Thursday, Oct. 08, 2009
Podpicks for October 8
Pod Picks for October 8 | Photo GalleryWhen you think of Germany and music, usually the country's traditional sounds come to mind, i.e. the style of music dubbed oom-pah, otherwise known as Volkstümliche Musik.
Then there's the coldly calculated, but infectious computer-driven sounds of the late '70s and early '80s called Kraut rock, typified by Kraftwerk.
So, when it comes to rock 'n' roll and pop, Germans - at least not in this country - don't often get recognized on the level of some of their European brethren.
Yet, German musicians have made an imprint on our country's radio playlists and music charts through the years. And the German city of Berlin has famously inspired the works of David Bowie and U2, to name a few.
With the Oktoberfest vibes still reverberating, we recommend the following pop-rock German-born tracks that have made an impact on U.S. pop culture and playlists which you can download onto your iPod or other personal media device's playlist.
"99 Luftbaloons" by Nena - Also known as "99 Red Balloons,'' this track by German chanteuse Nena hit the U.S. charts - in both German and English versions. Either way, it's a comment on the Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the magical power of balloons. While the English version sounds like Nena is singing with marbles in her mouth, the original German take is the preferred one, for pop purists out there. And who can forget the funky, bass/synth-heavy groove?
"Der Kommissar" by After the Fire" - After The Fire is an English band, yet "Der Kommissar,'' was originally performed and co-written by Austrian (about 90 percent of Austria speaks German) entertainer Falco, who had an international hit with this track. But the better known rendering on this side of the pond - sung in English, except for the title, of course - is this early '80s classic, featuring a decidedly more rock 'n' roll take, accentuating the electric guitar riff and a nifty acoustic passage.
" "RockMe, Amadeus" by Falco" - This leads us to...a track by the aforementioned Falco. "Der Kommissar" finally got Falco's name on people's lips here in the states, and he became an MTV star in his own right with this 1986 smash. Inspired by the mid-1980s fascination with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (remember the 1984 Oscar-winning flick "Amadeus"?), we think part of this track is in English, but still not too sure.
" "Du Hast" by Rammstein" - And now for something truly scary ... industrial, menacing and pummeling, this song made into the top 20 of Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1997. The English version includes the line, "you hate me,'' but that alters the meaning of the German version, which is a play on traditional wedding vows. Stick with the German version - it sounds more intimidating anyway.
" "Autobahn" by Kraftwerk" - What else are Germans noted for? How about legions of Volkswagens, BMWs, Audis, Mercedes-Benz and Porsches racing down the roadway - the German autobahn that you can ride on without a speed limit? That's the inspiration for this hypnotic song served up by four dudes with keyboards, looking like they stepped directly out of a "Sprockets'' clip from "Saturday Night Live.''
" "Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling" - If you can't be David Bowie, why not steal characters from his songs? Here, German pop singer Schilling abducts Major Tom, first introduced in the Thin White Duke's 1969 hit "Space Oddity.'' As with the spacey effects in Bowie's classic, Schilling manages to make the guitars, drums and keyboards of "Major Tom'' sound like the audio equivalent of a rocket lift-off and countdown ("4, 3, 2, 1...")- and the English version rocketed to no. 14 on the U.S. singles charts. Hit up YouTube for the German version - it's definitely entertaining. More recently, Shiny Toy Guns covered this song, featured in a Lincoln commercial.
" "Blackout" by the Scorpions" - When you vanna talk about ze rock 'n' roll, ze conversation has to include ze Scorpions - but don't start whistling "Wind of Change'' or rocking like a hurricane. This, the title track to the band's breakthrough 1982 disc, is loud, fast, and less-polished than many of the hits that were to follow the rest of the decade and into the early '90s.