Ok, here you go. I do know that I will have to be reading about it try to figure out what is going on.

First single from their new, self-titled album which releases May 17.

As for the video, seems like a stylized history of Germany with some dystopian future thrown in.

I can't make sense of all of the scenes either. Some are very clear of course - the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest at the start, the knightdom of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, the decadence and political strife of the 1920s, the Hindenburg disaster, the KZ setting (the V-2s launching are referencing Dora-Nordhausen), the East German politburo, the terrorism of the Red Army Faction in the 70s/80s.

I'm not sure who the guys feasting on Germania's body are - might be an allusion to the religious strife following Reformation, including the Thirty Years War - or the apparent condemned in the prison scenes, what the bling-and-SEK gangsta rap video sequences refer to; it doesn't help that the motifs are intermingled to create some sort of common theme. I certainly have no idea why a future Germania appears to be giving birth to a lamb (?) with the help of a clergyman.

The space burial might just be a quote of Snow White's glass coffin in Ramstein's "Sonne" video, since it tunes are heard over the end credits (and I still think they should have gone with the idea of playing Enola Gay's crew there). Overall, the clip was carefully designed to offend every domestic political camp; the KZ scenes were previewed first, drawing automatic condemnation of commercializing the Holocaust from the Left, while the black Germania was sure to piss off the Right.

I watch that and almost think its a parody

in a 'This Is Spinal Tap' kinda way

sheesh Mr Rammstein band guys - your attempt at rock opera is pretty lame

------------------------------

I even looked up the lyrics and it didnt help much either. But I agree with the reviewer the overall message seems to be:

" the overwhelming feeling of Deutschland seems to be that when it comes to Germania (or Germany): you can’t love her, and you can’t live without her. "

I've looked at various German sources of interpretation; beyond the references to hyperinflation of the 20s (the raining money in the prison scene), the Pied Piper of Hamelin (the rats scurrying around the monks) and the resemblance of Germania leading the dogs to the Quadriga figure atop the Brandenburg Gate etc. already noted, they point out some other stuff, like Germania portraying various German kings and emperors. The tank rolling in front of a Karl Marx bust seems to allude to the crackdown of the East German workers revolt in 1953. The animals Germania gives birth to are dogs rather than lambs, though interpreters aren't sure if they are German sheperds or poodles, a reference to "Doctor Faustus".

A lot just appears to be quotes from movies or other music videos, like the riot scenes resembling the ones from Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild". The opening of "Gladiator", "The Name of the Rose", "Das Boot" and "Schindler's List" are other obvious inspirations, and the guy in the wheelchair cites "Dr. Strangelove"; all with more or less overt references to German history, of course.

Very interesting song and music video! I really enjoyed it. I think it’s mostly about trying to come to grips with Germany’s history, struggling with being both proud and ashamed of their past.


Deutschland
Germany
You (you have, you have, you have, you have)
Du (du hast, du hast, du hast, du hast)

Cried a lot (crying, crying, crying, crying)
Hast viel geweint (geweint, geweint, geweint, geweint)

Separated in mind (separated, separated, separated, separated)
Im Geist getrennt (getrennt, getrennt, getrennt, getrennt)

United in the heart (united, united, united, united)
Im Herz vereint (vereint, vereint, vereint, vereint)

We (we are, we are, we are, we are, we are)
Wir (wir sind, wir sind, wir sind, wir sind)

Have been together for a very long time (you are, you are, you are, you are)
Sind schon sehr lang zusammen (ihr seid, ihr seid, ihr seid, ihr seid)

Your breath cold (so cold, so cold, so cold, so cold)
Dein Atem kalt (so kalt, so kalt, so kalt, so kalt)

The heart in flames (so hot, so hot, so hot, so hot)
Das Herz in Flammen (so heiß, so heiß, so heiß, so heiß)

You (you can, you can, you can, you can)
Du (du kannst, du kannst, du kannst, du kannst)

