Udo Lindenberg
Encyclopedia
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
rock musician and composer.
Career
Lindenberg started his musical career as a drummer. In 1969 Lindenberg founded his first band Free Orbit and also appeared as a studio and guest musician (with Michael Naura, Knut KiesewetterKnut Kiesewetter
Knut Kiesewetter is a German jazz musician, singer, songwriter and producer.Kiesewetter was born in Stettin . He began his career in the age of 14, playing trombone and singing. He issued his first single at the age of 19. As a songwriter, his songs were recorded by Gitte Haenning and Eartha Kitt,...
). In 1970 he collaborated as a drummer with jazz-saxophonist Klaus Doldinger
Klaus Doldinger
Klaus Doldinger is a German saxophonist, especially well-known for jazz and as a composer of film music. He was the recipient of 1997's Bavarian Film Awards .-Life and work:...
in Munich. In 1971, a band founded by Lindenberg, Passport
Passport (band)
Passport is a German jazz ensemble led by saxophonist Klaus Doldinger.Passport was initiated in 1971 as a jazz fusion experimental group, similar to American groups such as Weather Report. The ensemble's first recording was issued in 1971, and through the 1970s had a constantly revolving...
put out its first album, with Lindenberg on drums. He also played drums for the theme music for the German TV series Tatort
Tatort
Tatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss , crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF 2 in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland...
. The first LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
of the Jazz rock group Emergency was released in 1971 but met with little commercial success.
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 5 albums together), from which the single "Hoch im Norden" became a radio hit in northern Germany. 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
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
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
Onkel Pö
Onkel Pös Carnegie Hall, better known as Onkel Pö, was a music venue in Hamburg in the 1970s and the early 1980s.-Pöseldorf:Onkel Pö was originally a jazz venue in Mittelweg in the quarter Pöseldorf in Hamburg, and was opened by Bernd Cordua and Peter Marxen, who had previously opened the...
…") and his feel for language were an unprecedented combination in German-language music. His pioneering work helped other artists such as Stefan Waggershausen
Stefan Waggershausen
Stefan Waggershausen is a German singer, composer and song writer.Waggershausen was born in Friedrichshafen, at Lake Constance. In 1974 he produced his first record as singer. In 1980 he had his first big success with the song Hallo Engel. Further songs were released, partly sung together with...
and Marius Müller-Westernhagen
Marius Müller-Westernhagen
Marius Müller-Westernhagen is a German actor and musician.Possibly best known for the maudlin hit "Johnny Walker", Marius Müller Westernhagen has been a feature in German rock music since the mid seventies...
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
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
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
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
", 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
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and went on a big tour. The Nr.-1-Hit "We Gotta Get out of This Place
We Gotta Get out of This Place
"We Gotta Get out of This Place", occasionally written "We've Gotta Get out of This Place", is a rock song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and recorded as a 1965 hit single by The Animals...
" was also published with German lyrics.
The subsequent Dröhnland-Symphonie-Tour was staged by Peter Zadek
Peter Zadek
Peter Zadek was a German theatre and film director, play translator and screenwriter and is regarded as one of the greatest directors in German-speaking theater. He was the head of the Schauspielhaus Bochum, Bochum , the Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg and the Berliner Ensemble from 1992 to 1996...
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
Candle in the Wind
"Candle in the Wind" is a song with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in 1973, in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier....
" by Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, "Born to Be Wild
Born to Be Wild
"Born to Be Wild" is a rock song written by Mars Bonfire and made famous by the Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. It is often used in popular culture to denote a biker appearance or attitude...
" by Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
, "My Little Town" and "As Time Goes By" (from the film Casablanca
Casablanca (film)
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
) 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
The Windmills of Your Mind
"The Windmills of Your Mind" is a song performed by Noel Harrison, with music composed by Michel Legrand and English lyrics written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, which was used as the theme for the 1968 film, The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Steve McQueen alongside and ultimately versus...
- "Under the drunkard moon" ("Unterm Säufermond") (Lyrics: Udo Lindenberg, Horst Königstein).
One of his most famous songs is Sonderzug nach Pankow
Sonderzug nach Pankow
Sonderzug nach Pankow is the title of the song of the German rock singer Udo Lindenberg released as a single on 2 February 1983....
(Special train service to Pankow), 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
Kampnagel
Kampnagel is a theatre in Hamburg, Germany....
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 number 1 album for Lindenberg declared Platin status for 200.000 sold units after two weeks. The second single from the album "Cello" (feat. Clueso
Clueso
Clueso is a German singer, rapper, songwriter and producer.Clueso, named after Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther, started making music in 1995. In 1998 he got to know his future manager Andreas Welskop and gave up his hairdressing apprenticeship. His first vinyl Clüsolo was released on BMG...
) went number 4 giving Lindenberg the highest chart position in German singles charts
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
ever reached.
Lindenberg has worked collaboratively with various local and international recording artists (Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
, Helen Schneider
Helen Schneider
Helen Schneider is an American singer and actress working mainly in Germany.Born the daughter of Dvora and Abraham Schneider , she studied piano before starting to perform as a singer in venues in New England and New York.Between 1978 and 1984, she achieved success as a rock singer in Germany;...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
, Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey is an English soundtrack composer, drummer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:Forsey's first recordings were as the younger member of the group The Spectrum, better known for the end title theme for Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet, but hit makers across Europe in their own...
, Gianna Nannini
Gianna Nannini
Gianna Nannini is an Italian female singer-songwriter and pop musician. She may be best known for her 1986 song "Bello e Impossibile".-Personal life:...
, and Nena
Nena
Gabriele Susanne Kerner , better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer and actress. She rose to international fame in 1983 with the New German Wave song "99 Luftballons". In 1984, she re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena was also the name of the band with whom she...
) on a number of projects. He currently lives in Hamburg in the Hotel Atlantic
Hotel Atlantic Kempinski
Hotel Atlantic Kempinski Hamburg is a luxurious hotel in Hamburg, Germany. It was opened in 1909 as a grand hotel. It was awarded as the best hotel in Germany until June 2009. Since 1957 it belongs to the chain Kempinski and also it belongs to The Leading Hotels of the World. The hotel is located...
(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
Sonderzug nach Pankow
Sonderzug nach Pankow is the title of the song of the German rock singer Udo Lindenberg released as a single on 2 February 1983....
", for the Deutsche Post
Deutsche Post
Deutsche Post AG, operating under the trade name Deutsche Post DHL, is the world's largest logistics group. With its headquarters in Bonn, the corporation has 467,088 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide and generated revenue of € 51.48 billion in 2010...
.
Singles
| Year | Single | D | A | CH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "Wozu sind Kriege da?"1 | 18 | — | — |
| 1983 | "Sonderzug nach Pankow Sonderzug nach Pankow Sonderzug nach Pankow is the title of the song of the German rock singer Udo Lindenberg released as a single on 2 February 1983.... " |
5 | 3 | — |
| 1987 | "Horizont" | 18 | — | — |
| "Der Generalsekretär" | 60 | — | — | |
| 1988 | "Ich lieb' dich überhaupt nicht mehr" | 33 | 3 | — |
| 1989 | "Airport (Dich wiederseh'n ...)" | 49 | — | — |
| 1991 | "Ein Herz kann man nicht reparieren" | 29 | — | — |
| "Geh nicht weg" | 90 | — | — | |
| "Club der Millionäre" | 39 | — | — | |
| 1992 | "Panik-Panther" | 84 | — | — |
| 1999 | "You Can't Run Away"2 | 74 | — | — |
| 2003 | "Wunder geschehen"3 | 9 | — | — |
| 2005 | "Hallo Angie, das merkel ich mir" | 100 | — | — |
| 2008 | "Wenn du durchhängst" | 10 | 41 | 67 |
| "Ganz anders" | 28 | — | — | |
| "Was hat die Zeit mit uns gemacht?" | 52 | — | — | |
| 2011 | "Ein Herz kann man nicht reparieren (unplugged)"4 | 11 | 65 | — |
| "Cello"5 | 4 | 52 | 53 |
D: Germany, A: Austria, CH: Switzerland
1Udo Lindenberg & Pascal
2Freundeskreis
Freundeskreis
Freundeskreis also known as FK, was a German hip hop group from Stuttgart, whose songs were in German but also in English, French and Esperanto. The members were Max Herre, Don Philippe and DJ Friction....
feat. Udo Lindenberg
3Nena
Nena
Gabriele Susanne Kerner , better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer and actress. She rose to international fame in 1983 with the New German Wave song "99 Luftballons". In 1984, she re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena was also the name of the band with whom she...
& Friends (Udo Lindenberg, Sasha
Sascha Schmitz
Sascha Schmitz , better known under his stage name Sasha, is a German singer-songwriter, musician and occasional actor. From 2003 until 2005 he performed under his alter ego Dick Brave.- Early life :...
, Ben
Ben (singer)
Ben is a German singer, songwriter and occasional voice actor and TV host.His greatest success was 2002 with the hit single "Engel", a collaboration with singer Gim...
, ...)
4Udo Lindenberg feat. Inga Humpe
5Udo Lindenberg feat. Clueso
Clueso
Clueso is a German singer, rapper, songwriter and producer.Clueso, named after Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther, started making music in 1995. In 1998 he got to know his future manager Andreas Welskop and gave up his hairdressing apprenticeship. His first vinyl Clüsolo was released on BMG...
Albums
| Year | Album | D | A | CH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Lindenberg | — | — | — |
| 1972 | Daumen im Wind | — | — | — |
| 1973 | Alles klar auf der Andrea Doria1 | 23 | — | — |
| 1974 | Ball Pompös1 | 3 | — | — |
| 1975 | Votan Wahnwitz1 | 3 | — | — |
| 1976 | Galaxo Gang1 | 4 | — | — |
| 1976 | Sister King Kong1 | 8 | — | — |
| 1976 | Panik Udo1 | 34 | — | — |
| 1977 | Panische Nächte1 | 31 | — | — |
| 1978 | Lindenbergs Rock-Revue1 | 15 | — | — |
| 1978 | Dröhnland-Symphonie1 | 15 | — | — |
| 1979 | Livehaftig1 | 15 | — | — |
| 1979 | Der Detektiv1 | 22 | — | — |
| 1980 | Panische Zeiten Panische Zeiten -Track listing:1 - Die Heizer komen 4: 402 - Katze 3: 283 - Auf heisser Spur 3: 384 - Raketen-Rocker 4: 165 - Deutsche Nationalhymne 2: 266 - Jamaika 4: 217 - Leinwand 3: 528 - Du warst wie ein Erdbeben 4: 189 - Baby wenn ich down bin 3: 25... 1 |
12 | — | — |
| 1980 | Meine Panik1 | 17 | — | — |
| 1981 | Udopia1 | 5 | — | — |
| 1982 | Keule1 | 9 | — | — |
| 1982 | Intensivstationen1 | 16 | — | — |
| 1983 | Odyssee1 | 3 | 8 | — |
| 1983 | Lindstärke 101 | 21 | — | — |
| 1984 | Götterhämmerung1 | 3 | — | 10 |
| 1985 | Sündenknall1 | 11 | — | 22 |
| 1985 | Radio Eriwahn präsentiert1 | 17 | — | — |
| 1987 | Feuerland1 | 16 | — | — |
| 1987 | Phönix | 26 | — | — |
| 1988 | Gänsehaut | 5 | 7 | — |
| 1988 | Hermine | 26 | — | — |
| 1988 | Casa Nova | 32 | — | — |
| 1991 | Ich will dich haben | — | — | 23 |
| 1992 | Gustav | 69 | — | — |
| 1992 | Unter die Haut | 41 | — | — |
| 1992 | Panik-Panther | 24 | — | — |
| 1993 | Benjamin | 49 | — | — |
| 1995 | Kosmos | 44 | — | — |
| 1996 | Und ewig rauscht die Linde | 39 | — | — |
| 1997 | Belcanto2 | 29 | — | — |
| 1998 | Zeitmaschine | 49 | — | — |
| 2000 | Der Exzessor | 40 | — | — |
| 2001 | Ich schwöre – Das volle Programm | 80 | — | — |
| 2001 | Balladen | 91 | — | — |
| 2002 | Atlantic Affairs | 76 | — | — |
| 2003 | Der Panikpräsident | 18 | — | — |
| 2004 | Absolut | 65 | — | — |
| 2008 | Stark wie zwei | 1 | 12 | 10 |
| 2011 | MTV unplugged – Live aus dem Hotel Atlantic | 1 | 6 | 6 |
D: Germany, A: Austria, CH: Switzerland
1 Udo Lindenberg & Panikorchester
2 Udo Lindenberg & Das Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg