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.
Dach der Welt
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sie waren verloren
in diese harte Welt hineingeboren
als sie sich trafen,
allein und ängstlich
da hatten sie wenigstens sich
Draußen war alles nur Hölle und Dreck
nichts sollte stören
und ihr kleines Versteck
war ein Himmelbett
warm und süß
Auf dem Dach der Welt
da ganz oben
sie wollten einfach nur ihre Ruh
laß draußen doch den Wahnsinn toben
wir schließen Fenster und Türen ganz fest zu
Stille Liebe
Ihre Freunde wurden zu fernen Planeten
wir die Sonne — haben sie gedacht
und nach einiger Zeit waren sie einsam zu zweit
alle hatten sich davongemacht.
Waren sie mal Tage lag getrennt
und das Telefon blieb stamm
dann konnten sie an nichts mehr denken
und stürzten ab ins Vakuum
Auf dem Dach der Welt, da ganz oben
sie wollten einfach nur ihre Ruh
laß draußen doch den Wahnsinn toben
wir schließen Fenster und Türen ganz fest zu
"Unser Nest soll eine Festung sein..."
sie liebten sich wie verrückt
und der Wind der Welt kam nicht mehr rein
so fand man nie eines Tages
an dar Liebe erstickt
The song "Dach der Welt" by Udo Lindenberg tells the story of two people who feel lost in the harsh world they were born into. They find solace in each other's company and create a place for themselves, a little paradise away from the madness outside. They make their "nest" a fortress, shutting out the world and its chaos. They loved each other deeply, but eventually became isolated from the rest of the world to the point where they became trapped in their own love. The last line, "so fand man nie eines Tages an dar Liebe erstickt" (so no one ever found them one day, suffocated by their love), suggests that their love became suffocating and ultimately led to their downfall.
The song highlights how love, while beautiful and desirable, can also be a dangerous thing if taken to an extreme. The couple in the song sought refuge from the world in their love, but ultimately became trapped and isolated from everything else. The lyrics evoke a sense of sadness and longing, especially in the line "alle hatten sich davongemacht" (everyone had gone away), which suggests that the couple is the only thing each other has left in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Sie hatten nichts
They had nothing
sie waren verloren
They were lost
in diese harte Welt hineingeboren
Born into this harsh world
als sie sich trafen,
When they met
allein und ängstlich
Alone and afraid
da hatten sie wenigstens sich
At least they had each other
Draußen war alles nur Hölle und Dreck
Outside was nothing but hell and dirt
sie suchten ihr kleines Paradies
They searched for their little paradise
nichts sollte stören
Nothing should disturb
und ihr kleines Versteck
And their little hiding place
war ein Himmelbett
Was a heavenly bed
warm und süß
Warm and sweet
Auf dem Dach der Welt
On the roof of the world
da ganz oben
Up there
sie wollten einfach nur ihre Ruh
They just wanted their peace
laß draußen doch den Wahnsinn toben
Let the madness rage outside
wir schließen Fenster und Türen ganz fest zu
We'll close the windows and doors tightly
Stille Liebe
Silent love
Ihre Freunde wurden zu fernen Planeten
Their friends became distant planets
wir die Sonne — haben sie gedacht
We thought we were the sun
und nach einiger Zeit waren sie einsam zu zweit
And after some time they were lonely together
alle hatten sich davongemacht.
Everyone had left.
Waren sie mal Tage lag getrennt
If they were separated for days
und das Telefon blieb stamm
And the phone was still
dann konnten sie an nichts mehr denken
Then they couldn't think of anything else
und stürzten ab ins Vakuum
And fell into the vacuum
Auf dem Dach der Welt, da ganz oben
On the roof of the world, up there
sie wollten einfach nur ihre Ruh
They just wanted their peace
laß draußen doch den Wahnsinn toben
Let the madness rage outside
wir schließen Fenster und Türen ganz fest zu
We'll close the windows and doors tightly
"Unser Nest soll eine Festung sein..."
"Our nest should be a fortress..."
sie liebten sich wie verrückt
They loved each other like crazy
und der Wind der Welt kam nicht mehr rein
And the wind of the world didn't come in anymore
so fand man nie eines Tages
So one day they never found
an dar Liebe erstickt
Suffocated by their love.
Contributed by Ruby Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.