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.
Ganz egal
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
da war so 'n Typ, den fand ich richtig gut
der hieß James Dean
die haben mir erzählt, daß er der erste war
der geweint hat auf der Leinwand
vorher gab´s nur diese knallharten Männer
mit der Knarre in der Hand
Rock 'n 'Roll von Elvis Presley
der machte damals 'ne Riesenschau
und bewegte die Hüften wie 'ne Frau
und 63 waren die Beatles da
das war damals noch ein Skandal mit dem langen Haar
und Paul sang wie ein Mädchen, das kam unheimlich an
Dann Mick Jagger und jetzt Davie Bowie
der seinen Gitarristen auf der Bühne küßt
und wieso auch nicht
es ist doch ganz egal
ob du ein Junge oder 'n Mädchen bist!
Gestern hab ich dich zum ersten Mal gesehen
weiße Haut, totaler Knock-out
für einen Moment blieben wir stehen...
weißt du, irgendwie fand ich dich so gut
doch dich gleich auf der Straße zu umarmen
dazu fehlte mir der Mut
In the song "Ganz egal" by Udo Lindenberg, the artist reminisces about the early days of rock and roll and pop culture, drawing inspiration from icons like James Dean, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Mick Jagger. He reflects on their rebellious spirit and the impact they had on society, breaking norms and stereotypes about gender roles and expressions. He sings about how they were able to express their emotions on stage, and how they challenged traditional ideas of what it means to be a strong and confident man.
Lindenberg also speaks directly to a person he met recently, who left a strong impression on him. He describes their physical appearance as a "total knockout," and admits to feeling intimidated and unsure about how to approach them. He seems to suggest that this situation is similar to the way the early rock icons broke boundaries in their own time, by pushing boundaries and challenging norms. Lindenberg concludes by saying that it doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl, or how you express yourself – what matters is being true to yourself and embracing who you are.
Overall, the song "Ganz egal" celebrates individuality, self-expression, and the power of pop culture to challenge existing norms and inspire change. Through his lyrics, Lindenberg encourages listeners to embrace their own identity and to express themselves in their own unique way, regardless of what others might think.
Line by Line Meaning
Neulich hab ich 'n Film von früher gesehn
Recently I watched an old movie
da war so 'n Typ, den fand ich richtig gut
There was this guy in the movie and I really liked him
der hieß James Dean
His name was James Dean
die haben mir erzählt, daß er der erste war
They told me that he was the first
der geweint hat auf der Leinwand
To cry on screen
vorher gab´s nur diese knallharten Männer
Before that there were only tough guys
mit der Knarre in der Hand
Holding guns
Und dann hab ich alte Platten gehört
And then I listened to old records
Rock 'n 'Roll von Elvis Presley
Rock 'n' roll by Elvis Presley
der machte damals 'ne Riesenschau
He made a huge show back then
und bewegte die Hüften wie 'ne Frau
And moved his hips like a woman
und 63 waren die Beatles da
And in '63 the Beatles arrived
das war damals noch ein Skandal mit dem langen Haar
It was still a scandal back then with their long hair
und Paul sang wie ein Mädchen, das kam unheimlich an
And Paul sang like a girl, which was really interesting
Dann Mick Jagger und jetzt Davie Bowie
Then Mick Jagger and now Davie Bowie
der seinen Gitarristen auf der Bühne küßt
Who kisses his guitarist on stage
und wieso auch nicht
And why not?
es ist doch ganz egal
It doesn't really matter
ob du ein Junge oder 'n Mädchen bist!
Whether you're a boy or a girl!
Gestern hab ich dich zum ersten Mal gesehen
Yesterday I saw you for the first time
weiße Haut, totaler Knock-out
White skin, total knockout
für einen Moment blieben wir stehen...
For a moment we stopped...
weißt du, irgendwie fand ich dich so gut
You know, I really liked you somehow
doch dich gleich auf der Straße zu umarmen
But to hug you right there on the street
dazu fehlte mir der Mut
I just didn't have the courage for that
Contributed by Skyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.