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.
Benedictum Benedactum
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thomas Gottschalk ruft da an
Er lädt den Papst ganz locker ein
Bei 'Wetten dass' mal dabei zu sein
Weil der Papst is 'n Hammer, ist enorm auf Zack
Er erkennt 50 Länder an ihrem Geschmack, oh yeah
Weil er doch ständig den Boden abküßt
Ja, da weiß er immer gleich, wo er ist
Refrain:
Benedictum - bene benedactum
Es läuft hier heute alles wieder nackt rum
Und wenn er das sieht, der heilige Vater - dann macht er Theater
Der weiße Blitz aus Rom
Keine Pille, kein Kondom
Halleluja
Er fährt so gern in der Welt herum
In seinem Papst-Aquarium
Macht Winkewinke
Guckt in den Himmel
Und streichelt zärtlich seinen Hirtenstab
Er sagt: Die Röcke lang
Die Hosen bleiben zu
Das muntere Gevögel
Das ist hier ein Tabu!
Es sei denn im Dunkeln und ganz geschwind
Gezeuget sei das Katholenkind
Refrain
Benedictum - bene benedactum
Es läuft hier heute alles wieder nackt rum
Und wenn sie schon nicht wissen
Wohin mit ihrem Samen
Dann bumsen sie doch 'ne Runde
In Gottes Namen
Der weiße Blitz aus Rom
Keine Pille, kein Kondom
Halleluja
The song "Benedictum Benedactum" by Udo Lindenberg talks about the Pope and his nontraditional approach to his papacy. The lyrics describe the possibility of the Pope participating in a popular German TV show, "Wetten dass", and acknowledge his unique qualities, such as the ability to recognize countries by their taste. The refrain, "Benedictum - bene benedactum", translates to "Blessed - well blessed", alluding to the Pope's blessed status and his perceived quirks.
The lyrics go on to describe the Pope's travels in his papal aquarium, and his strict stance on sexual behavior. He is depicted as being affectionate with his shepherd's staff and holding firm to his belief that sex outside of marriage, or in the daylight, is taboo. At the same time, the lyrics suggest that even though the Church condemns certain behaviors, it cannot control them entirely, as evidenced by the line "if they don't know where to put their seed, then they should just have sex in God's name."
Overall, the song is an irreverent take on the papacy and the Catholic Church, highlighting the hypocrisy that often surrounds religious institutions while also celebrating the Pope as a charismatic and intriguing figure.
Line by Line Meaning
Das Telefon im Vatikan
The phone in the Vatican
Thomas Gottschalk ruft da an
Thomas Gottschalk calls there
Er lädt den Papst ganz locker ein
He invites the Pope casually
Bei 'Wetten dass' mal dabei zu sein
To be part of 'Wetten dass'
Weil der Papst is 'n Hammer, ist enorm auf Zack
Because the Pope is cool and very hip
Er erkennt 50 Länder an ihrem Geschmack, oh yeah
He recognizes 50 countries by their taste, oh yeah
Weil er doch ständig den Boden abküßt
Because he constantly kisses the ground
Ja, da weiß er immer gleich, wo er ist
Yep, he always knows where he is
Refrain:
Chorus:
Benedictum - bene benedactum
Benedictum - well blessed
Es läuft hier heute alles wieder nackt rum
Everyone is walking around naked today
Und wenn er das sieht, der heilige Vater - dann macht er Theater
And if the Holy Father sees it, he'll make a fuss
Der weiße Blitz aus Rom
The white lightning from Rome
Keine Pille, kein Kondom
No pill, no condom
Halleluja
Hallelujah
Er fährt so gern in der Welt herum
He loves traveling around the world
In seinem Papst-Aquarium
In his Pope-aquarium
Macht Winkewinke
He waves
Guckt in den Himmel
Looks up at the sky
Und streichelt zärtlich seinen Hirtenstab
And tenderly strokes his crook
Er sagt: Die Röcke lang
He says: Long skirts
Die Hosen bleiben zu
Keep your pants on
Das muntere Gevögel
The merry birds
Das ist hier ein Tabu!
That's taboo here!
Es sei denn im Dunkeln und ganz geschwind
Unless it's done quickly and in the dark
Gezeuget sei das Katholenkind
So that a Catholic child be conceived
Refrain
Chorus
Benedictum - bene benedactum
Benedictum - well blessed
Es läuft hier heute alles wieder nackt rum
Everyone is walking around naked today
Und wenn sie schon nicht wissen
And if they don't know
Wohin mit ihrem Samen
Where to put their seed
Dann bumsen sie doch 'ne Runde
Then why not have sex for a while
In Gottes Namen
In God's name
Der weiße Blitz aus Rom
The white lightning from Rome
Keine Pille, kein Kondom
No pill, no condom
Halleluja
Hallelujah
Contributed by Kaylee I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.