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.
Notausgang
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
da kommt er aus dem Bett gekrochen
es hatte alles keinen Sinn
und er weiß auch nicht, wohin
der Himmel hängt so tief
und er geht ganz gebückt
auf seiner abgelatschten Straße
und wenn er mal nach oben blickt
Kinder singen nutzlose Lieder
in den Himmel immer wieder
von dem sich gerade die Rauchwolken
des letzten Krieges verziehn
Kinder singen
Er sieht sein Leben wie im Film
mal klarer mal verschwommen
man kann gegen so 'ne Vergangenheit
mit der Zukunft nicht ankommen
Was gibts denn da noch für Kicks?
was kann ihn nach aufbaun?
welche Drogen... welche groBen Worte...
welche Männer... welche Frauen...?
Kosmos-Walzer
Jetzt sitzt er stumm an irgendeiner Bar
und fühlt sich nüchtern krnnk
säuft noch einen und sieht ganz klar
über der Tür
das Schild "Notausgang"
Und stellt sich vor, er geht zur Bank
um alle Kohlen abzuheben
fährt um die Welt mit gefälschtem Paß
als ein anderer—
und noch einmal richtig leben
Die Hitze, die mir der Mensch nicht gibt
die hol ich mir aus der Chemie
und mein Lebensabend wird ein rauschendes Fest
und beginnt gleich Morgen früh
Kosmos-Walzer
Laß alle Exzesse dieser Welt
noch einmal ausprobiern
dem Ted den kleinen Finger reichen
und nicht die ganze Hand verliern
The song "Notausgang" by Udo Lindenberg is a poignant and reflective piece about a man who feels lost and disconnected from both his past and his present. The first verse sets the scene of the character's isolation, as he finds himself wandering through the streets alone and with a sense of pointless despair. The bleak imagery of the "low-hanging" sky and the "worn-out" street illustrate his emotional state and serve as a metaphor for his sense of purposelessness. The repeated refrain of "Kinder singen" emphasizes the sense of futility and despair that this man feels. The image of children singing songs that are "useless" reflects his belief that there is nothing in the world that can truly make a difference, and that we are all ultimately powerless against the forces of history and the world around us.
The second verse shifts the focus to the man's inner world. He sees his life as a "film," with memories and experiences that sometimes seem clear and sometimes fade into a haze. He feels trapped between the past and the future, powerless to change what has happened and uncertain about what is yet to come. The list of "kicks" and sources of inspiration that he contemplates - drugs, grandiose ideas, other people - suggest that he is searching for something to fill the void that he feels in his life. However, he ultimately realizes that there is no easy solution to his problems.
The final verse of the song brings the character to a moment of reckoning. He imagines himself walking out of the bar through the "Notausgang," a literal escape hatch that suggests he is searching for a way out of his current situation. He fantasizes about leaving behind his old life and starting anew, adopting a new identity and exploring the world with a sense of curiosity and adventure. The final line of the song, about "letting all the excesses of the world" play out, suggests that the character has come to accept his sense of powerlessness and is ready to simply experience whatever comes his way.
Overall, "Notausgang" is a powerful and affecting depiction of a man who is struggling to find meaning and purpose in his life. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery and evocative language that capture the character's emotional state, and the overall effect of the song is both haunting and profound.
Contributed by Samuel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.