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.
Es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
vor mir liegt ein toller Tag
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
Auf die Straße gehen
und wunderschöne Frauen sehen
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
ich komme trotzdem nicht auf Trab
es bedeutet mir nicht mehr
Ich könnt einen saufen gehen
doch ich laß den Cognac stehn
es bedeutet mir nicht mehr
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
Oder ins Reisebüro
Nach New York - Rio - Tokio
es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
Moskau ist nicht weit
ich hätte Geld, ich hätte Zeit
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
Oder ich fahr nach Norderney
doch du bist nicht dabei
darum bedeutet es mir nichts mehr
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
Selbst wenn die ganze Welt
'ne Mega-Party wär
ging ich trotzdem nach Haus
denn es bedeutet mir nichts mehr...
Egal was ich auch mache
es interessiert mich 'n Scheiß
Ob jetzt die Linde rauscht
oder in China platzt ein Säckchen Reis
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
Mein Konto ist so voll
paßt nichts mehr drauf, das ist doch toll
es bedeutet ihm nichts mehr
Die goldenen Kreditkarten
müssen in der Tasche warten
Es bedeutet ihm nichts mehr
Ich könnt mir 'n Flugzeug holen
flieg Loopings über Polen
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
Ich könnt mir 'n U-Boot schenken
und in der Südsee die französische Marine versenken
doch was soll's
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
Ja, selbst das Paradies
wär ohne dich ganz fies
wenn du nicht dabei bist
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
The lyrics of Udo Lindenberg's song "Es bedeutet mir nichts mehr" speak to the emptiness and meaninglessness of life without the presence of a loved one. The singer wakes up to a beautiful day and has opportunities to engage in enjoyable activities such as admiring beautiful women, going to a exotic locations like New York, Rio, or Tokyo, or even buying expensive toys like an airplane or submarine. However, these activities no longer hold any significance to him without the company of his loved one. His world has lost its appeal and pleasure without the one he loves.
He is even not interested in his wealth or credit cards and imagines himself flying fancy airplanes over Poland or sinking the French Marine in the South Sea. But these things too mean nothing to him without the presence of his loved one. It becomes clear that she is the only reason he ever found meaning and joy in his life. The singer concludes that even if the whole world were a mega-party, he would go home because none of it would matter if she were not present.
The song is a poignant representation of the reality that material possessions, beauty, adventure, and success pale in comparison to human connection and love. It emphasizes that all our accomplishments can feel empty and meaningless when we are without the people who matter most to us.
Line by Line Meaning
Der Wecker macht mich wach
Just woke up by the alarm clock.
vor mir liegt ein toller Tag
A great day is ahead of me.
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
But it means nothing without you.
Auf die Straße gehen
Going out to the street.
und wunderschöne Frauen sehen
And seeing beautiful women.
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
But it means nothing without you.
Die Minis sind so knapp
The miniskirts are so short.
ich komme trotzdem nicht auf Trab
But I still can't get excited.
es bedeutet mir nicht mehr
It means nothing to me anymore.
Ich könnt einen saufen gehen
I could go and have a drink.
doch ich laß den Cognac stehn
But I won't touch the cognac.
es bedeutet mir nicht mehr
It means nothing to me anymore.
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
If you're not there with me...
Oder ins Reisebüro
Or go to the travel agency.
Nach New York - Rio - Tokio
To New York - Rio - Tokyo.
es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
But it means nothing without you.
Moskau ist nicht weit
Moscow is not far.
ich hätte Geld, ich hätte Zeit
I have the money and time.
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
But it means nothing without you.
Oder ich fahr nach Norderney
Or I go to Norderney.
doch du bist nicht dabei
But you're not there with me.
darum bedeutet es mir nichts mehr
So it means nothing to me anymore.
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
If you're not there with me...
Selbst wenn die ganze Welt
Even if the whole world
'ne Mega-Party wär
was a mega-party.
ging ich trotzdem nach Haus
I'd still go home.
denn es bedeutet mir nichts mehr...
Because it means nothing without you...
Egal was ich auch mache
No matter what I do,
es interessiert mich 'n Scheiß
I don't give a damn about it.
Ob jetzt die Linde rauscht
Even if the linden tree rustles,
oder in China platzt ein Säckchen Reis
or a bag of rice bursts in China.
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
If you're not there with me...
Mein Konto ist so voll
My account is so full.
paßt nichts mehr drauf, das ist doch toll
There's no more room in it, but that's great.
es bedeutet ihm nichts mehr
But it means nothing to me anymore.
Die goldenen Kreditkarten
The golden credit cards.
müssen in der Tasche warten
Have to wait in my pocket.
Es bedeutet ihm nichts mehr
But it means nothing to me anymore.
Ich könnt mir 'n Flugzeug holen
I could get myself a plane.
flieg Loopings über Polen
Do loops over Poland.
doch es bedeutet mir nichts mehr
But it means nothing to me anymore.
Ich könnt mir 'n U-Boot schenken
I could give myself a submarine.
und in der Südsee die französische Marine versenken
And sink the French Navy in the South Seas.
doch was soll's
But what's the point?
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
If you're not there with me...
Ja, selbst das Paradies
Even paradise itself
wär ohne dich ganz fies
would be unpleasant without you.
wenn du nicht dabei bist
If you're not there with me...
WENN DU NICHT DABEI BIST ...
If you're not there with me...
Contributed by Camilla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.