I (I know, I know, I know, I know)
Ich (ich weiß, ich weiß, ich weiß, ich weiß)

We (we are, we are, we are, we are, we are)
Wir (wir sind, wir sind, wir sind, wir sind)

You (you stay, you stay, you stay, you stay)
Ihr (ihr bleibt, ihr bleibt, ihr bleibt, ihr bleibt)
Germany, my heart in flames
Deutschland, mein Herz in Flammen

I want to love you and damn you
Will dich lieben und verdammen

Germany, your breath cold
Deutschland, dein Atem kalt

So young, and yet so old
So jung, und doch so alt

Germany!
Deutschland!
I (you have, you have, you have, you have)
Ich (du hast, du hast, du hast, du hast)

I never want to leave you (you cry, you cry, you cry, you cry)
Ich will dich nie verlassen (du weinst, du weinst, du weinst, du weinst)

You can love you (you love, you love, you love, you love)
Man kann dich lieben (du liebst, du liebst, du liebst, du liebst)

And wants to hate you (you hate, you hate, you hate, you hate)
Und will dich hassen (du hasst, du hasst, du hasst, du hasst)

Overbearing, superior
Überheblich, überlegen

Apply, pass
Übernehmen, übergeben

Surprise, ambush
Überraschen, überfallen

Germany, Germany above all
Deutschland, Deutschland über allen
Germany, my heart in flames
Deutschland, mein Herz in Flammen

I want to love you and damn you
Will dich lieben und verdammen

Germany, your breath cold
Deutschland, dein Atem kalt

So young, and yet so old
So jung, und doch so alt

Germany, your love
Deutschland, deine Liebe

Is curse and blessing
Ist Fluch und Segen

Germany, my love
Deutschland, meine Liebe

Can not I give you
Kann ich dir nicht geben

Germany!
Deutschland!
You
Du

I
Ich

We
Wir

you
Ihr

You (overpowering, superfluous)
Du (übermächtig, überflüssig)

I (superhuman, weary)
Ich (Übermenschen, überdrüssig)

We (who goes up, he will fall deeply)
Wir (wer hoch steigt, der wird tief fallen)

Yours (Germany, Germany above all)
Ihr (Deutschland, Deutschland über allen)
Germany, my heart in flames
Deutschland, mein Herz in Flammen

I want to love you and damn you
Will dich lieben und verdammen

Germany, your breath cold
Deutschland, dein Atem kalt

So young, and yet so old
So jung, und doch so alt

Germany, your love
Deutschland, deine Liebe

Is curse and blessing
Ist Fluch und Segen

Germany, my love
Deutschland, meine Liebe

Can not I give you
Kann ich dir nicht geben

Germany!
Deutschland!

They've uploaded teasers of each of the songs on the album. No lyrics. Just instrument solos.

https://www.youtube.com/channe...0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Very interesting song and music video! I really enjoyed it. I think it’s mostly about trying to come to grips with Germany’s history, struggling with being both proud and ashamed of their past.

Some thoughts on the text.

Germany
You (you have, you have, you have, you have)
have cried a lot (cried, cried, cried, cried)

Reference to Rammstein's "Du hast" with the play of words therein: Du hast, with single s, means "you have", while Du hasst means "you hate".

Separated in mind (separated, separated, separated, separated)
United in the heart (united, united, united, united)

Lots of possible references to geographic (pre-1871, 1945-1990) or political division.

We (we are, we are, we are, we are, we are)
Have been together for a very long time (you are, you are, you are, you are)

Your breath cold (so cold, so cold, so cold, so cold)
The heart in flames (so hot, so hot, so hot, so hot)

Possible allusion to the 1933 Reichstag fire? Of course it can simply be interpreted as the juxtaposition of cold great power politics and rationally-executed monstrosities with enthusiast national feelings.

