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.
Bist Du Vom KGB...
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Schon lang haben wir uns nicht gesehen
Man kennt die schönen schlauen Frauen
Die gern in dunklen Ecken stehen
Ich denk ich geh' mal rüber
Und zwar ganz ohne Protokoll
Und red mit ihm mal drüber
Ah, ah, ah
Bist du vom KGB oder vom BND
Oder vom CIA?
Man weiß es nicht genau
Geheimnisvolle Frau
Weil du so cool bist
Ah, ah, ah
Agentin Eisenherz im mysteriösen Licht
Komm nimm die Maske ab und zeig mir dein Gesicht
Beschatte nur noch dich
Weil du so cool bist
Ah, yeah
Lässiger Mann mit sanftem Gang
Ey, du willst meine Augen sehen
Willst wissen was da hinter steckt
Willst hinter meine Tarnung spähen
'Ne eisig harte Schale
Doch darunter das ist klar
Ein großes Herz voll Sehnsucht
Aber man kennt ja die Gefahr
Ah, ah, ah
Bist du vom KGB oder vom BND
Oder vom CIA?
Man weiß es nicht genau
Geheimnisvolle Frau
Weil du so cool bist
Ah, ah, ah
Die Spur ist brennend heiß
Ich weiß wir lösen ihn
Den allergrößten Fall
Als Undercoverteam
Beschatte nur noch dich
Weil wir so cool sind (oh yeah) (ah)
Weil wir so cool sind
Frau Kommissar vom LKA (oh yeah)
Weil wir so cool sind
(Oh yeah, yeah)
The song "Bist Du Vom KGB" by Udo Lindenberg is about a man who meets a beautiful and mysterious woman in a dark corner, whom he suspects might be a spy. He refers to her as "Frau Kommissar" and wonders which intelligence agency she might be working for, whether it's the KGB, BND, or CIA. The man is attracted to her cool and enigmatic demeanor, but at the same time, he is apprehensive about getting involved with someone who might be involved in espionage. The lyrics suggest that the woman is also keeping secrets, and the man wants to know more about her true identity and intentions.
The song's lyrics are full of wit, humor, and irony, as Udo Lindenberg plays with the spy genre's conventions and clichés. He subverts the traditional gender roles by portraying the woman as the spy and the man as the target of her surveillance. The lyrics also contain satirical and political undertones, as they were written during the Cold War era when international espionage was at its peak. The song's catchy melody, lively beat, and Lindenberg's distinctive singing style make it one of the most iconic songs in German pop culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Frau Kommissar ist alles klar?
Asking if there are any problems with the authorities.
Schon lang haben wir uns nicht gesehen
It has been a while since they last met.
Man kennt die schönen schlauen Frauen
The popular image of smart, beautiful women standing in dark corners.
Die gern in dunklen Ecken stehen
These women usually prefer standing in dim corners.
Ich denk ich geh' mal rüber
He suggests that he goes over to her.
Und zwar ganz ohne Protokoll
He wants to meet her without any regulations or restrictions.
Und red mit ihm mal drüber
He wants to talk to her about their current situation.
Wie das mit uns jetzt laufen soll
He wants to discuss how their relationship should progress from now on.
Bist du vom KGB oder vom BND
Asking whether she is affiliated with KGB, BND, or CIA.
Oder vom CIA?
He is also considering whether she is involved with the CIA.
Man weiß es nicht genau
It is unclear which agency she belongs to.
Geheimnisvolle Frau
He describes her as a mysterious woman.
Weil du so cool bist
He admires her for being so composed and relaxed.
Agentin Eisenherz im mysteriösen Licht
He imagines her as a secret agent, lit by shadows.
Komm nimm die Maske ab und zeig mir dein Gesicht
He implores her to reveal her true identity.
Beschatte nur noch dich
He chooses to surveil only her.
Weil du so cool bist
He admires her for her cool and collected nature.
Lässiger Mann mit sanftem Gang
He describes himself as slightly laid back, with a gentle walk.
Ey, du willst meine Augen sehen
He feels the woman is interested in him.
Willst wissen was da hinter steckt
She is curious about what his thoughts and feelings are.
Willst hinter meine Tarnung spähen
She may want to take a look at what lies beneath his exterior facade.
'Ne eisig harte Schale
He tells her that he appears icy and hard outside.
Doch darunter das ist klar
However, beneath that exterior, he is quite different.
Ein großes Herz voll Sehnsucht
He claims that he has a big heart and is full of longing for her.
Aber man kennt ja die Gefahr
However, there is always some fear of being hurt.
Die Spur ist brennend heiß
He is claiming that the trail is warm and worth following.
Ich weiß wir lösen ihn
He is confident that they can solve the big case together.
Den allergrößten Fall
They are working on the biggest case of their careers.
Als Undercoverteam
They are working together as undercover agents.
Weil wir so cool sind (oh yeah)
They are so cool and composed that they can handle any situation.
Frau Kommissar vom LKA (oh yeah)
He addresses her as 'Frau Kommissar' and refers to her as an agent of the LKA.
Weil wir so cool sind
They are cool and collected in all situations.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rainer Kipp, Udo Lindenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind