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.
Kosmos
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
nur ein Funke heißer Glut
vom Joint den großen Gottes
Vielleicht ist die Galaxis
nur ein Hauch von Haschischrauch
Die Milchstraße ist für ihn nur ne Linie Kokain
Wenn dann die Gedanken blitzen
sieht man die Kometen flitzen
Gott ist voll auf X-stasy
Gott ist auf X-stasy
Gott ist X-stasy
who is he and who is me?
und so ist seine Herrlichkeit
in Ewigkeit ewig breit
Vielleicht ist unsere Sonne
nur ein Funke heißer Glut
vom Joint den großen Gottes
Vielleicht ist die Galaxis
nur ein Hauch von Haschischrauch
Die Milchstraße ist für ihn nur eine Linie Kokain
und die Sterne sind doch alle nur LSD-Kristalle
Gott ist voll auf X-stasy
Gott ist auf X-stasy
Gott ist X-stasy
Und sa ist seine Herrlichkeit
in Ewigkeit — göttlich breit
Amen
Wenn doch die Menschheit wüßt
was Gott für ein breiter Vogel ist
fielen sie vom Glauben ab
würden ihm nicht soviele Namen geben
und nähmen sich nicht
im Krieg das Leben
The lyrics of Udo Lindenberg's song Kosmos are a reflection of the speculation regarding the nature of God and the universe. Lindenberg integrates the ideas of drug use and the existence of God, creating a unique perspective on spirituality. He suggests that the sun and the galaxy may only be the products of God’s drug-induced thoughts. Lindenberg hints that God may be under the influence of drugs such as hash, LSD and X-stasy, which has affected His view on the world. Lindenberg represents God as a drug user, who is not separated from the world, but rather that the world sprang forth from His LSD-induced mind. In the end, the song reminds us of the power of God and its potent influence on human existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Vielleicht ist unsere Sonne
nur ein Funke heißer Glut
vom Joint den großen Gottes
The sun may just be a tiny speck of hot ash from God's great joint
Vielleicht ist die Galaxis
nur ein Hauch von Haschischrauch
The galaxy could be just a puff of marijuana smoke
Die Milchstraße ist für ihn nur ne Linie Kokain
For him, the Milky Way is just a line of cocaine
Wenn dann die Gedanken blitzen
sieht man die Kometen flitzen
When thoughts flash, one can see comets darting
Gott ist voll auf X-stasy
Gott ist auf X-stasy
Gott ist X-stasy
God is high on ecstasy
who is he and who is me?
Who is he and who is me?
und so ist seine Herrlichkeit
in Ewigkeit ewig breit
Vielleicht ist unsere Sonne
nur ein Funke heißer Glut
vom Joint den großen Gottes
Vielleicht ist die Galaxis
nur ein Hauch von Haschischrauch
And so his glory is endlessly wide in eternity. Perhaps our sun is just a small spark of hot ash from God's great joint, and the galaxy is only a puff of marijuana smoke
Die Milchstraße ist für ihn nur eine Linie Kokain
und die Sterne sind doch alle nur LSD-Kristalle
For him, the Milky Way is just a line of cocaine, and all the stars are just LSD crystals
Gott ist voll auf X-stasy
Gott ist auf X-stasy
Gott ist X-stasy
God is high on ecstasy
Und sa ist seine Herrlichkeit
in Ewigkeit — göttlich breit
Amen
And so his glory is divinely wide in eternity. Amen
Wenn doch die Menschheit wüßt
was Gott für ein breiter Vogel ist
fielen sie vom Glauben ab
würden ihm nicht soviele Namen geben
und nähmen sich nicht
im Krieg das Leben
If only humanity knew what a broad bird God is, they would lose faith and not give him so many names. They would not take each other's lives in war
Contributed by Colin L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.