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.
Gimme Shelter
Rio Reiser Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My very life today
If I don't get no shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away
War, children
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
War, children
Ooh, see the fire is sweepin'
Our very streets today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull, lost its way
War, children
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
War, children
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away (Ohh, Ohhhhh)
I tell you love, sister
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
Love, brother
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away, kiss away, kiss away
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away, kiss away
The lyrics of Rio Reiser's song "Gimmie Shelter" suggest a sense of impending doom and desperation as the singer seeks shelter from an oncoming storm that threatens to end his life. The fear of death is pervasive throughout the song, and the imagery of war and fire evokes a feeling of chaos and destruction. The repeated refrain of "War, children, it's just a shot away" underscores the idea that danger is always looming and that violence could erupt at any moment. However, amidst all this despair, there is a glimmer of hope in the idea that love could be the salvation that saves us all. The line "I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away" suggests that in spite of all the chaos and destruction surrounding us, love is still within our reach and could help us find the shelter we need to weather the storm.
One possible interpretation of the lyrics is that they reflect the feeling of disillusionment and fear that was prevalent during the Vietnam War era. The image of a storm threatening one's life could be seen as a metaphor for the sense of danger that people felt during this time, as the country was torn apart by conflict and unrest. The repeated refrain of "War, children, it's just a shot away" could also be interpreted as a commentary on the futility of war and the senseless loss of life that it brings.
Overall, "Gimmie Shelter" is a powerful song that captures the sense of chaos and desperation that can arise in times of turmoil. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and that love may be the key to survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, a storm is threatnin'
There is an imminent danger that threatens my life
My very life today
The danger is real and immediate
If I don't get no shelter
If I don't find protection from the danger
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away
My life will fade away and I will die
War, children
Violence and conflict, oh young ones
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
The violence is very close and can happen at any moment
Ooh, see the fire is sweepin'
There is an unstoppable fire that is spreading
Our very streets today
The fire is affecting our communities and homes
Burns like a red coal carpet
The fire is intense and all-consuming like a red-hot carpet
Mad bull, lost its way
The situation is chaotic and out of control
I tell you love, sister
I speak to you about love, my sister
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
Love and connection are within reach if we choose to pursue them
Love, brother
Love is for all, my brother
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
Love and connection are within reach if we choose to pursue them
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
Love and connection are within reach if we choose to pursue them
It's just a kiss away, kiss away, kiss away
We must move towards love and connection to find peace and safety
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
Love and connection are within reach if we choose to pursue them
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away, kiss away
We must move towards love and connection to find peace and safety
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LarsK1310
Besser als das Original. Rio Reiser war der beste Rockmusiker den Deutschland je hatte.
Kosakentiger Disko
@Andre Meinert - das Rio selbst es anders gesehen hätte, dem stimme ich vorbehaltlos zu. Das diese Aussage unter einem Stones-Cover steht, welches wahrlich nicht zu Rios besten Songs gehört, unterstreicht diese Aussage noch. Zumal die Piano II zumindest zum Teil unter der Rubrik Resteverwertung abgehakt werden kann.
Ganz falsch ist die Aussage aber nicht. Die Scherben haben 5 sehr unterschiedliche LPs herausgebracht, die jede auf ihre Art einflussreich war. Die für Scherben-Fans sehr ungewohnte Schwarze (IV) gehört allemal dazu. Rios Anteil als Sänger ist dabei erheblich. Ich habe etwas gegen die Kategorie "der Beste". Müsste ich einen Sänger in Deutschland benennen, käme ich vermutlich als Gesamtpaket auch auf diese Wahl. Ich habe ihn übrigens 3x live gesehen.
Andre Meinert
Gewagte Aussage und leider falsch,hätte auch Rio nie so gesehen...
Damian Grünefeld
Rio 🖤