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.
Bananenrepublik
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Machte mörderisch viel Money
Bananenplantagen überall auf der Welt
Containerweise Dollars, süchtig macht das Geld
Der Chef Dagobert Pic Mac guckt in den Atlas rein
Fischkalte Augen, da quiekt er wie ein Schwein
Da gibt's ja noch ein Land, daraus fließt noch kein Gewinn
Da haben wir unsere Finger, die Finger noch nicht drin
Da wurde Pic Mac sauer
„Was glauben die denn wer ich bin?“
Da kaufte er sich das ganze Land
Mit Präsident und Parlament
Mit allem was dazu gehört
Damit keiner die Geschäfte stört
Bananenrepublik
Er kaufte sich das ganze Land
Mit Polizei und Militär
Und weg mit jedem, bitte sehr
Der sagt, dass was nicht in Ordnung wär
Bananenrepublik
Yeah, yeah, Mann
Ich steuer' zu aufs Paradies mit echten Palmen
Es regnet Avocados, die Maschinengewehre qualmen
Ein Dollarzeichen tätowiert auf meinem rechten Bein
Über dem Gesetz, der Ventilator jeden Tag auf Drei
Mein schwarzer Panzerwagen sieht die Ampeln nicht
Meine Leibwächter Thaiboxer, Hantelblick
Und die Damen, die da warten vorm Amtsgericht
Stört das bisschen Blut an den schönen Diamanten nicht
Komm' mit Gangstern und Schlägern, verängstige Kläger
Zum Ende bekommt jeder 'nen Presentkorb mit Gänsestopfleber
Alles hier ist meins, von Mama Berlin bis Papa Neuguinea
Sollten mal wieder paar undankbare Typen revoltieren
Lass' ich sie erschießen von meinen Offizieren
Er kaufte sich das ganze Land
Mit Präsident und Parlament
Mit allem was dazu gehört
Damit keiner die Geschäfte stört
Bananenrepublik
Und jedem, dem es hier nicht passt
Den steck' ich easy in den Knast
Ich mach' ihn stumm, ich leg' ihn um
Und die Banane sie bleibt krumm
Bananenrepublik
Da da da da, Marteria
Da da da da, der Udo, ja
Denn wenn die Banane gerade wär'
Dann wär' sie keine Banane mehr
Und das bleibt auch so und damit Schluss
Bis zum Schluss, der kommen muss, ja
„Mann, Marteria, mein Freund, yeah, Mann“
„Vielen vielen Dank“
Super, dass du bei uns bist
So hast noch 'n Schluck Whiskey da
Ich sing' jetzt noch 'n Lied über die fröhliche Sauferei
Hast mal Feuer da, bitte?
Vielleicht war's auch nicht immer so fröhlich“
The song "Bananenrepublik" by Udo Lindenberg describes the exploitative practices of the American Fruit Company, which makes "murderous amounts of money" through banana plantations around the world. The lyrics highlight the addictive nature of money and the greed of the company's CEO, Dagobert Picmac, who looks at the atlas and sees a land that hasn't yielded profit for them yet. He decides to buy the entire land, including the president and parliament, to ensure that nobody gets in the way of their business.
The lyrics also highlight the oppression and exploitation of workers in these banana republics. The white beaches, blue skies and tropical sun may seem idyllic, but the small black children have distended bellies due to hunger. The singer of the song justifies this exploitation by claiming that the people are happy and anyone who disagrees is a "dirty communist". He even boasts of his ability to silence and eliminate dissenters, ensuring that the banana remains forever crooked.
Line by Line Meaning
Die American Fruit Company
The American Fruit Company
Machte mörderisch viel Money
Made an enormous amount of money
Bananenplantagen, überall auf der Welt
Banana plantations, everywhere in the world
Containerweise Dollars, süchtig macht das Geld
Container loads of dollars, money is addictive
Der Chef Dagobert Picmac guckt in den Atlas rein
Boss Dagobert Picmac looks into the atlas
Fischkalte Augen, da quiekt er wie ein Schwein
Fishy eyes, he squeals like a pig
Da gibt's ja noch 'n Land, daraus fließt noch kein Gewinn
There is still a country where no profit flows
Da haben wir unsere Finger, die Finger noch nicht drin
We don't yet have our fingers in it
Das Businesspalaver zog sich 'n bisschen hin
The business talk went on for a while
Da wurde Picmac sauer: „Was glauben die denn Wer ich bin?"
Picmac got angry: 'What do they think who I am?'
Da kaufte er sich das ganze Land
He bought the whole country
Mit Präsident und Parlament
With president and parliament
Mit allem, was dazu gehört
With everything that belongs to it
Damit keiner die Geschäfte stört Bananenrepublik
So that no one disturbs the business Banana Republic
Er kaufte sich das ganze Land
He bought the whole country
Mit Polizei und Militär
With police and military
Und weg mit jedem, bitte sehr
And away with anyone, please
Der sagt, dass was nicht in Ordnung wär'
Who says that something is not right
Bananenrepublik
Banana Republic
Die Banane ist krumm
The banana is curved
Das ist doch klar
That is obvious
Denn wenn die Banane gerade wär'
Because if the banana were straight
Dann wär' sie keine Banane mehr
Then it wouldn't be a banana anymore
Weiße Strände, blauer Himmel
White beaches, blue sky
Und die Tropensonne auch
And the tropical sun too
Und die kleinen schwarzen Kinder
And the little black children
Haben 'nen dicken Bauch
Have a big belly
Meine Peoples da unten sind happy
My people down there are happy
Und wer sagt, dass das nicht so ist
And whoever says that is not the case
Ist ein lausiger Lügner und 'n dirty Kommunist
Is a lousy liar and a dirty communist
Und sollten mal wieder 'n paar undankbare Typen revoltieren
And if a few ungrateful guys rebel again
Tja, dann lass ich mich beschützen von meinen Offizieren
Well, then I'll have my officers protect me
Und jeden, dem es hier nicht passt
And anyone who doesn't like it here
Den steck' ich easy in den Knast
I'll easily throw them in jail
Ich mach' ihn stumm
I'll make them mute
Ich leg' ihn um
I'll kill them
Und die Banane
And the banana
Sie bleibt krumm
It stays curved
Denn wenn die Banane gerade wär'
Because if the banana were straight
Dann wär' sie keine Banane mehr
Then it wouldn't be a banana anymore
Und das bleibt auch so und damit Schluss
And it stays that way, and that's final
Bis zum Schluss, der kommen muss
Until the end, that must come
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marten Laciny, Udo Lindenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind