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.
Du und ich
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ich muss in Ruhe mal mit dir reden, mein alter Freund!
Ey du mein armer Körper, was hab' ich dir schon alles angetan?
Volle Dröhnung, hoch die Tassen, ey, das tut mir ziemlich leid,
Ich muss dir jetzt mal danken nach all der Zeit!
Ey mein Body, du und ich,
Ich weiß, du lässt mich nicht im Stich!
Längst den Löffel abgegeben
Ich hab' geraucht so wie ein Schlot
Und gesoffen wie ein Loch,
Ich hab' dich superhart geschunden,
Doch du lebst immer noch!
Bin ein Feiervogel der durch sein Leben rennt
Wie 'ne Kerze, die von beiden Seiten brennt
Ich war für dich kein guter kein guter Bodyguard
Doch was uns nicht killt, das macht uns extrahart!
Ich hab' alles eingeschmissen, was mir in die Finger kam
Auch die chemischen Keulen törnten sehr gut an
Ey mein Body du und ich
Ich weiß du lässt mich nicht im Stich!
And're hätten bei so 'nem Leben
Längst den Löffel abgegeben
Ich hab' geraucht so wie ein Schlot
Und gesoffen wie ein Loch
Ich hab' dich superhart geschunden
Trotzdem leben wir immer noch!
Ich muss dir jetzt was sagen, ich zoll' dir meinen Respekt,
Du hast den ganzen Wahnsinn weggesteckt!
Ey, mein Body, du und ich
Hey, wir lassen uns nicht im Stich!
Und sind die Zeiten auch manchmal hart,
Wir bleiben lange noch am Start!
Mein Körper, du und ich,
Sowas wird's nie wieder geben,
Weißt du, was wir beide sind?
Wir sind die Meister im Überleben!
Mein Body, du und ich
In the first verse of Udo Lindenberg's song "Du und ich", the singer invites their old friend for a chat and asks if they want coffee, whiskey or marijuana. They then address their body, apologizing for everything they've put it through, from getting high to drinking excessively. They express their gratitude and appreciation for their body despite all the abuse they have subjected it to. In the chorus, the singer acknowledges their reckless lifestyle, but also praises their body for not giving up on them. The second verse expands on the singer's lifestyle, describing themselves as a party animal who lives life on the edge. They admit they were not a good bodyguard to their own body, but they celebrate their toughness and resilience. The chorus is repeated, with the singer praising their body for its strength and acknowledging that what they have gone through has made them even stronger. In the final lines of the song, the singer affirms their commitment to their body, stating that they will remain committed to each other no matter what life brings.
This song is about the relationship between the singer and their body. The lyrics are a reflection on the singer's wild lifestyle and the impact it has had on their body. They recognize that they have put their body through a lot of stress and strain, but at the same time, they are grateful for all the things it has done for them. The song captures the complex dynamic between the body and the self, and it highlights the resiliency of the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Willst 'n Kaffee, kleinen Whiskey oder 'n Joint?
Do you want a coffee, a little whiskey, or a joint? (Offering a drink to start a conversation)
Ich muss in Ruhe mal mit dir reden, mein alter Freund!
I need to speak with you in peace, my old friend! (Signifying the importance and depth of the conversation)
Ey du mein armer Körper, was hab' ich dir schon alles angetan?
Oh, my poor body, what have I put you through? (Acknowledging the bodily harm caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices)
Volle Dröhnung, hoch die Tassen, ey, das tut mir ziemlich leid,
Full blast, cheers, hey, I'm pretty sorry. (Expressing remorse for past actions)
Ich muss dir jetzt mal danken nach all der Zeit!
I have to thank you now after all this time! (Showing gratitude for the body's resilience and continued survival)
Bin ein Feiervogel der durch sein Leben rennt
I'm a party bird running through his life (Identifying oneself as a hard-partying individual)
Wie 'ne Kerze, die von beiden Seiten brennt
Like a candle burning from both ends (Expressing the exhaustion that comes from excessive living)
Ich war für dich kein guter kein guter Bodyguard
I was not a good bodyguard for you (Admitting that past choices have not necessarily been in the body's best interest)
Doch was uns nicht killt, das macht uns extrahart!
But what doesn't kill us, makes us extra hard! (Celebrating the body's ability to endure despite the odds against it)
Ich hab' alles eingeschmissen, was mir in die Finger kam
I threw everything I got into my body (Acknowledging a lack of discernment in past lifestyle choices)
Auch die chemischen Keulen törnten sehr gut an
Even the chemical clubs felt good (Alluding to drug use)
Ich muss dir jetzt was sagen, ich zoll' dir meinen Respekt,
I have to tell you something now, I pay you my respect. (Showing reverence for the body's ability to survive)
Und sind die Zeiten auch manchmal hart,
And even if the times are sometimes tough, (Acknowledging the fact that life can be difficult)
Wir bleiben lange noch am Start!
We'll stay at the starting line for much longer! (Expressing the desire to keep going regardless of obstacles)
Sowas wird's nie wieder geben,
There will never be anything like this again, (Recognizing that the past cannot be repeated)
Weißt du, was wir beide sind?
Do you know what we are? (Posing a rhetorical question)
Wir sind die Meister im Überleben!
We are the masters of survival! (Celebrating the body's ability to endure)
Ey mein Body du und ich
Oh, my body, you and I! (Addressing the body directly)
Ich weiß du lässt mich nicht im Stich!
I know you won't let me down! (Expressing faith in the body's ability to survive)
And're hätten bei so 'nem Leben
Others would have given up with this kind of life (Recognizing the potential damage of past choices)
Längst den Löffel abgegeben
They would have long since given up the spoon (Imagery to suggest death)
Ich hab' geraucht so wie ein Schlot
I smoked like a chimney (Admitting to past smoking habits)
Und gesoffen wie ein Loch
And drank like a fish (Admitting to past drinking habits)
Ich hab' dich superhart geschunden
I pushed you to the limit (Acknowledging the physical strain caused by past choices)
Trotzdem leben wir immer noch!
Nevertheless, we're still alive! (Despite everything, the body has survived)
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: UDO LINDENBERG, FABIAN HARLOFF, JEAN JACQUES KRAVETZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind