The LP Lindenberg (also 1971, and sung in English, already with Steffi Stephan on bass) was likewise unsuccessful. In the following year, the fist LP in German was released: Daumen im Wind (produced by Lindenberg and Thomas Kukuck, who also produced the next five albums together), from which the single "Hoch im Norden" became a radio hit in northern Germany. The year 1973 brought a breakthrough with the album Andrea Doria and its catchy "Alles klar auf der Andrea Doria" and "Cello". Over 100,000 copies sold, and Lindenberg quickly received the largest record deal of any German-language musician up to that time. Lindenberg was earning a special place in the new German-language music of the 70s: Between internationally-oriented Krautrock and pop music, he found his niche. German-language rock had previously been confined to predominantly political message bands whose music was directed at a narrow audience.
Lindenbergs brash style, everyday subject matter ("Bei Onkel Pö…") and his feel for language were an unprecedented combination in German-language music. His pioneering work helped other artists such as Stefan Waggershausen and Marius Müller-Westernhagen get record deals of their own. In 1973 Lindenberg first went on tour with his Panikorchester (Panic Orchestra).
1976 was one of Udo Lindenberg's most productive years. Besides the LP Galaxo Gang he also published under the name Das Waldemar Wunderbar Syndicat I make you feel good, a first Best of Panik Udo and the first in a series of foreign-language publications No Panic, on which Lindenberg translated his songs to English. In the same year (and on another LP: Sister King Kong) with the song "Rock ’n’ Roll Arena in Jena", Lindenberg first mentioned a Panic Orchestra tour in the GDR. In 1976, Lindenberg discovered Ulla Meinecke and produced her first two albums. She was a guest artist and co-author of the 1977 LP Panische Nächte (Panic Nights) and the 1978 Dröhnland Symphonie. On Lindenbergs Rock Revue (1978) Lindenberg and Horst Königstein "Germanized" rock classics from Little Richard to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and went on a big tour. The Nr.-1-Hit "We Gotta Get out of This Place" was also published with German lyrics.
The subsequent Dröhnland-Symphonie-Tour was staged by Peter Zadek as a big multimedia stage show with a plethora of costumed extras. The result was Lindenbergs first live album Livehaftig. In 1979, Der Detektiv was the second Rock Revue, in which more international hits such as "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John, "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf, "My Little Town" and "As Time Goes By" (from the film Casablanca) were "Germanized". Also 1997 was published "Belcanto - Udo Lindenberg & das Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg" which included hits like "Horizont", "Bis ans Ende der Welt" along with a song by Bertold Brecht and Udo's own interpretation of The Windmills of Your Mind - "Under the drunkard moon" ("Unterm Säufermond").
One of his most famous songs is Sonderzug nach Pankow (Special train service to Pankow), an adaptation of Chattanooga Choo Choo, released as a single on 2 February 1983. It originated from the refusal of eastern German authorities to allow Lindenberg a concert in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
On June 3, 2011, Lindenberg performed at Kampnagel unplugged. The recording was later released as an album within the MTV unplugged series. Lindenberg was the 8th German artist in that series. The album became the second No.1 album for Lindenberg declared Platin status for 200,000 sold units after two weeks. The second single from the album "Cello" (feat. Clueso) went No.4 giving Lindenberg the highest chart position in German singles charts ever reached.
Lindenberg has worked collaboratively with various local and international recording artists (Eric Burdon, Helen Schneider, David Bowie, Tom Robinson, Keith Forsey, Gianna Nannini, and Nena) on a number of projects. He currently lives in Hamburg in the Hotel Atlantic (for several years now). His somewhat hoarse voice is the result of too much liquor and cigarettes. In 1989, he survived a heart attack. In 2010, he designed two stamps, themed on his songs "Andrea Doria" and "Sonderzug nach Pankow", for the Deutsche Post.
Affenstern
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
war in der Tagesschau heut leicht nervös
er fummelte ständig an seinem Schlips
da wußte ich, die Sache ist kein Witz
Dann später auch auf Radio Luxusburg
die Crew vom Ufo gab uns folgendes durch:
Glauben Sie nicht den ganzen Quatsch
wir sind hier alle unheimlich lieb
ja, wir haben und richtig gerne
nicht so bekloppt, wie ihr da unten
wo's dauernd auf die Fresse gibt
Ihr wohnt zwar nicht mehr auf den Bäumen, doch
die Affen seid ihr immer noch
statt mit Bananen schmeißt ihr jetzt mit Waffen
ihr da unten auf dem Planet der Affen
Wir sind Piloten der Unendlichkeit
wir gleiten durch das Weltall, allzeit bereit
wir saufen Milkshakes in den Milchalleen
da muß was drin sein, danach könn wir nicht mehr stehn
dann legen wir uns wieder ins Schiff
und werfen die Turbinen an
und schlingern rum von Stern zu Stern
und jetzt ist eure Erde dran
weil - wir feiern bald einen Ball im All
ne kosmische Festivität
und da suchen wir noch Pausenclowns
wie's lächerlicher nicht mehr geht
so daß wir einen Lachflash kriegen
bis unsere Antennen sich verbiegen...
und auf der Erde gibt's doch sowas noch:
Der mit dem Schießgewehr? Ein Boß vom Militär
und da der Westernheld? Regiert die halbe Welt
die bunte Tante da? Carola Woytila
und da der Schlager-Fuzzi? Ist auch zu nichts mehr nutzi
o ja, die nehm wir alle mit - bitte auch Herrn Schmidt!
Oh ja, ihr Affendamen und -herrn
wir landen auf dem Affenstern
The lyrics to Udo Lindenberg's song Affenstern describe a fictitious encounter between a news anchor and an extraterrestrial broadcast from the crew of the Ufo spaceship. The news anchor, Herr Veigel, appears nervous and fidgety as he reports on the message from space, and Lindenberg suggests that the content of the message is serious and not to be dismissed as mere science fiction. The crew of the Ufo insist that they are peaceful beings who enjoy their existence in the cosmos, unlike the humans on Earth who are violent and warlike. Lindenberg uses the metaphor of the "Planet of the Apes" to critique human society and the destructive tendencies that lead to conflicts and wars. The extraterrestrials in the song are depicted as an alternative to this way of being, a peaceful and playful contrast to the violent and oppressive systems of Earth.
Line by Line Meaning
Herr Veigel, sonst so cool und seriös
Mr. Veigel, who is usually composed and professional
war in der Tagesschau heut leicht nervös
was visibly anxious during his TV appearance today
er fummelte ständig an seinem Schlips
he kept adjusting his tie
da wußte ich, die Sache ist kein Witz
and that's when I knew that something serious was happening
Dann später auch auf Radio Luxusburg
Later on Radio Luxusburg
die Crew vom Ufo gab uns folgendes durch:
the UFO crew transmitted the following message:
Glauben Sie nicht den ganzen Quatsch
Don't believe all this nonsense
von wegen Krieg der Sterne
about a star war
wir sind hier alle unheimlich lieb
We're actually very kind here
ja, wir haben und richtig gerne
In fact, we have a lot of fun
nicht so bekloppt, wie ihr da unten
Not as crazy as you down there
wo's dauernd auf die Fresse gibt
Where you're constantly fighting
Ihr wohnt zwar nicht mehr auf den Bäumen, doch
Even though you don't live on trees anymore
die Affen seid ihr immer noch
You're still a bunch of monkeys
statt mit Bananen schmeißt ihr jetzt mit Waffen
Instead of throwing bananas, you're now throwing weapons
ihr da unten auf dem Planet der Affen
you down there on the Planet of the Apes
Wir sind Piloten der Unendlichkeit
We are pilots of infinity
wir gleiten durch das Weltall, allzeit bereit
We glide through space, always ready
wir saufen Milkshakes in den Milchalleen
We drink milkshakes in milk alleys
da muß was drin sein, danach könn wir nicht mehr stehn
There must be something in them, because we can't stand up afterwards
dann legen wir uns wieder ins Schiff
Then we go back to our ship
und werfen die Turbinen an
And start up the engines
und schlingern rum von Stern zu Stern
And zigzag from star to star
und jetzt ist eure Erde dran
And now it's your Earth's turn
weil - wir feiern bald einen Ball im All
Because we're about to have a cosmic party
ne kosmische Festivität
A cosmic celebration
und da suchen wir noch Pausenclowns
And we're looking for some comedians to entertain us during breaks
wie's lächerlicher nicht mehr geht
The more ridiculous, the better
so daß wir einen Lachflash kriegen
So that we can have a laughing fit
bis unsere Antennen sich verbiegen...
Until our antennas start to bend...
und auf der Erde gibt's doch sowas noch:
And there's still something like that on Earth:
Der mit dem Schießgewehr? Ein Boß vom Militär
The guy with the gun? A military boss
und da der Westernheld? Regiert die halbe Welt
And the western hero? He rules half the world
die bunte Tante da? Carola Woytila
That colorful lady? Carola Woytila
und da der Schlager-Fuzzi? Ist auch zu nichts mehr nutzi
And the schlager crooner? He's also useless now
o ja, die nehm wir alle mit - bitte auch Herrn Schmidt!
Oh yes, we'll take them all - even Mr. Schmidt!
Oh ja, ihr Affendamen und -herrn
Oh yes, you monkey ladies and gentlemen
wir landen auf dem Affenstern
We're landing on the Monkey Star
Contributed by Callie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.