ueber mich, denn du liebst mich nict, du bist nich auf mich erpicht aber hab' mal keine angst, ich tu was du verlangst, ich lass dich f-r immer in ruhe! ja, das ist's was ich tue, du hast ja
You try to distance yourself from me by changing your phone number and projecting all your frustration onto me. Even though you don't love me or want me around, I promise to leave you alone if that's what you want.
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
You still have thorny defenses in place to keep me away, even though I have assured you that I will respect your wishes and give you space.
deine bloede masche mit deiner wodkaflasche und deine olle glotze, die ist jetzt dine neue so zieh' doch nach tirol zu deinem onkel alkohol, what happened to your soul and your sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll
You engage in self-destructive behaviors, seeking comfort in alcohol and TV instead of the things you used to love. You should go live with your uncle alcohol in Tirol and think about what has happened to your former passion and rebellion.
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner unterhose
Even though I am suggesting you find clarity and rethink your choices, you still keep your defenses up, preventing any emotional connection with me.
du hast ja stacheldraht, stacheldraht in deiner toten hose
Your protective thorns are keeping you isolated and emotionally 'dead'.
Contributed by Joseph N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
J C
Thank you so much for making this available to us
nina blady
Mag alle lieder der cd