Stereo Total are a German/French indie/electro duo that formed in Berlin du… Read Full Bio ↴Stereo Total are a German/French indie/electro duo that formed in Berlin during 1993. The group consists of Françoise Cactus (from France, drums and vocals) and Brezel Göring (guitar, synthesizer, sampler). The band's 1999 single "I Love You, Ono" (a cover of "I Love You, Oh No!" by Plastics) was famously used in an American commercial for Dell Computers in 2009.

The Berlin duo STEREO TOTAL has created a colourful and fascinating universe. Oscillating between the essential punk rock, disco and electro garage chanson and genious diletantism, the songs dazzle us for an instant (most of them not for longer than two minutes), leaving us stunned by their intensity.

At the beginning of this ever-expanding musical universe (pleasantly enough!): a woman, a man, and an inexhaustible, sparkling imagination. Françoise Cactus, (who was born Van Hove in Burgundy and has chosen Berlin as her home for something like a generation now) a writer, local diva, who has performed, among other things, as drummer and singer of the "Lolitas" in the eighties. Then there is Brezel Göring, an inexplicable mixture of the hyperspeedy "Grand Duduche" and the elegant, unobtrusive crooner, with a soft voice and a lively rhythm. Bent over his synthesizer, happy as a young boy, he reminds one of the hallucinated inventor Géo Trouve-tout.

To sum up STEREO TOTAL's short history, which began with the single "allo j'écoute", let us list the different elements characteristic of their musical art: a minimalistic production (in a positive sense), meaning a home-made-trash-garage-sound crossed with underground, authentic as well as amateurish, ironic as well as effective, pop as well as...political. An untiring creative energy, as if it could never suffice, "Oh, but you haven't heard this one!" and wop! here we go again, hardly leaving time to draw a deep breath. A brilliant sense of composition as well as for covering other's material, whatever the source, combined with an excessive love for French chanson (the main weak spot being an evident admiration for the master Gainsbourg). A mystery of words resulting from the French-German/ male-female bilingualism, words in which accents are merrily blended and become more and more exotic from album to album (Japanese, Turkish, Spanish, English). And finally, an explicit and surprising sensitivity for electronic effects and a thrilling beat. A gift of pop music and its everlasting history.
The unexpected combination of two traditions - French chanson and German electronica (which not only relates to Kraftwerk, but also to the uniquely German sound of "Neue Deutsche Welle", popular in the eighties, and the emergence of electrogroove, a sound which has flourished over the past ten years in numerous clubs in Berlin is again at its best, enchanting its listeners.

Just as the German audience adores Françoise Cactus charming French pronunciation of the German lyrics, her French collection of texts, poetic and playful, solemn and cheeky, anarchistic and light, makes her the most unknown composer and singer of French chansons - and it is high time that she be discovered. Fragile and irresistible, she stands behind her tiny drum kit and hammers the songs to a sequence in a devilish rhythm. In a matter of seconds she passes from a romantic ballad (No! Do not listen! It's a sad song!) to pure and simple rock, animating Brezel Göring (as well as the crowd) to leap. Indefatigable accomplice and perfect entertainer, Brezel Göring is at her side, stepping on the gas, his fingers working the knobs of his machine or the cords of his rectangular guitar.

Europa Neurotisch
Stereo Total Lyrics

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Europa, neurotisch
Europa, neurotisch

Du bist von Psychosen fasziniert
Du liebst das Parfüm deiner Neurosen

Apathie, Hysterie, Hypochondrie
Bulimie, Anorexie, Xenophobie

Du hast multiple Persönlichkeiten
Und Komplexe in vielen Faszetten

Wir sprechen von
Obsessionen, Perversionen
Halluzinationen

Europa, neurotisch ...

It's so different today
I hear every mother say
"Mother needs something today to calm her down"
And as she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter
Of a mother's little helper
And he helps her on her way
Getting through a busy day

Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door
She took four more
What a drag it is getting old

Europa neurotisch

It's so different today ...

Doctor please ..

Oh Doctor please!

Doctor please!
Doctor please!

Overall Meaning

The song Europa neurotisch by Stereo Total (Doctor Pleeease mix) reflects on the psychological state of Europe. The repetition of "Europa, neurotisch" in a robotic voice throughout the song establishes the theme of neuroticism prevalent in the continent. The lyrics describe a fascination with psychosis and a love for one's neuroses. The singer is portrayed as suffering from multiple personality disorders, and rife with obsession, perversion, and hallucinations. The reference to popular Benzodiazepine tranquillizers such as Valium in the line "Doctor please, some more of these" reflects the widespread prevalence of psychiatric drugs to deal with the common mental ailments in Europe. The song reflects on how people in Europe often feel stressed and neurotic in their daily lives.

The line "It's so different today" introduces another angle to the song where the singer reflects on how life has changed for the modern European. The reference to the Rolling Stones' hit "Mother's Little Helper" provides an ironic parallel to the current-day scenario where people often seek a solace from their anxieties in the comfort of pills, just like the fictional mother in the 1965 song. Overall, the song presents an intense commentary on the psychological well-being of Europeans.

Line by Line Meaning

Europa, neurotisch
Europe, neurotic

Du bist von Psychosen fasziniert
You are fascinated by psychoses

Du liebst das Parfüm deiner Neurosen
You love the fragrance of your neuroses

Apathie, Hysterie, Hypochondrie
Apathy, hysteria, hypochondria

Bulimie, Anorexie, Xenophobie
Bulimia, anorexia, xenophobia

Du hast multiple Persönlichkeiten
You have multiple personalities

Und Komplexe in vielen Faszetten
And complexes in many facets

Wir sprechen von Obsessionen, Perversionen, Halluzinationen
We are talking about obsessions, perversions, hallucinations

It's so different today
Today is so different

I hear every mother say
I hear every mother saying

"Mother needs something today to calm her down"
"Mother needs something to calm down today"