Some critics say that Rio Reiser created a new image of a German folk singer; he was even called a "Schlager" artist (a genre of German folk music), and a "Volksmusik" musician (sometimes translated as "folk music", but in a literary sense it means music of the people). To other critics, Rio Reiser was simply a singer in a rock band. However, Reiser sometimes approved of being referred to a Volksmusik musician, because he thought that this would simply mean he sang music for the people.
His father was an engineer for Siemens AG, and the family moved several times because of his father's work; they lived in Berlin, Oberbayern, Nürnberg, Mannheim, and Stuttgart. Reiser was never really able to feel at home in any of these places. Many of his friends said, when they were asked in an interview which was broadcast on the TV-channel arte in 1998, that he started playing music to create a place where he felt at home.
Reiser was known by his friends as someone who had a very special mind of his own. For example he managed to persuade his mother Erika Möbius that he was allowed to stop attending school and start an apprenticeship in a studio for photography. She believed that he was an autodidact; he never learned things when he was taught by someone else. Thus he taught himself how to play cello, guitar, the piano and other instruments.
He decided to change his name from Ralph Möbius to Rio Reiser because of the autobiographical novel Anton Reiser by Karl Philipp Moritz. During his teenage years Rio Reiser was a big fan of The Beatles and later of The Rolling Stones.
After he left school, Reiser started as a singer for the rock band The Beat Kings where he met his good friend R.P.S. Lanrue. Later he ended his apprenticeship at the photographic studio and left The Beat Kings, to be able to go to Berlin. In Berlin he composed the first Beat-Opera, which wasn't successful at all.
In 1970 Reiser recorded his first single with the band Ton Steine Scherben. Their original name was actually "Was ich fand, waren Ton, Steine, Scherben". In that same year the group performed their first public concert and recorded their first full length record. Ton Steine Scherben were musically successful, though not commercially.
In 1985 Reiser and the band finally split because of financial reasons. Reiser had a large debt with the group, but his solo career went so well that he was free from debt in a short time. His first solo record-album was called König Von Deutschland ("King of Germany") which was produced by his manager Georges Glueck. Many of his friends from the Ton Steine Scherben-days didn't like the fact that Reiser was suddenly a commercially successful musician.
Rio Reiser was also politically active. He was member of the Die Grünen and later after the German reunification he joined the PDS.
Reiser's sixth and last solo record was Himmel und Hölle (Heaven and Hell). Reiser wrote and performed most of his songs entirely by himself, although he was sometimes accompanied by his long time friend R.P.S. Lanrue.
Rio Reiser died on August 20, 1996 from a circulatory collapse after internal bleedings, probably as a result of a hepatitis C infection, at his home in Fresenhagen.
Arbeitslosenreggae
Rio Reiser Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ich hab'n Wecker, der nicht richtig tickt.
Auf mich wartet keine Arbeit,
keine Stechuhr und kein Meister,
der mich Brötchen holen schickt.
Ich bin einer von vielen. Arbeitslos.
doch meine Chancen sind nicht eben groß,
und ich will auch nicht irgendwas machen,
könnt ihr das nicht verstehen?
Ich will'n Job haben, der mir Spaß macht,
und ich will was dafür sehen.
The lyrics of Rio Reiser's song Arbeitslosenreggae talk about the world of being unemployed. The singer starts by saying that he has a lot of time on his hands, and he has an alarm clock that doesn't work properly. He says that he doesn't have a job to go to, and no supervisor or clock-in system to report to. He muses that he is one among many who are unemployed.
The singer then goes on to say that he could look for a job, but his chances of getting one are slim. He also doesn't want to take any old job. He wants a job that he will enjoy, and for which he will see rewards. He asks if people can understand his perspective.
The song is a commentary on the state of unemployment and the difficulties that people face trying to find fulfilling work. It speaks to the desire for purpose and meaning in one's work and the frustration of being stuck in a situation that doesn't provide either.
Line by Line Meaning
Ich hab jede Menge Zeit,
I have plenty of time on my hands,
ich hab'n Wecker, der nicht richtig tickt.
but my clock is broken, and doesn't keep proper time.
Auf mich wartet keine Arbeit,
There is no job waiting for me,
keine Stechuhr und kein Meister,
no time clock or boss to keep me in check
der mich Brötchen holen schickt.
demanding me to fetch bread
Ich bin einer von vielen. Arbeitslos.
I am part of the many who are unemployed.
Und ich kann mir zwar 'ne Arbeit suchen,
I could certainly look for a job,
doch meine Chancen sind nicht eben groß,
but my prospects aren't that great
und ich will auch nicht irgendwas machen,
and I don’t want to just do anything
könnt ihr das nicht verstehen?
Can't you understand that?
Ich will'n Job haben, der mir Spaß macht,
I want a job that I enjoy doing,
und ich will was dafür sehen.
and I want to be rewarded for it.
Contributed by Joshua D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sonjadietz5297
Ich bin zwar nicht arbeitslos und ich beneide fast jeden arbeitslosen....mit dem Reggae...klasse!
@drogobertdrug6405
Sonja Martens cool Brudi Rauchhaus
@drogobertdrug6405
2 ta