Formation
The band was founded in 1987 by Markus Reinhardt and Pompejo Ricciardi. Reinhardt's brother Oliver Reinhardt joined the band sometime afterward. After producing a demo tape, co-founder Ricciardi left the band and was replaced by Peter Heppner. Heppner had known the band from mutual friends and from growing up in the same neighborhood in Hamburg. Oliver Reinhardt departed the band, leaving the current lineup as Peter Heppner (vocals) and Markus Reinhardt (electronics).
After producing two new demo tapes, Wolfsheim applied at various labels, until they caught the attention of Strange Ways Records, which has since published all their records.
No Happy View & Popkiller
In 1991, the single "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" was released, followed by the single "It's Not Too Late (Don't Sorrow)" and their first album "No Happy View" in 1992. While No Happy View was recorded in two weeks, the sophomore "Popkiller" (1993) was given more time to be produced. This allowed Wolfsheim to incorporate more classical elements.
In 1995, Wolfsheim released a compilation, "55578", which stayed on the German Media Control Charts for five weeks. Its name is the postal code for Wolfsheim, Germany.
Dreaming Apes
The third album "Dreaming Apes" was released in February 1996, followed by Wolfsheim's first tour. On this tour the live album "Hamburg Rom Wolfsheim" was recorded and published in October 1997.
It was in 1998 when Wolfsheim received public attention, after Heppner had recorded a duet "Die Flut" (The Surge) with Joachim Witt. This song was a major hit, reaching number two on the German Single Charts.
Spectators
"Spectators", the fourth album, was released in February 1999 and went to number two on the German album charts. That summer, Wolfsheim played at many of the major German festivals and also played their first show outside of Germany, at Belgium's Eurorock Festival.
In 2001, Heppner recorded more songs as a guest artist. His collaboration with "Schiller", "Dream of You", received heavy rotation on MTV Germany. He also collaborated on "Glasgarten" with "Goethes Erben". These collaborations brought Wolfsheim still more attention. Also in 2001, Metropolis Records brought Wolfsheim to American audiences, releasing Spectators in the United States. Recordings from the Spectators tour were released as a DVD Kompendium in April 2002.
Casting Shadows
"Casting Shadows", their fifth studio album, was released in March 2003. The single "Kein Zurück" debuted at number five on the Media Control Charts, later reaching number four, and staying in the top ten for 10 weeks. Casting Shadows itself reached the top position on the album charts. In March and April 2004, Wolfsheim went on their first tour in the USA.
On January 17th, 2008, it was announced on the band's official website that the collaboration between Markus Reinhardt and Peter Heppner is reaching its end. According to the press release, the reasons for this are attributed to ongoing disputes concerning the future of Wolfsheim. Heppner's ambitions to launch a solo career meant that any plans for the production of a new Wolfsheim album would be suspended for 2009.
The disputes peaked when Peter Heppner signed a multi-album solo record deal in late 2005 and Markus Reinhardt, considering this a breach of contract and a disregard for the basic interests of Wolfsheim, filed a lawsuit to exclude Heppner from the Wolfsheim partnership so that Wolfsheim could continue without him. In spring 2008, Reinhardt's lawsuit was rejected.
aNYway
Wolfsheim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down at my sleeping face
From the cold
Persuading melodies
Want me to join this
Unreal dance
An unholy humming
That echoes and dies
Can I resist
Be torn into laughter
And can I persist
Being torn into light
They want me to join this
Unreal dance
That forces my mind
Just to follow thy will
Anyway
Any way must lead out into me
Anyway I can't go on crawling
Anyway, I must get rid of it all
Endless halls dancing shades
Spinning round
Twisting their skinny limbs
Stench of doom I smell
They want me to join this
Unreal dance
And don't want to offer me
Any further chance
Careworn, down torn
Into the swirl of their senselessness
Cosy emptiness
It wants me to join this
Unreal dance
Left alone, anywhere you go
You'll be caught in your fear again
The lyrics of Wolfsheim's song "Anyway" convey a feeling of being lost and overwhelmed in a surreal, dream-like state. The singer awakens to see their own sleeping face, suggesting a sense of disconnection from oneself. Persuading melodies and an unholy humming beckon the singer to join an unreal dance, but they question whether they can resist and persist, torn between laughter and light. The dance is depicted as haunting and ominous, with endless halls filled with dancing shades and the stench of doom. The singer is left feeling careworn, down-torn, and caught in their fear.
The song speaks to a universal feeling of being trapped, both physically and mentally. The surreal imagery evokes a sense of powerlessness and confusion, as if the singer is being pulled in multiple directions. The chorus suggests a desire to break free and find a way out: "Anyway, any way must lead out into me / Anyway I can't go on crawling / Anyway, I must get rid of it all." There is a sense of urgency and determination in these lines, as if the singer is willing themselves to take action and find their own way forward.
Overall, "Anyway" is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the human experience of feeling lost and unsure of one's path. Its vivid imagery and haunting melodies create a sense of unease and tension, while its message of resilience and determination offers hope for those struggling to find their way.
Line by Line Meaning
I awake, and I look
As I begin a new day, I am confronted by the reality of my existence
Down at my sleeping face
Seeing myself in a vulnerable state reminds me of my own mortality
From the cold
This realization causes me to feel a sense of isolation and detachment from the world around me
Persuading melodies
Despite my hesitance, I am tempted by the allure of escape through music
Want me to join this
The music beckons me to join in a dance of false happiness
Unreal dance
This dance is a facade, a way to avoid confronting reality
An unholy humming
The music is a siren song, luring me away from what is right
That echoes and dies
Ultimately, this music leads nowhere and leaves me feeling empty
Can I resist
I must question if I am strong enough to resist the temptation of escapism
Be torn into laughter
The dance promises a false sense of joy, but it will ultimately leave me more broken and vulnerable
And can I persist
I must also ask if I am determined enough to face life's challenges head-on
Being torn into light
Facing these challenges will lead to greater enlightenment and self-awareness
That forces my mind
The temptation to escape is so strong, it feels like an outside force is controlling my thoughts
Just to follow thy will
The temptation to escape is not my own desire, but an outside force controlling me
Anyway
Despite the difficulties of confronting reality, there is no other option
Any way must lead out into me
The path to enlightenment and true happiness can only come from facing my own inner demons
Anyway I can't go on crawling
I can't continue to live my life in a state of avoidance and denial
Anyway, I must get rid of it all
I must rid myself of the false allure of escapism and embrace reality
Endless halls dancing shades
The world is full of false images and distractions that keep me from embracing reality
Spinning round
These distractions create a dizzying sense of confusion and disorientation
Twisting their skinny limbs
The false images and distractions are empty and lack substance
Stench of doom I smell
Despite the false allure, I can sense the eventual negative consequences of escapism
And don't want to offer me
The call of escapism is not made in my best interest, but in the interest of those who would deceive me
Any further chance
The call of escapism is a one-way road that leads to destruction
Careworn, down torn
Living a life of escapism is ultimately exhausting and leads to more emotional pain and suffering
Into the swirl of their senselessness
The world of escapism is a maze of chaos and confusion that lacks any real meaning
Cosy emptiness
Despite the false sense of comfort, escapism ultimately leads to an empty and unfulfilling life
It wants me to join this
Despite the negative consequences, the temptation to escape remains strong
Left alone, anywhere you go
The burden of confronting reality rests solely on my own shoulders
You'll be caught in your fear again
The fear of confronting reality is a natural response, but it cannot be allowed to control my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miqel101
Magnificent !!! Thanx for posting it..