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 kommen und gehen
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
fahren die Züge ein
Die eine steigt aus
und die soll's für immer sein
Auf dem Bahnsteig des Lebens
fahren die Züge wieder los
Tränen auf den Schienen
die Liebe war so groß
Ein Kommen und Gehen, ein Kommen und Gehen
mit dem Koffer in der Hand
und war es auch noch so schön
ein Kommen und Gehn, ein Kommen und Gehn
bis die Eine kommt, die mich umhaut
wie ein Orkan, wie'n Orkan
so wie du
Züge fahren weiter
ich versteh' die Welt nicht mehr
sie winkt noch kurz am Fenster
und ich heule mir die Seele leer...
Das ist das Ende, doch ein Freund sagt:
Du weißt doch ganz genau
mit dem nächsten Zug, der einfährt,
kommt schon wieder
eine andere Frau
Ein Kommen und Gehen, ein Kommen und Gehen
mit dem Koffer in der Hand
und war es auch noch so schön
ein Kommen und Gehn, ein Kommen und Gehn
bis die Eine kommt, die mich umhaut
so wie du
The lyrics of Udo Lindenberg's song "Ein Kommen und Gehen" talk about the different stages of life and relationships, using the metaphor of trains arriving and departing from a station. The first verse sets the scene of the platform of life, where trains (opportunities) arrive and depart. Sometimes, a train (a person) gets off, and that's the one that was meant to be forever. But life goes on, and the trains keep leaving, leaving behind tears on the tracks, as the love was so great.
The chorus sings about the constant "Kommen und Gehen" (coming and going) of the trains and the luggage that people carry with them. The luggage symbolizes the memories and experiences that we accumulate in our travels through life. But then, someone arrives, the one that knocks us out like a hurricane, and everything changes.
The second verse is about the pain of watching the train leave with someone we love. The singer doesn't understand the world anymore, and all that's left is tears. But then, a friend reminds him that there will always be another train, carrying another woman that could be the one.
The song is a poignant reminder of the transience of life and the inevitability of change. It speaks to the universal experience of love and loss and the hope that there is always something new around the corner.
Line by Line Meaning
Auf dem Bahnsteig des Lebens fahren die Züge ein
In life, opportunities come and go
Die eine steigt aus und die soll's für immer sein
Sometimes, the one who leaves is the one we thought would stay forever
Auf dem Bahnsteig des Lebens fahren die Züge wieder los
Life goes on after we lose someone special
Tränen auf den Schienen die Liebe war so groß
The tears we shed for lost love are proof of how much we cared
Ein Kommen und Gehen, ein Kommen und Gehen mit dem Koffer in der Hand
Life is a constant cycle of arrivals and departures, with us moving on to the next destination
Und war es auch noch so schön
Even if a place or relationship brought us happiness, we must move on eventually
Bis die Eine kommt, die mich umhaut wie ein Orkan, wie'n Orkan so wie du
Eventually, we may find someone who makes such an impact on us that we cannot help but stay
Züge fahren weiter ich versteh' die Welt nicht mehr
Life goes on, even if we do not understand why things happen the way they do
Sie winkt noch kurz am Fenster und ich heule mir die Seele leer...
Even after someone leaves, their impact on us remains, sometimes causing us to grieve deeply
Das ist das Ende, doch ein Freund sagt: Du weißt doch ganz genau
Although it may feel like the end, we must remember that life goes on and new opportunities will arise
Mit dem nächsten Zug, der einfährt, kommt schon wieder eine andere Frau
There will always be someone new who enters our lives when we least expect it
Contributed by Molly N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.