Habt einen schönen Tag!

Notes: Couldn’t get this out of my head half of the day. First I didn’t know the artist so it took quite a lot of googling. I should maybe add that I usually don’t like this track – or let’s better say the original song by Hildegard Knef – but this cover is quite OK. You can “listen” below if you like…

so – words. not only for songs, but ms. knef also wrote 2 books: an autobiography for half of her life, and a book about her having cancer. the first book, der geschenkte gaul, makes for a good read. there might be some difficulties regarding the mentioning of many names not very known anymore (well, if you did your homework on the last couple of posts, then many of them are not that unfamiliar), some names known. of course marlene plays a prominent role. but in a way i did not read it as hildegard kenf’s life story, but rather a life story. it is one testimonial about growing up in a totalitarian state, of just wanting to grow up, make a career, work what you enjoy. and the dry tone it is written in makes it a good read under this perspective. it is not apologetic, rather descriptive. and it leaves enough space to find ones own point of view. rather brechtian, right…

what fascinated me in this book, and that is why i do find stories like this important, is that i think i get a little bit a feel – or at least i start to see the huge distance to having grown up later, under very different circumstances. it is partly details that hit me: they haven’t been teached anything about german culture as we know it – either the writers and artist were jewish, or leftists, or suspect anyway…

of course there are also the more obvious differences, the tough experiences: her account about being bombed out – and again, ms knef is not playing for sympathy – it is more telling us what cards she got dealt… so a recommended read – not if you want to get a lot of gossip about stars, but if you want to read a story of a life in strange times that was already through these times an extraordinary life – but then also normal life – living it.

too lazy to read? well, listen to it. she actually recorded a reading of some of the excerpts – and yes, it is, read by hear, even more laconic. and it is a good selection – some harsh passages, some descriptive, and also some amusing anecdote about a not-greek, not-christian, not-jewish turtle…

just be aware: it is in german. otherwise you will have to buy the book (which has been translated in many languages).

hildegard kenf liest der geschenkte gaul - ripped from vinyl in four tracks, for each side one…

one artist ms knef only got to know pretty late (considering that i read his texts as a young teenager) is kurt tucholsky. and yes, she also recorded a record with his texts: most is pure text / reading, but there are also a handuful of songs on this record.

listening to it is interesting to note that tucholsky must have been a big influence on her writing lyrics…

well, have a listen for yourself. hildegard knef liest tucholsky you can get here.

die neue knef 1966

knef – concert 1968

two things concerning this recording:

1 – it’s a great recording

2 – unfortunately i only have part one, i.e. the first vinyl. so if somebody could provide part 2?

BONUS

and now: fast forward into 1986. hildegard knef – concert 1986. this one i got quite a while ago from the net. thanks to the original uploader!

and for some more information on ms knef and her recordings i especially recommend this site.

and yes: there will be some more knef comin up…

hildegard knef – eins und eins, das macht zwei / so hat alles seinen sinn 7″

jaja, so hat alles seinen sinn… or as we used to say: it’s all connected….

enjoy!

so like many german artist of the 20th century she wasn’t german. which is one of many links she has with marlene dietrich. and they were actually close friends: there is a telling scene, recorded on film, when dietrich is getting out of the airplane first time she arrives in berlin after the war: first to greet her are the mother – and hildegard knef. yes, the friendship of these two women is very fascinating – so alike and so different…

but we get into the biography of ms knef at a later stage. yes, be warned – there will be quite some knef coming up. yeah, i always had a thing for her – even way back as a kid. a lot to do with that voice.

for this post i would like to point out especially one record of hers – and it is funny since R just pointed it out – roughly a year ago i did post something about that great record of cole porter covers. and now it is time again to put up another great record of cole porter songs. yes, hildegard knef worked with cole porter – by his request. and she sung many of his songs – in english. but even better: also in german. even better because the lyrics have been translated congenially by mischa mleinek, an author so far unknown to me. but his translations are fantastic. and in one case even better then the original. yes, there was a hint here about that song. in the original it is called laziest gal in town – but in german it is so much better. and then ms knef is also the perfect interpreter for cole porter songs – well, i could now write a lot about why and all that, but then i suppose it is much better you listen for yourself. so get her record träume heissen du, lovingly ripped from vinyl, here.and should you still be in doubt: this is a great record. yes.

and well, this recording has been reissued on cd – including also a lot of versions sung in english. as a little teaser here the english version of fever:

yes, i did already mention that i am quite an admirer of her work – therefore you’ll get some more. because it really swings, and because it shows that ms knef was a very good writer of lyrics herself – i have to admit on this record i especially like the rather sad songs. little vignetten, which bring it in the short span of a song perfectly to the point: high class pop music. and it points into the direction of more words (and yes, also more music) by her… get ich seh die welt durch deine augen here.

and now i wonder how long it takes for irmgard to leave a comment…

Platz 9: Mighty Sparrow mit “Jean & Dinah”. “Don’t make no row, the yankees gone, Sparrow take over now.”
Dank karibischen Calypso-Klängen sind feuchte und zum Frösteln bringende Außentemperaturen einigermaßen ertragbar.

Platz 8: Bruce Springsteen mit “Pay Me My Money Down”. “Pay me or go to jail – pay me my money down!”
Fällt nur mir auf, dass sich Bruce Springsteen für seine bald 60 Jahre doch unglaublich gut gehalten hat?! Auch wenn er im vorliegenden Video zu “Pay Me My Money Down” ab und an äußerliche Ähnlichkeiten zu Roy von Siegfried und Roy aufweist…

Platz 7: Newton Faulkner mit “Dream Catch Me”. “There’s a place I go when I’m alone, do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be.”
I heart Newton Faulkner.

Platz 6: Robyn mit “Be Mine”. “It’s a good thing tears never show in the pouring rain.”
Es ist mir unerklärlich, warum ich bis jetzt kein Wort über Robyn verloren habe. Im Vorprogramm von Madonna in Frankfurt war sie süperb.

Platz 5: Tori Amos mit “A Sorta Fairytale”. “Like a good book I can’t put this day back.”
Strecke: Heidelberg – Berlin. Gefühlte gogolplex-Mal gespielt. Das Video ist etwas gruselig, aber hey, Adrien Brody ist drin.

Platz 4: Hildegard Knef mit “Ich Glaub’ Eine Dame Werd’ Ich Nie”. “Gibt’s was zu lachen, dann bin ich dabei, ist mir zum Heulen, na dann bin ich so frei. Mir fehlt zum Lügen die Diplomatie – Ich glaub, ‘ne Dame werd ich nie.
Hab ich nichts dagegen.

Platz 3: Stereophonics mit “Mr. Writer”. “Why don’t you tell it like it really is?”
“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.” (E.L. Doctorow)

Platz 2: Travis mit “Song To Self”. “I need someone to sing along with, sing along with.”
Sehr nett, die Burschen von Travis.

Platz 1 Robyn mit “Cobrastyle”. “My style is the bom-diddi-bom di-dang di-dang diggi-diggi.”
You go girl !!

One more from my postcard record collection. Pictured is the Kurfürstendamm in the 50s, Berlin`s main street for shopping until the fall of the wall. The song “Heimweh nach dem Kurfürstendamm”(“I`m feeling homesick for the Kurfürstendamm”) was made famous by Hildegard Knef. It is still one of the most well known Berlin tribute songs.

I`ve got the Ku`damm in my room…

HEINZ-MARIA LINS, Heimweh nach dem Kurfürstendamm

Billy Vaughn was one of the most famous American orchestra leaders of the 50s and 60s and was especially successful in Germany. I still see his 1961 hit-record “Wheels” in every Thrift-store that i go to.

The cover of the German edition of this record, however was drawn by Ole Jensen, a native Berliner.

Ole Jensen was born October 9th 1924 in Berlin. The introduction to his 1965 book “Kopf des Tages, Kopf der Woche, Köpfe der Zeit” was written by his friend and Colleague H.J.Stenzel (see my second post ). Just like Stenzel, Jensen is pretty much forgotten today, even among contemporary Berlin cartoonists, but was fairly popular in the late 50s to mid-60s. He appeared regularly on local Berlin TV doing high-speed sketches.

Just like me today, these guys were in their late 30s to early 40s, but had been raised in Nazi Germany, had been to war and were now shaping or echoing the German sense of humour of the post war time. ( Ein kleiner Text von mir  über Billy Vaughn und Ole Jensen, erschien am 23. Juli 2009 in der Wochenzeitung Jungle World, zu lesen  hier. )

BILLY VAUGHN,Humoresque Boogie

“Die Breiten” sind nach fast 30 Jahren immer noch Kult! Auch die selige Hildegard Knef: Ganz großes Kino!

Direkter Link zum YouTube-Video

(Update 06.12.2007)

Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen, mir sollten sämtliche Wunder begegnen, die Welt sollte sich umgestalten und ihre Sorgen für sich behalten

Oder jenseits der Poesie ausgedrückt: “Die Sorgen können mich mal…”

Kompletter Songtext:

Hildegard Knef und Extrabreit – Für Mich Soll’s Rote Rosen Regnen

Mit sechszehn, mit sechszehn
sagte ich still, ich will, will groß sein
will siegen, will froh sein, nie lügen,
mit sechszehn, mit sechszehn
sagte ich still, ich will, ich will alles oder nichts
[Refrain]
Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen
mir sollten sämtliche Wunder begegnen
die Welt sollte sich neu gestalten
und ihre Sorgen für sich behalten
[/Refrain]
und später, später sagte ich noch
ich möcht verstehen, viel sehen,
erfahren, bewahren
und später, später sagte ich noch
ich möcht nicht allein sein, und doch frei sein
[Refrain]
Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen
mir sollten ganz neue Wunder begegnen
das Glück sollte sich sanft verhalten und
mein Schicksal mit Liebe verwalten
[/Refrain]
Und heute heute sage ich still,
ich sollt mich fügen, begnügen
oh ich kann mich nicht fügen,
kann mich nicht begnügen,
ich will immer auch siegen,
ich will alles, alles oder nichts
[Refrain]
Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen
mir sollten sämtliche Wunder begegnen
die Welt sollte sich umgestalten
von dem was man erwartet
das meiste behalten
Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen
mir sollten sämtliche Wunder begegnen
die Welt sollte sich neu gestalten
und ihre Sorgen für sich behalten
[/Refrain]

In diesem Sinne

Enjoy

tom