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.
Riskante Spiele
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
„Ey, gib mir mal 'n Glas Wasser
Ich muss mal eben 'ne Tablette einnehmen“
Die alte Dame meinte: „Sehr vernünftig
Du denkst an Deine Gesundheit, mein Sohn“
Und dann nahm er sich 'ne AM1
Und später noch 'ne Speedogon
Uh, das knallte rein, das törnte sehr gut an
Und dann sagt er: „Olga, alles easy
Jetzt geh' ich einen rocken“
In der Schule, im Chemiesaal
Mixte er sein Teufelszeug
Riskante Spiele, die er spielte
Er schnüffelte Juhu und Klebolin, bis er schielte
Später rauchte er dann Haschisch
Nahm Mescalin und LSD
Und dann fiel er schließlich mit seiner Nase
Auch noch voll in den Schnee
Lass die harten Drogen sein
Trink Dir doch mal lieber einen
Jetzt griff er zur Fuselpulle
Er war interessiert, wie Alkohol funktioniert
Nun stand er jeden Abend an der Theke
Und trank mit Vergnügen viele Flaschen aus
Doch eines Abends nach dem zwanzigsten Bier
Da sah er seine erste weiße Maus
Uh, das darf nicht sein, nein, nein, nein
Er macht die Augen zu und hält sich am Tresen fest
Doch da merkt er: Zu spät
Er steht mit den Beinen schon
Mittendrin im Mäusenest
The song "Riskante Spiele" by Udo Lindenberg features a narrative that tells the story of a young man's journey of experimental drug use, starting with prescription pills obtained from his mother, and progressing to hard drugs like speed, juhu, and LSD. The lyrics convey the exhilaration and rush of the initial highs, as well as the eventual consequences, such as addiction and bodily harm. The chorus urges the listener to avoid these risk-taking games with drugs and instead drink alcohol moderately.
Line by Line Meaning
Er war 15 Jahre alt und er sagt zu seiner Mutter
At 15 years old, he asked his mother for water and took a pill claiming it was to be healthy
"Ey, gib mir mal 'n Glas Wasser
Ich muss mal eben 'ne Tablette einnehmen"
He asked for water to take a pill that he claimed was for his health
Die alte Dame meinte: "Sehr vernünftig
Du denkst an Deine Gesundheit, mein Sohn"
His mother agreed that he was being responsible for thinking of his health
Und dann nahm er sich 'ne AM1
Und später noch 'ne Speedogon
He took AM1 and Speedogon pills
Uh, das knallte rein, das törnte sehr gut an
Das zog ihm runter bis in die Socken
Und dann sagt er: "Olga, alles easy
Jetzt geh' ich einen rocken"
He enjoyed the effects of the pills, feeling it all the way down to his socks and decided to go out and enjoy himself
In der Schule, im Chemiesaal
Mixte er sein Teufelszeug
Riskante Spiele, die er spielte
Er schnüffelte Juhu und Klebolin, bis er schielte
Später rauchte er dann Haschisch
Nahm Mescalin und LSD
Und dann fiel er schließlich mit seiner Nase
Auch noch voll in den Schnee
He experimented with drugs in school, mixing dangerous substances and eventually falling into snow while under the influence of LSD and Mescaline
Lass die harten Drogen sein
Trink Dir doch mal lieber einen
He was advised to stay away from hard drugs and drink alcohol instead
Jetzt griff er zur Fuselpulle
Er war interessiert, wie Alkohol funktioniert
Nun stand er jeden Abend an der Theke
Und trank mit Vergnügen viele Flaschen aus
Doch eines Abends nach dem zwanzigsten Bier
Da sah er seine erste weiße Maus
He started drinking alcohol and became interested in how it works. He started drinking excessively and eventually hallucinated while seeing a white mouse
Uh, das darf nicht sein, nein, nein, nein
Er macht die Augen zu und hält sich am Tresen fest
Doch da merkt er: Zu spät
Er steht mit den Beinen schon
Mittendrin im Mäusenest
He tried to resist the hallucination but was too late, finding himself in the middle of it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Karl-Heinz Allaut, Udo Lindenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind