Stefan Raab became popular as the host of the comedy show Vivasion for the German music TV channel VIVA in 1996. Since 1999 he has hosted his own show TV total on the channel ProSieben. While TV total started as a comedy format, it soon turned into a late night show with musical performances, remotely similar to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Raab's often sarcastic comments on a number of German celebrities even led to rapper Moses Pelham breaking Raab's nose in 1997.
He wrote the music for the German entry in the Eurovision Song Contest of 1998, Guildo Horn's Guildo hat Euch Lieb, and in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 he performed himself with the nonsense song Wadde Hadde Dudde Da (What do you have there). Other famous songs include Maschendrahtzaun, Gebt das Hanf frei! (Legalize cannabis, featuring Shaggy) and Wir kiffen (We smoke weed).
Raab cast the German entry for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest on his show in a competition he called SSDSGPS (Stefan sucht den Super-Grand-Prix-Star, Stefan seeks the super Grand-Prix star). The winner of this casting, Maximilian Mutzke, came in 8th place.
Bored with the Eurovision Song Contest, Raab came up with the Bundesvision Song Contest in 2005 (Germany officially being the Bundesrepublik Deutschland). The contest featured representatives from each of the 16 states of Germany (Bundesländer) and stipulated that their song had to be (at least partly) in German. The first contest in 2005 was won by the band Juli from Hessen, followed by Seeed from Berlin in 2006.
He is an autodidact, playing various instruments, such as piano, drums, guitar, ukulele, bass and some wind instruments.
Eurovision Song Contest 2000 - Stockholm
Entry for Germany
Performer: Stefan Raab
Song title: Wadde Hadde Dudde Da
Song writer(s):
Song composer(s): Stefan Raab
Sang in Position: 15
Final Position: 5
Total Points: 96
25 participating countries were intended for the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest, but Greece decided not to participate, so only 24 took part as the European Broadcasting Union did not find a replacement in time for the last spot. Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Lithuania, Romania and Bosnia & Herzegovina were not allowed to take part due to their bad average scores. Latvia made its debut this year, and the entry My Star performed by the group Brainstorm did really well, finishing in third position. Estonia finished fourth with Ines' Once In A Lifetime which was the bookmaker's favourite. Internet polls also had the United Kingdom and the Netherlands as favourites but these countries only finished 16th and 13th respectively.
13,000 spectators were at the final in the Globen Arena in Stockholm, which was a new record. This record did not last long, though. Already at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen 2001, the record was exceeded. The Israeli participants caused a stir when members of the group Ping Pong started waving the Syrian flag during their performance. The Netherlands had to use a back-up jury for their votes because of a large fireworks disaster in the city of Enschede, which meant that only half of the song contest was aired live on Dutch television.
Despite the fact that Denmark's song Fly On The Wings Of Love by the Olsen Brothers climbed in the predicted rankings in the week prior to the final, the Scandinavian country was only thought to finish in 18th position. Therefore it came as a huge surprise for many that the charming Olsen Brothers won - and with a large margin to the runner-up, Russia. Fly on the wings of love went on to become a huge hit in Scandinavia and the German-speaking countries. The Russian delegation petitioned the disqualification of the winner, Denmark, because a vocoder had been used to give one of the performers in the Danish duo, Jørgen Olsen, an electronic sound to his voice during one part of their performance.
Facts & figures
For the first time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, an official CD was released which included all 24 songs. Since then, CDs with all entries have been released every year.
Raabigramm "Trucker"
Stefan Raab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Die mit ihrem Truck
Zwischen Moskau und Lissabon,
Zwischen Spitzbergen und Neapel unterwegs sind.
Tag far Tag
Ich verehre alle Trucker,
Die den ganzen Tag lang fahren.
Auf der Autobahn.
Ihr fahrt tausend Kilometer
Aber Nacht und aber Tag.
Und ihr habt die allerlangsten
Superdicken Trucks.
Eure Braute sind die Heftchen
Und eure linke Hand die Reibe.
Und mit ein bisschen Glack,
Geht nicht alles an die Scheibe.
Ihr habt keine Zeit far Pipi,
Auf der Strecke nach Turin.
Und deshalb riechts bei euch I'm Fahrerhaus,
Auch stechend nach Benzin.
Und masst ihr auch mal dringend,
Dann ist das Schanste wie ihr wisst:
Wenn ihr bei Tempo 85,
In die Thermoskanne pisst.
