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.
Du Bist Es
Rio Reiser Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Der Donner und die letzte Flut.
Du bist der Neid, der Suff, die Menge,
Das Wunder und das ruhige Blut.
Du bist das Meer, der Wind, die Stille,
Die Trauer und mein Untergang.
Du bist der Schmerz, das Herz, der Wille
Das Ende und sein Neuanfang.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
dem Mond und den Sternen
weiter durch das All.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
dem Mond und den Sternen
weiter durch das All.
Du bist die Angst, die Scham, die Reue,
der Jammer und die nackte Not.
Du bist der Haß, die Wut, die Treue,
die Sterne und das Morgenrot.
Du bist der Zorn, der Stolz, das Ende,
der Hammer und der Schlag ans Kinn.
Du bist der Tritt, der Spaß, die Hände,
das Reden und sein Widersinn.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
dem Mond und den Sternen
weiter durch das All.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
dem Mond und den Sternen
weiter durch das All.
Du bist die Sucht, der Müll, die Tonne,
die Hölle und der Pferdefuß.
Du bist die Nacht, das Eis, die Sonne,
die Rose und der Abschiedskuß.
Du bist der Geist, das Fleisch, das Schlaue,
der Teufel und das ewige Licht.
Du bist das Nichts, die Schrift, das Blaue,
der Engel und das As, das sticht.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
dem Mond und den Sternen
weiter durch das All.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
dem Mond und den Sternen
weiter durch das All.
The lyrics to Rio Reiser's song "Du bist es" are poetic and metaphorical. The song explores the idea that a person can be many contradictory things at once, including both positive and negative aspects. In the first verse, the person is described as both a storm and a calm presence, both the source of chaos and the one who brings peace. The second verse further emphasizes this duality, portraying the person as both the cause of pain and the source of joy. The chorus emphasizes that this person is constantly in motion, always rolling with the sun, moon, and stars through the universe.
The third verse continues this pattern of contrasts, describing the person as both garbage and a rose, night and day, and both nothing and everything. The final line of the song tells us that this person is also like a sharp blade that pierces. Overall, the lyrics to "Du bist es" celebrate the complexity of human nature and suggest that even our contradictions and flaws are part of what makes us unique and valuable.
Line by Line Meaning
Du bist der Sturm, der Drang, die Enge,
You represent the storm, the urge, and the constriction;
Der Donner und die letzte Flut.
your influence is that of thunder and the final tidal wave.
Du bist der Neid, der Suff, die Menge,
You symbolize envy, drunkenness, and the crowd;
Das Wunder und das ruhige Blut.
the wondrous and peaceful blood.
Du bist das Meer, der Wind, die Stille,
You embody the sea, the wind, and silence;
Die Trauer und mein Untergang.
as well as sorrow and my downfall.
Du bist der Schmerz, das Herz, der Wille
You are pain, heart, and willpower;
Das Ende und sein Neuanfang.
the end and its beginning anew.
Du bist die Angst, die Scham, die Reue,
You embody fear, shame, and regret;
der Jammer und die nackte Not.
as well as misery and bare necessity.
Du bist der Haß, die Wut, die Treue,
You symbolize hatred, anger, and loyalty;
die Sterne und das Morgenrot.
as well as the stars and the sunrise.
Du bist der Zorn, der Stolz, das Ende,
You represent wrath, pride, and the end;
der Hammer und der Schlag ans Kinn.
the hammer and the punch to the chin.
Du bist der Tritt, der Spaß, die Hände,
You embody the kick, the fun, and the hands;
das Reden und sein Widersinn.
as well as speech and its absurdity.
Du bist die Sucht, der Müll, die Tonne,
You represent addiction, garbage, and trash cans;
die Hölle und der Pferdefuß.
as well as hell and the devil's hoof.
Du bist die Nacht, das Eis, die Sonne,
You embody the night, ice, and the sun;
die Rose und der Abschiedskuß.
as well as the rose and the farewell kiss.
Du bist der Geist, das Fleisch, das Schlaue,
You represent the spirit, the flesh, and the wits;
der Teufel und das ewige Licht.
as well as the devil and eternal light.
Du bist das Nichts, die Schrift, das Blaue,
You embody nothingness, writing, and blue;
der Engel und das As, das sticht.
as well as the angel and the stabbing ace.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
And you roll with the sun,
dem Mond und den Sternen
the moon and the stars,
weiter durch das All.
always moving through the universe.
Und du rollst mit der Sonne,
And you roll with the sun,
dem Mond und den Sternen
the moon and the stars,
weiter durch das All.
always moving through the universe.
Contributed by Grayson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.