He is credited with broadening German-language pop music beyond the traditional postwar "Schlager" (hit song) in the 1950s by infusing it with a modern pop appeal and French chanson style. His compositions and arrangements attracted fans of all ages. Until his death at age 80 he continued to fill venues in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Career
In 1952 Udo Bolan, as he was called then, formed the Udo Bolan Quartet In Klagenfurt, Austria appearing regularly at the Café Obelisk in Klagenfurt with Englishman Johnny Richards on drums, Klaus Behmel on guitar and Bruno Geiger on Bass. The quartet played regularly at various dance and jazz venues and also broadcast on Radio Alpenland and the British Forces Radio network produced by Mike Fior.
In 1950, he won a composer contest organized by Austria's public broadcasting channel ORF with the song "Je t'aime". He wrote the 1961 worldwide hit "Reach for the Stars", sung by Shirley Bassey.
In 1964, he represented Austria for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest 1964 with the song "Warum nur, warum[/trackUdo Jürgens]?", finishing sixth. The UK participant, Matt Monro, was impressed with the melody and covered the song (with English lyrics by his manager Don Black) as "Walk Away," which reached number four in the UK Singles Chart and number 23 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Jürgens' song "Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen" came fourth in 1965's contest, and on his third try he won the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 in Luxembourg with "Merci, Chérie", which became an English-language hit for Vince Hill, another cover by Monro, and one of Jürgens' most recognized compositions. Jürgens' version alone sold over one million copies, and he was awarded a gold disc by Deutsche Vogue in 1966.
In the following years, he wrote the songs, like "Griechischer Wein", "Aber bitte mit Sahne", "Mit 66 Jahren", and — one of his biggest successes — "Buenos Días, Argentina", which he performed together with the Germany national football team in 1978.
In 1977, he invited The Supremes to appear as guests on his televised and recorded gala concert. The Supremes (Mary Wilson, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Green), who were on a brief farewell tour of Europe at the time, performed two of their own hits, "You Are the Heart of Me" and "You're My Driving Wheel", as well as a duet with Jürgens' "Walk Away" in English.
In 1979, he released a disco album entitled Udo '80. It produced a hit song "Ich weiß was ich will". This song was also released as a 12 inch disco single in an extended remix for discothèques.
On 2 December 2007, the jukebox musical "Ich war noch niemals in New York" ("I've never been to New York") opened in Hamburg's Operettenhaus. It weaves songs by Jürgens into a familial storyline, similar to the treatment of ABBA songs in "Mamma Mia!", the musical it succeeded at the venue.
Since 2015, Udo Jürgens holds the worldwide-record as the artist with the longest presence in the charts ever - more than 57 years from his first entry 1958 till 2015.
Death
On 21 December 2014, Jürgens died of acute heart failure in Münsterlingen, Switzerland at the age of 80. With Austria's success at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, the first since Jürgens' success in 1966, Jürgens expressed his interest in performing in the interval of the next contest. With his death, the organisers of the 2015 contest in Vienna paid tribute to him with a tribute day on 20 May and a tribute act at the beginning of the Grand Final.
Studio albums
1965 Portrait in Musik
1966 Françoise und Udo
1967 Was ich dir sagen will
1967 Portrait in Musik II
1967 International
1967 Chansons
1968 Udo Jürgens
1968 Mein Lied für dich
1968 Udo
1969 Portrait International
1969 Udo '70
1970 Udo '71
1971 So weit die Züge geh'n
1971 Jonny & Jenny
1972 Ich bin wieder da
1973 Es ist Zeit für die Liebe
1973 International 2
1973 Jonny & Jenny - Alle Kinder dieser Welt
1973 New World of Udo Jürgens
1974 Udo heute
1974 Meine Lieder
1975 Griechischer Wein - Seine neuen Lieder
1975 Griechischer Wein
1975 Udo '75 - Ein neuer Morgen
1976 Meine Lieder 2
1977 Meine Lieder '77
1977 Lieder, die auf Reisen gehen
1978 Buenos dias, Argentina
1978 Nur ein Lächeln
1979 Die Blumen blüh'n überall gleich
1979 Udo '80
1981 Willkommen in meinem Leben
1981 Leave a Little Love
1982 Silberstreifen
1983 Traumtänzer
1984 Hautnah
1985 Treibjagd
1986 Deinetwegen
1988 Das blaue Album
1989 Ohne Maske
1990 Sempre Roma
1991 Geradeaus!
1993 Café Größenwahn
1995 Zärtlicher Chaot
1999 Ich werde da sein
2002 Es lebe das Laster
2005 Jetzt oder nie
2008 Einfach ich
2011 Der ganz normale Wahnsinn
2014 Mitten im Leben
Buenos Dias Argentina
Udo Jürgens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Er war lang, mein Weg zu dir!
Doch nun schwenk' ich den Sombrero:
Buenos Dias, ich bin hier!
Buenos Dias Buenos Aires!
Wenn die rote Sonne glüht,
rauscht von ferne der La Plata
Buenos Dias Argentina!
Guten Tag, du fremdes Land!
Buenos Dias Argentina!
Komm' wir reichen uns die Hand!
Buenos Dias Argentina!
So heißt meine Melodie!
Und sie soll uns zwei verbinden
mit dem Band der Harmonie.
Buenos Dias, ihr Gitarren!
Wenn der Abend niedersinkt,
sollt ihr leise mir erzählen,
wie das Lied der Pampas klingt:
Buenos Dias, Senorita!
Und wenn du dann bei mir bist,
wird die Zeit hier wie ein Traum sein,
den man niemals mehr vergißt!
Buenos Dias Argentina!
Guten Tag, du fremdes Land!
Buenos Dias Argentina!
Komm, wir reichen uns die Hand!
Buenos Dias Argentina!
So heißt meine Melodie!
Und sie soll uns zwei verbinden,
mit dem Band der Harmonie.
The lyrics to Udo Jürgens's song "Buenos Dias Argentina" are a cheerful greeting to the country of Argentina. The singer expresses how long and difficult his journey has been to reach the country, but now that he is there, he is ready to embrace and celebrate its culture. The song sets the scene with the image of the "red sun" glowing while the "La Plata" river roars in the distance. The singer then invokes the spirit of the country with the phrase "Buenos Dias Argentina," calling out a greeting to the foreign land.
As the song progresses, the singer embraces the various aspects of Argentina. He invites the guitars to share their stories and songs with him, he addresses a "Senorita" and teases a romantic encounter that will make time seem like a dream that is not to be forgotten. The overarching concept in the song is one of unity and harmony, expressed through the melody that binds the singer and the country.
The song has a simple yet beautiful melody, and the lyrics celebrate Argentina's culture and beauty, making it an uplifting and catchy tune that stands the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Buenos Dias Argentina!
Hello, Argentina!
Er war lang, mein Weg zu dir!
It took a long time to travel here to you!
Doch nun schwenk' ich den Sombrero: Buenos Dias, ich bin hier!
But now I'm here, waving my sombrero and saying hello!
Wenn die rote Sonne glüht, rauscht von ferne der La Plata und er singt mit mir ein Lied:
When the red sun shines, I hear the La Plata river in the distance, and it sings a song with me:
Guten Tag, du fremdes Land!
Good day, foreign country!
Komm' wir reichen uns die Hand!
Let's shake hands!
So heißt meine Melodie! Und sie soll uns zwei verbinden mit dem Band der Harmonie.
This is my melody! And it should unite us with the bond of harmony.
Buenos Dias, ihr Gitarren! Wenn der Abend niedersinkt, sollt ihr leise mir erzählen, wie das Lied der Pampas klingt:
Good morning, guitars! When the evening falls, you should quietly tell me how the song of the Pampas sounds:
Buenos Dias, Senorita! Und wenn du dann bei mir bist, wird die Zeit hier wie ein Traum sein, den man niemals mehr vergißt!
Good morning, Senorita! And when you are with me, time will feel like a dream that we will never forget!
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@karinamuschiol6462
Das Lied war viel viel schöner 👌🙌als damals der Verlauf der Mannschaft 😌
Aber trotzdem war es nur einmal .
NICHT WIE DIE JETZIGE MANNSCHAFT.
AUSSER DIE U-17 🙌👌👍
UDO HATTE SCHON IMMER SCHÖNE LIEDER❣️ UND IST NEN GANZ GROßER💖 UND TOLLE TEXTE.
UND ER WAR IMMER NEN TOLLER MENSCH
DANKE DIR HERZLICH FÜR DIE VIELEN SCHÖNEN LIEDER UDO❤
DU BIST UND BLEIBST IMMER UNVERGESSEN 💖💖👍🌼🦋
@juttamayrhofer6682
Da waren wir noch jung unvergessene Zeit, jung und schön
@olafbruhl3163
Danke Udo, für alles... Ein wunderschönes Lied. Ich war damals 13 Jahre alt. Kann mich an diese wunderbare Zeit sehr gut erinnern. Ich kann mit dem Fanmeilengedöns von heute einfach nichts anfangen. Schau dir diese Mannschaft an
Ein Traum... Gibt es heute leider nicht mehr .😢😢
@SMITHAN64
schön, dass ich diese Zeit miterleben durfte
@lohgock-master844
Ein super schönes Lied an eine schöne Zeit und einen der größten "deutschen" Sänger!!!!
@alfredsteinacher1417
"deutschen" - Anführungszeichen
@waltraudtschmuck9227
Sehr schoenes Lied das man niemals vergisst
@albertoluispensotti1767
Thanks, Germany. Buenos días from Argentina!!
@Dave_Speed
Argentina ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Congratulations from Germany. Messi deserved it.
@albertoluispensotti1767
@@Dave_Speed thanks, friend. Greetings from a distance.
@klausmcleod9023
and greetings from austria, the country from udo jürgens. a great man