You (you can, you can, you can, you can)
I (I know, I know, I know, I know)
We (we are, we are, we are, we are, we are)
You (you stay, you stay, you stay, you stay)

Germany, my heart in flames
I want to love you and damn you

Germany, your breath cold
So young, and yet so old

Possible reference to the "late nation" that after centuries of common history only came together in 1871, with more incisions in 1945 and 1990, after which it emerged with its current identity.

Germany!
I (you have, you have, you have, you have)
I never want to leave you (you cry, you cry, you cry, you cry)

One can love you (you love, you love, you love, you love)
And wants to hate you (you hate, you hate, you hate, you hate)

Depiction of the farspread conflicted sentiment of Germans about Germany.

Overbearing, overmatching
Taking over, handing over
Surprisingly attacking
Germany, Germany above all

Reference to bullying and surprise invasions of Germany's neighbors in both world wars. The last line of course cites the first stanza of the Deutschlandlied, no longer sung as part of today's national anthem: Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt!

[...]

Germany, your love
Is curse and blessing

Germany, my love
I cannot give you

Germany!
You
I
We
you

You (overpowering, superfluous)
I (superhumans, weary of it)
We (who climbs up high will fall deeply)

[...]

More contradictory feelings and the climbs and drops of German history. Übermenschen is of course a reference to the Nazi's racial use of Nietzsche's Übermensch who has developed into biological and mental superiority to other humans.

Second song and video of Rammstein's new album is out. They debuted "Radio" by beaming it against a wall at an intersection in Berlin Central, watched by about 1,000 fans; of course that's really not too original since U 2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" rooftop gig.

The song and black-and-white clip can be seen as a hommage to the 1975 "Radioactivity" of German electro band Kraftwerk, but also Queen's "Radio Ga Ga". The video also follows a retro style like that of "History Repeating" by the Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey, and various subsequent others. The text is in reference to the youth of Rammstein's members in communist East Germany, where listening to Western radio (let alone watching TV) was officially frowned upon, and tended to be done somewhat clandestinely; so the theme of German history from "Deutschland" is continued.

ETA: As Stickman points out below, the video is also characteristically NSFW.



BTW, I'll take this opportunty to point out Rammstein lead guitarrist Richard Kruspe's side project Emigrate to the unaware. He collaborates with various other artists to produce generally English-language music of a different style to Rammstein's, like two of the guys from Billy Talent for "Eins zwo drei vier".

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BansheeOne,

^^^^ 1st video is NSFW. Lots of tits and wildness. I really like it

I think it was Ho Chi Minh who said that posting NSFW warnings for Rammstein videos is like handing out speed tickets at the Indy 500.

It wouldn't be like them to not introduce a sexual angle to the motif of gaining some freedom by listening to forbidden radio broadcasts in contravention of societal pressure, anyway. In fact the scenes with the protesting women are referencing the West German women's lib movement. One girl can be seen carrying a sign saying "My Radio Is Mine", a clear take on the famous slogan "My Womb is Mine" with which feminists demanded legal abortions in the 70s. More recent German history.

quote:

Originally posted by BansheeOne:
Second song and video of Rammstein's new album is out. They debuted "Radio" by beaming it against a wall at an intersection in Berlin Central, watched by about 1,000 fans; of course that's really not too original since U 2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" rooftop gig.

The song and black-and-white clip can be seen as a hommage to the 1975 "Radioactivity" of German electro band Kraftwerk, but also Queen's "Radio Ga Ga". The video also follows a retro style like that of "History Repeating" by the Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey, and various subsequent others. The text is in reference to the youth of Rammstein's members in communist East Germany, where listening to Western radio (let alone watching TV) was officially frowned upon, and tended to be done somewhat clandestinely; so the theme of German history from "Deutschland" is continued.

ETA: As Stickman points out below, the video is also characteristically NSFW.



BTW, I'll take this opportunty to point out Rammstein lead guitarrist Richard Kruspe's side project Emigrate to the unaware. He collaborates with various other artists to produce generally English-language music of a different style to Rammstein's, like two of the guys from Billy Talent for "Eins zwo drei vier".