Und masst ihr auch mal kacken,
Dann geht das razzefazz,
Denn in eurer Thermoskanne,
Ist doch sicherlich noch Platz.
Jungs ihr seid toll,
Jungs ihr seid schwer auf Draht.
Und ich danke euch far jeden Tag,
In dem ihr Laster fahrt.
Jungs ihr seid toll,
Jungs ihr seid wunderbar.
Und habt ihr mal 'ne Panne,
Dann nehmt nen Schluck aus eurer Kanne
The song "Trucker" by Stefan Raab is a tribute to all the truck drivers who make long haul journeys across different cities and countries. The lyrics of the song depict the challenging and demanding nature of the trucker's profession while also acknowledging their dedication and commitment. Raab praises the truckers for their endurance and resilience, who can drive for hours, night and day, in all weather conditions, on the highways between Moscow and Lisbon, and Spitzbergen and Naples.
The song exalts the truckers' masculinity, their choice of reading material, and their ingenuity, as they use a thermos can as a makeshift toilet while driving. Raab's lyrics are playful and humorous, yet they also express respect for the truckers and the vital role they play in keeping the economy moving. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy melody also add to the fun and celebratory mood of the song.
Overall, "Trucker" is a lighthearted and entertaining tribute to the unsung heroes of the road. It acknowledges the hard work and dedication of truckers while also highlighting the humor and camaraderie within the community.
Line by Line Meaning
Das hier ist far alle Jungs, Die mit ihrem Truck Zwischen Moskau und Lissabon, Zwischen Spitzbergen und Neapel unterwegs sind. Tag far Tag
This song is for all the boys who drive their truck day after day, between Moscow and Lisbon, between Spitsbergen and Naples.
Ich verehre alle Trucker, Die den ganzen Tag lang fahren. Bei Nebel und bei Regen, Auf der Autobahn.
I admire all the truckers who drive on the highway all day long, in the fog and rain.
Ihr fahrt tausend Kilometer Aber Nacht und aber Tag. Und ihr habt die allerlangsten Superdicken Trucks.
You drive a thousand kilometers, day and night, in your super long and thick trucks.
Eure Braute sind die Heftchen Und eure linke Hand die Reibe. Und mit ein bisschen Glack, Geht nicht alles an die Scheibe.
Your companions are magazines, and your left hand is the rubbing tool. With a little bit of luck, not everything ends up on the windshield.
Ihr habt keine Zeit far Pipi, Auf der Strecke nach Turin. Und deshalb riechts bei euch I'm Fahrerhaus, Auch stechend nach Benzin.
You don't have time to stop for a pee break on the way to Turin, and that's why the cab smells of gasoline.
Und masst ihr auch mal dringend, Dann ist das Schanste wie ihr wisst: Wenn ihr bei Tempo 85, In die Thermoskanne pisst.
And if you have to go urgently, the best thing to do is to pee in your thermos at 85 km/h.
Und masst ihr auch mal kacken, Dann geht das razzefazz, Denn in eurer Thermoskanne, Ist doch sicherlich noch Platz.
And if you have to take a dump, it's done in a flash, because there's surely enough space in your thermos.
Jungs ihr seid toll, Jungs ihr seid schwer auf Draht. Und ich danke euch far jeden Tag, In dem ihr Laster fahrt.
Boys, you are amazing, and I thank you for every day that you drive your trucks.
Jungs ihr seid toll, Jungs ihr seid wunderbar. Und habt ihr mal 'ne Panne, Dann nehmt nen Schluck aus eurer Kanne
Boys, you are fantastic, and if you ever have a breakdown, just take a sip from your thermos.
Contributed by Sarah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alexanderb.522
Stefan Raab.. Ein entertainer der bis heute seines gleichen sucht.. Legende
@Dornpunzel
Unter jeeeeeeedem fucking Video schreibt immer irgendein Trottel was vonwegen "Legende". Gratuliere.
@Derek_Foreal92
Raab hatte die besten Sprüche :D..
@Fizzlecube
Ein echter Trucker der Raab.
@callereekstrem9642
2:07 that hand tho
@n0mad688
Einfach nur geil :D
@besenbob1237
Legendär
@RWE1907RWE
da war TV Total noch Lustig.
@blacksigma7446
Mike kosa Roooot Weeeeiiissss Esseeeeen Schalalalalalala
@marionp.4677
OH MEIN GOTT :))) DAS IS HUMOR :)))))) MEIN VATER HATTE DIE GLEICHE GITARRE, WAR ABER NUR IM HERZEN EIN TRUCKER.