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.
Ein Koffer spricht
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Und ich such meinen Herrn, wo mag er nur sein,
Er trug einen Stern, und war alt und blind,
Und er hielt mich gut, als wär ich sein Kind.
Ich hab meinen Herrn begleitet, jahraus jahrein,
Auch diesmal ging ich mit ihm, nun ist er allein,
Er war alt und blind, wohin ist er gekommen,
Ich bin ein kleiner Koffer...
Warum bin ich auf dem Kasernenhof geblieben?
Sein Name steht doch auf meinem Kleid geschrieben.
Nun bin ich schmutzig, mein Schloss hält nicht mehr,
Man hat mich geplündert, ich bin fast leer.
Nur ein Tuch ist noch da, ein Becher dabei,
Seine kleine Blindentafel aus Blei,
Alles ist fort, die Arzeneien, das Brot,
Er sucht mich gewiss, vielleicht leidet er Not
Ich bin ein kleiner Koffer...
Das muss schwer sein für einen Blinden,
Mich in dem Stapel von Koffern zu finden,
Ich kann es auch so schwer verstehen,
Weshalb wir hier nutzlos zugrunde gehen.
The lyrics to Udo Lindenberg's "Ein Koffer spricht" tell the story of a small suitcase from Frankfurt am Main that has lost its owner, an old and blind man who held onto the suitcase as if it were his child. The suitcase had accompanied its owner for years, but now that he is missing, it is left behind on a military base, dirty and nearly empty. The suitcase's lock is broken and it has been looted, with only a cloth, a cup, and the owner's small lead blind tablet remaining. The suitcase wonders where its owner is and why it has been left behind, as it is a small and insignificant item in a pile of other suitcases. The song highlights the feeling of abandonment and disappointment that the suitcase experiences, as well as the difficulty of finding one's way in a world where things are easily lost and forgotten.
Overall, the lyrics of "Ein Koffer spricht" are emotive and poignant, evoking a sense of loss and abandonment. The song captures the sense of dislocation that accompanies being separated from something or someone that mattered, as well as the feeling of vulnerability that comes with being a small and insignificant object in a seemingly vast and impersonal world.
Line by Line Meaning
Ich bin ein kleiner Koffer aus Frankfurt am Main,
I am a small suitcase from Frankfurt am Main.
Und ich such meinen Herrn, wo mag er nur sein,
And I am searching for my owner, where could he be?
Er trug einen Stern, und war alt und blind,
He wore a star and was old and blind.
Und er hielt mich gut, als wär ich sein Kind.
And he held me tightly as if I were his child.
Ich hab meinen Herrn begleitet, jahraus jahrein,
I have accompanied my owner for years and years.
Auch diesmal ging ich mit ihm, nun ist er allein,
This time, I went with him too, but now he is alone.
Er war alt und blind, wohin ist er gekommen,
He was old and blind, where has he gone?
Und weshalb hat man mich ihm weg genommen?
And why have I been taken away from him?
Warum bin ich auf dem Kasernenhof geblieben?
Why am I left on this military base?
Sein Name steht doch auf meinem Kleid geschrieben.
His name is written on my tag.
Nun bin ich schmutzig, mein Schloss hält nicht mehr,
Now I am dirty and my lock is broken.
Man hat mich geplündert, ich bin fast leer.
I have been looted and I am almost empty.
Nur ein Tuch ist noch da, ein Becher dabei,
Only a cloth and a cup remain inside.
Seine kleine Blindentafel aus Blei,
His small lead braille slate.
Alles ist fort, die Arzeneien, das Brot,
Everything is gone, the medicines and the bread.
Er sucht mich gewiss, vielleicht leidet er Not
He is surely looking for me, he may be suffering.
Das muss schwer sein für einen Blinden,
This must be difficult for a blind person.
Mich in dem Stapel von Koffern zu finden,
To find me in the stack of suitcases.
Ich kann es auch so schwer verstehen,
I also find it hard to understand.
Weshalb wir hier nutzlos zugrunde gehen.
Why we are here, useless and wasted away.
Contributed by Elijah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.