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E6hNReAAe2U" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

saw a little Klaus Nomi in that outfit and lipstick too

Radio is one of those songs where I think the video gets in the way. When I was a kid I would listen to the radio at night. I had a mini radio that was easy to hide and I would lay in bed and listen to 'forbidden' music.

96 Rock in Atlanta had a program called Monsters of Rock or something like that and they would play an entire concert from midnight till 2am (iirc). I vividly remember listening to a concert in Seattle by Heart. It was as if I had been transported to another place.

I know I didnt grow up behind the Berlin wall as Kruspe did but this song definitely captures that time in my youth.

I tried to find the interview where Kruspe described growing up in East Germany and listening to the radio at night. I would not be surprised to see that he penned it.

Thematically (and lyrically, to a lesser extent), Deutschland strikes me as rather similar to Paul van Dyk's/Peter Heppner's Wir sind wir.

Good point. "Wir sind wir" had of course an overall more positive outlook with a theme of overcoming the incisions and hardships caused by WW II and German division. It was written for a 2004 TV documentation about the 1954 "Miracle of Bern" when West Germany unexpectedly won the soccer world championship in Switzerland; a politically innocent event German post-war national self-esteem could seize on. The video illustrates the ups and downs of the Cold War period accordingly.



Incidentally, today's more relaxed and positive attitude of Germans towards their own country started developing with another soccer championship hosted by Germany itself in 2006, even though its own team didn't even make it into the finals. But the peaceful celebratory mood of flag-waving crowds changed a lot of perceptions of such things being signs of dangerous nationalist frenzies. Just two years earlier, "Wir sind wir" was criticized by some German media as promoting just that.

The same year, pop group Mia got into a leftist shitstorm over their song "Was es ist", based upon a poem by Austrian lyric Erich fried about love winning over ratio, which described a more relaxed feeling and curiosity for the future of a changing Germany with lines like "no longer a stranger in my land" and referencing the colors of the German flag (as does the video).



Now Mia had a record of supporting anti-capitalist causes and all the usual engagement against the more or less far right, but was pelted with eggs and tomatoes at a free concert for Berlin students protesting against tuitition fees regardless. Which was probably an education for them. They're worth checking out, anyway; I like their early more rebellious stuff like "Alles neu" as well as the newer more conventional songs like "Tanz der Moleküle", "Hungriges Herz" and "Fallschirm". 15 years later, the excitement about "Was es ist" certainly looks rather silly, including to many who blasted Mia for it then; in fact it has been called almost prophetic in capturing today's farspread national mood.

There was never a shortage of songs critical of Germany, like "1,000 gute Gründe" by punk rock band Die Toten Hosen who couldn't think of a single reason to be proud of the country. Now I also like their classics, including this one, but I always thought they took themselves way too serious. Particularly compared to Germany's other most popular punk band Die Ärzte, who never missed an opportunity for a good provocation but were always about the fun with it.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
saw a little Klaus Nomi in that outfit and lipstick too

Never knew of the guy. Looking him up, it appears he was more popular in the US than Germany. But yeah, the similarity is evident.

quote:

Originally posted by BansheeOne:

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
saw a little Klaus Nomi in that outfit and lipstick too

Never knew of the guy. Looking him up, it appears he was more popular in the US than Germany. But yeah, the similarity is evident.

if he had not made a minor splash as a Bowie back up singer, he may not have ever been known,

died way too early, he did,

Wow I was oddly late to this party. None the less I love both new songs and I'm looking forward to the new album.

The full album is now out. The rest of the tracks doesn't keep with the historic theme and is rather standard Rammstein fare. Mostly weird emotions and weird sex.

Okay, the texts may not keep to the theme, but while "Ausländer (foreigner)" seems to refer to modern-day sex tourism, or maybe just men who try to impress chicks with their cosmopolitany and language skills, the video references Germany's colonial past in Africa. Nudity, etc.