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.
Polyesterliebe
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
und meistens trug sie Kleider mit Preisschildern dran
und sie dachte, Menschen sind sonderbar
wie galaktische Gespenster
und sie sah sich den ganzen Tag diesen Zirkus da draußen an
Dicke Omis mit Plastiktüten und Atemnot
preßten ihre Nasen ans Schaufensterglas
ab und zu hielt mal ein Hund an
hob das Bein und machte die schöne Scheibe naß
So stand sie da in ihrem Fummel
im Schein des Neonlichts
und bald fand sie den Job sehr blöde
und die Kolleginnen sagten nichts
Ihr Polyesterherz war voller Schmerz
und sie wollte zurück in die Puppenfabrik
oder irgendwohin, da sah sie ihn
er verlor sich in ihren Augen, er träumte auf ihrem Gesicht
ihr schickes Kleid, wie komisch, beachtete er nicht
Er war ein alter Mann, sehr traurig
doch sein Blick war tief und schön
und sie merkte, es fiel ihm schwer, einfach weiterzugehen...
Am Abend war die Innenstadt dreckig und tot und rauh
Zeitungsfetzen im Wind, und plötzlich war er wieder da
ob sie ihn vielleicht erinnerte an eine Menschenfrau
mit der er früher mal sehr glücklich gewesen war?
Sie trafen sich, sie liebten sich
doch immer nur in der Nacht
denn ihr Schaufensterpuppendienst
begann morgens, immer so gegen acht
The song "Polyesterliebe" by Udo Lindenberg tells the story of a woman who works as a mannequin in a shop window surrounded by people who come to gawk at her. She wears clothes with price tags on them and observes the people outside, thinking to herself that humans are strange creatures, like galactic ghosts. She is disenchanted by her job and wants to leave, perhaps to return to the doll factory where she was created. It is at this point that she sees an older man who captivates her attention, and she notices that he is also drawn to her. Despite their age difference and different backgrounds, they fall in love and have a secret affair, meeting only at night because she has to go to work in the morning.
The lyrics are deeply symbolic and represent the human condition. The mannequin and the old man represent two people who are trapped in their respective lives, unable to find their place or to be understood by others. They are both seeking love and connection, and they find it in one another. Their love is unconventional, but it brings them both happiness, and they are willing to risk everything to be together.
Line by Line Meaning
Sie stand da mit ihren Schwestern bei C+H im Fenster
She stood there with her sisters at C+H window display
und meistens trug sie Kleider mit Preisschildern dran
Mostly, she wore dresses with price tags on them
und sie dachte, Menschen sind sonderbar wie galaktische Gespenster
And she thought, people are strange like galactic ghosts
und sie sah sich den ganzen Tag diesen Zirkus da draußen an
And watched the whole circus outside all day
Dicke Omis mit Plastiktüten und Atemnot
Fat grannies with plastic bags and respiratory distress
preßten ihre Nasen ans Schaufensterglas
Pressed their noses against the windowpane
die meisten Wesen rannten hektisch vorbei
Most beings rushed by hectically
ab und zu hielt mal ein Hund an
Once in a while, a dog stopped by
hob das Bein und machte die schöne Scheibe naß
Lifted its leg to pee on the beautiful glass
So stand sie da in ihrem Fummel im Schein des Neonlichts
So she stood there in her dress in the neon light
und bald fand sie den Job sehr blöde
And soon she found the job very dull
und die Kolleginnen sagten nichts
And her colleagues said nothing
Ihr Polyesterherz war voller Schmerz
Her polyester heart was full of pain
und sie wollte zurück in die Puppenfabrik
And she wanted to go back to the doll factory
oder irgendwohin, da sah sie ihn
Or somewhere, and then she saw him
er verlor sich in ihren Augen, er träumte auf ihrem Gesicht ihr schickes Kleid, wie komisch, beachtete er nicht
He got lost in her eyes, dreaming on her face; her fancy dress, how strange, he did not notice
Er war ein alter Mann, sehr traurig
He was an old man, very sad
doch sein Blick war tief und schön
Yet his gaze was deep and beautiful
und sie merkte, es fiel ihm schwer, einfach weiterzugehen...
And she noticed that it was hard for him to just walk away
Am Abend war die Innenstadt dreckig und tot und rauh
In the evening, the city center was dirty, dead and rough
Zeitungsfetzen im Wind, und plötzlich war er wieder da
Newspaper scraps in the wind, and he suddenly appeared again
ob sie ihn vielleicht erinnerte an eine Menschenfrau mit der er früher mal sehr glücklich gewesen war?
If she reminded him of a human woman with whom he had once been very happy?
Sie trafen sich, sie liebten sich
They met and they loved each other
doch immer nur in der Nacht
But always only at night
denn ihr Schaufensterpuppendienst begann morgens, immer so gegen acht
For her window display doll service started in the morning, always around eight
Contributed by Liliana L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.