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.
Sie ist 40
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Er glotzt da rein, und ihr fällt auch nichts mehr ein.
Dann latscht er ins Büro, und sie ist wieder allein.
Manchmal denkt sie: Ich säge sie an, uns're Wasserleitung.
Und dann bestell' ich den charmanten Installateur, bei Frau Nachbar geht er aus und ein. Ja, sowas las sie auch schon mal im Frauenjournal, aber weg mit solchen Ideen, und sie
läßt es lieber sein. Und dann staubsaugt sie los, im Zimmer ihrer Tochter und wieder sieht sie das Plakat von James Dean. Und sie versinkt in seinen Augen und träumt die alten Träume. Sie ist jenseits von Eden mit zitternden Knien.
Refrain:
Vielleicht sollte sie jeden Tag so leben, als ob's der letzte wär. Mit so einem Typ wie Jimmy, in Kalifornien, am Meer.
Als sie ihren Tarzan geheiratet hat, ganz in weiß, '58 im Mai. Da sagte er: Meine Hitze wird niemals verglüh'n!
Doch wenn sie sich heute einmal die Woche im Bett bemüh'n,
dann schlafen sie nur aneinander vorbei!
Sie ist 40, und sie fragt sich:\"Wie komm' ich 'raus aus diesem Wartesaal, mit tiefgefror'nen Träumen im Kühlschrank,
bis der Sensenmann kommt und sagt: \"Na, dann woll'n wir doch mal.\"
Vielleicht sollte sie jeden Tag so leben, als ob's der letzte wär', mit so einem Typ wie Jimmy, in Kalifornien, am
Meer.
The lyrics of Udo Lindenberg's song "Sie ist 40" describe a woman who is feeling unfulfilled with her life. Her husband comes home every morning at seven and greets her with "I love you, but where's my newspaper?" He reads the paper and she doesn't know what to do with herself. He then goes off to work and she's left alone. She sometimes thinks about causing trouble, like cutting off their water supply and calling the charming plumber who's always at their neighbor's house. She even has dreams of running away to California with a guy like Jimmy. When she sees a poster of James Dean in their daughter's room, she gets lost in his eyes and dreams of a life outside her routine.
The chorus repeats her questioning if this is all life has in store for her, and wondering if she should live each day as if it were her last. The bridge mentions her marriage to Tarzan, who promised her passion that never fades, but now they sleep next to each other without any real connection. She wonders how she can escape her frozen dreams and live life to the fullest, imagining a life with a guy like Jimmy on the coast of California.
This song touches on the universal theme of feeling stuck in life and wanting something more, making it relatable to many listeners. It also highlights the idea that it's never too late to make changes and pursue one's dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Morgens um sieben kommt ihr Mann mit dem Spruch: Ich hab' dich lieb, doch wo ist meine Zeitung?
Every morning at 7, her husband comes with the same line: 'I love you, but where's my newspaper?' He stares at it, and she doesn't know what to say anymore. Then he leaves for work, and she's alone again.
Dann latscht er ins Büro, und sie ist wieder allein.
He goes to the office, and she's alone again.
Manchmal denkt sie: Ich säge sie an, uns're Wasserleitung.
Sometimes she thinks about cutting their water pipe.
Und dann bestell' ich den charmanten Installateur, bei Frau Nachbar geht er aus und ein.
And then she'll call the charming plumber, who frequently visits their neighbor.
Ja, sowas las sie auch schon mal im Frauenjournal, aber weg mit solchen Ideen, und sie läßt es lieber sein.
She read about it in a women's magazine, but dismisses the idea and decides not to do it.
Und dann staubsaugt sie los, im Zimmer ihrer Tochter und wieder sieht sie das Plakat von James Dean.
Then she starts vacuuming her daughter's room and sees the James Dean poster again.
Und sie versinkt in seinen Augen und träumt die alten Träume. Sie ist jenseits von Eden mit zitternden Knien.
She gets lost in his eyes and dreams the same old dreams. She feels like she's beyond Eden, with trembling knees.
Sie ist 40, und sie fragt sich: War das nun schon alles, was für mich vorgesehen war?
She's 40 and wonders if this is all that was meant for her in life.
Vielleicht sollte sie jeden Tag so leben, als ob's der letzte wär. Mit so einem Typ wie Jimmy, in Kalifornien, am Meer.
Maybe she should live every day like it's her last, with someone like Jimmy in California by the sea.
Als sie ihren Tarzan geheiratet hat, ganz in weiß, '58 im Mai. Da sagte er: Meine Hitze wird niemals verglüh'n!
When she married her Tarzan in May '58, he said, 'My passion will never fade away!'
Doch wenn sie sich heute einmal die Woche im Bett bemüh'n, dann schlafen sie nur aneinander vorbei!
But now, when they try to be intimate once a week, they just sleep next to each other.
Wie komm' ich 'raus aus diesem Wartesaal, mit tiefgefror'nen Träumen im Kühlschrank, bis der Sensenmann kommt und sagt: 'Na, dann woll'n wir doch mal.'
She wonders how she can escape this waiting room with her frozen dreams in the fridge, until the grim reaper comes and says, 'Well, let's get on with it.'
Contributed by Grayson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.