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.
Spion
Udo Lindenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aus der Sowjetunion
Ein Mister Stasinov
Ein enger Freund von Gorbatschow
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
Und auch beim CIA
Und keiner wusste nichts
Nicht mal der US-President
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
Mikrofilme und Sensoren
Sowohl unter der Perücke
Als auch hinter den Ohren
Von Rio bis nach Leningrad
Alles nur Hochverrat
In einer Bar in Wien
Da sah er ihr Gesicht
Er stand im kalten Schatten
Und sie im heißen Licht
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
Mikrofilme und Sensoren
Sowohl unter der Perücke
Als auch hinter den Ohren
Von Rio bis nach Leningrad
Alles nur Hochverrat
Er war der Mann im Schatten
Sie war die Frau im Licht
Er kannte alle Codes
Doch ihr Geheimnis kannte er nicht
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
Er war der Mann
Der aus der Kälte kam
In die Sonne ging
Und Feuer fing
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
Immer geheim
Und in der Nacht allein
The song "Spion" by Udo Lindenberg tells the story of a top-level spy from the Soviet Union named Mister Stasinov. He was not only highly regarded in the ranks of the KGB but also highly esteemed by the CIA. Even the US President was unaware of his existence. He lived his life in secrecy, always alone in the night. Mister Stasinov's effectiveness as a spy came from his reliance on microfilm and sensors that were hidden in his wig and behind his ears. From Rio to Leningrad, Mister Stasinov was everywhere, committing high treason.
However, the spy's life changes when he sees a woman's face in a bar in Vienna. He is standing in the cold shadows, while she is standing in the bright light. He knows all the codes but knows nothing about her secrets. Despite his great power, the spy is lonely. Nevertheless, the song highlights his adaption to a life of espionage, where he is living in secret and completely isolated, seemingly content with his solitary existence.
Overall, Udo Lindenberg's "Spion" is a perfect representation of the life of a spy. It captures the loneliness, the secrecy, and the isolation that comes with a life of espionage. The song underscores that even the most powerful figures in intelligence can still be alone, isolated by their secrecy.
Line by Line Meaning
Er war ein Top-Spion
He was a top spy
Aus der Sowjetunion
From the Soviet Union
Ein Mister Stasinov
A Mister Stasinov
Ein enger Freund von Gorbatschow
A close friend of Gorbachev
Immer geheim
Always secret
Und in der Nacht allein
And alone in the night
Und auch beim CIA
And also at the CIA
War er der Top-Agent
He was the top agent
Und keiner wusste nichts
And nobody knew anything
Nicht mal der US-President
Not even the US President
Mikrofilme und Sensoren
Microfilms and sensors
Sowohl unter der Perücke
Both under the wig
Als auch hinter den Ohren
As well as behind the ears
Von Rio bis nach Leningrad
From Rio to Leningrad
Alles nur Hochverrat
All just high treason
In einer Bar in Wien
In a bar in Vienna
Da sah er ihr Gesicht
He saw her face there
Er stand im kalten Schatten
He stood in the cold shadow
Und sie im heißen Licht
And she in the hot light
Er war der Mann im Schatten
He was the man in the shadow
Sie war die Frau im Licht
She was the woman in the light
Er kannte alle Codes
He knew all the codes
Doch ihr Geheimnis kannte er nicht
But he didn't know her secret
Er war der Mann
He was the man
Der aus der Kälte kam
Who came in from the cold
In die Sonne ging
And went into the sun
Und Feuer fing
And caught fire
Immer geheim
Always secret
Und in der Nacht allein
And alone in the night
Immer geheim
Always secret
Und in der Nacht allein
And alone in the night
Immer geheim
Always secret
Und in der Nacht allein
And alone in the night
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Udo Lindenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind