They existed from 1987 until 2001 and "founded at a time in which it was said that punk rock is dead, remaining always faithful to their style" (Trini Trimpop, Power Vision Festival in October 1995.) The band's Punk rock attitude is often pure, although the lyrics are about love, pain and longing.
The Bates published alongside original compositions on each of their albums at least two cover versions. Due to the fact that the cover versions arrived very well, the band released in 2000, an album that only included foreign compositions from different styles, which were presented in a completely new, Bates typical style - by the Beatles (Helter Skelter) and the Rolling Stones (Out of Time) on Sailor (Glass of Champagne) and Aneka (Japanese Boy) to Eiffel 65 (Blue). The highest chart placement of a single was number 10 in Switzerland for the Michael Jackson cover version of "Billie Jean".
In 2001, the band broke up, allegedly over disputes over the consumption of alcohol by singer / bassist and frontman Markus "Zimbl" Zimmer . Zimbl continued to record two solo albums and a side project until his death, and were released unprofessionally in small quantities and as a consequence are long out of print.
Zimbl died in his apartment on 18 June 2006, caused by a circulatory collapse, as a result of long-standing alcohol and drug addiction. In December 2006, the 3-CD compilation "A Tribute to Zimbl - Rocking on heaven's door appeared as an obituary. The proceeds of the tribute CD went to foundations in the fight against drugs.
The band, as well as family and friends Zimmer, organized a honour to him on 28 December 2006, the so-called Zimbl tribute "Rocking on heaven's door". This is also where the filming of the documentary "Zimbl - a real cool time" by Sascha Nölke occurred. Again, the entrance fees were used by the organization "Global care" to make a donation.
Dinosaur
The Bates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a little dinosaur
I'm a little dinosaur
and I'm planning to go away
Well, I'm a little dinosaur
I'm a little dinosaur
I'm a little dinosaur
Now, I am real old, don't you know
Born ten million years ago
But they don't love me so I must go
Yeah
I'm planning to go away
Now the children upon their lawns
Will wake up and wonder where I've gone
And the flies that buzz around where I now be
They're all gonna have to get along without me
They'll say:
Where's the little dinosaur
(I don´t think, he had really gone)
Where's the little dinosaur
Where's that little dinosaur
He must have gone away
(I would look to come back)
Oh no, please don't go
(ev´rybody like the little dinosaur)
Oh no, please don't go
don´t go little dinosaur
Please don´t go away
Hello yeah, I'll come back
You know I'm back to stay
'Cause I'm just your little dinosaur And I could never really go
NO
Never really go
(He's back!)
Never really go away
The Bates's song "Dinosaur" can be interpreted in a few ways. The lyrics suggest the point of view of a little, old dinosaur that has been around for ten million years, but its age seems to be an issue with its community. The singer plans to leave its habitat, and the children wonder where it has gone. While the inhabitants of its previous location adjust to its absence, the little dinosaur comes back to stay. These words might imply that a person who has been around for a long time feels underappreciated, so he is looking to find a new, more welcoming place to go. Alternatively, this song might be commenting on society and how quickly it abandons people or things that are deemed old-fashioned or no longer necessary.
The upbeat music, however, adds a more cheerful tone to the song. It seems to contradict its pessimistic lyrics, indicating that despite feeling undervalued or out of place, one can still find a happy place to belong. The little dinosaur in the song might be a metaphor for those aged or forgotten by society. Despite being old, it can still find a place where it is loved and appreciated, returning with the message that it could never really go away.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm a little dinosaur
I am just like a dinosaur, a creature from a different time or place
and I'm planning to go away
I am thinking about leaving, possibly because I no longer fit in
Now, I am real old, don't you know
I am very old, having been around for millions of years
Born ten million years ago
I came into existence ten million years in the past
But they don't love me so I must go
I feel unwanted and rejected, which makes me want to leave
Now the children upon their lawns
Kids who are outside playing in their yards
Will wake up and wonder where I've gone
If I disappear, children will notice and wonder where I went
And the flies that buzz around where I now be
Flies that are currently hanging out with me
They're all gonna have to get along without me
If I leave, the flies will have to find a new place to hang out
They'll say:
People will talk about me
Where's the little dinosaur
They will wonder where I went
(I don´t think, he had really gone)
Some will doubt that I really left
He must have gone away
They will come to the conclusion that I must have left
Oh no, please don't go
Some people will not want me to leave
(ev´rybody like the little dinosaur)
Many people enjoy having me around
don´t go little dinosaur
They will ask me not to leave
Hello yeah, I'll come back
I will return
You know I'm back to stay
I will come back and stay
'Cause I'm just your little dinosaur
Because I belong here as your little dinosaur
And I could never really go
I will always be here, I can never really leave forever
Never really go
I will never fully disappear
(He's back!)
I have returned and people are excited to see me
Never really go away
I will always be around, never completely gone
Contributed by Josiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
F. Berger
Zimbl war schon crazy 😬👌🤘 - Bates live immer gute Laune
Annika Ludewig
Jugenderinnerungen 👍🏻🤩
Summer Love
lol Onkelz & Bates in einem Satz ist wie Wizo als Vorband zu Freiwild 🤷🏻♀️
AN POWER
beste band damals :D gab nur onkelz und bates
Belex
R.I.P. Zimbl...danke für die wunderbare Zeit auf den ganzen Flairs
Belex
Eschwege miss you
Die Systemrandfigur
"Nooo nooo, please don´t go..." RIP, Zimbl! <3
AN POWER
<33333333
i love this song soooo much ! ty for posting
Alaska
Mein erstes Konzert.
Harold Hecuba
"I'm just a little dinosaur" > Hey, aren't we all?