In America when we decide to have some kind of German event involving live music and beer, like a fake Oktoberfest, our first thought is to start up the chicken dance. It is bitterly disappointing to find out that in Germany, only kids at birthday parties or adults at bad weddings are forced to do it. Plus they don’t even call it the chicken dance. Instead what you get in Germany when you mix beer and live music is a disproportionate love of some American music, such as the following:
Country Roads We have pretty well forgotten John Denver in America, but his legacy lives on every night somewhere in Germany, whether it’s someone playing the guitar and singing in the subway station or a band playing at a folks fest. This song will most likely make you homesick.
Sweet Home Alabama We love this song in America almost as much, but you would think you are in Nashville anytime there is a band in Germany, because this song is a must, every single time.
Anything by the Bloodhound Gang Most Americans wouldn’t even recognize the name of the band, but they may kind of remember a song about a roof being on fire. This band even admits that they aren’t very musical, but their funny lyrics have somehow kept them popular in Germany over the years. Or maybe it’s because they make the beat really obvious in the songs so that the German kids can abspacken better.
US5 We have had our share of embarrassingly bad boy bands in America, but these kids never made it big over here, no matter how much they would love to portray that image in Germany. We are responsible for the NKOTB, Backstreet Boys and N’Sync, though, sorry about that.
Bon Jovi A Bon Jovi concert in America is met widely with indifference, but Germans young and old, male and female, all love Bon Jovi. It’s weird.
deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid ein/ausblenden
Willkommen bei diesem Artikel, Astrid,
hier die Übersetzung,
Born in the USA
Wenn wir uns in Amerika dazu entscheiden, ein deutsches Fest mit Musik und Bier zu feiern, wie ein nachgemachtes Oktoberfest, ist unser erster Gedanke, den Ententanz zu starten. Es ist eine bittere Enttäuschung herauszufinden, dass in Deutschland nur Kinder auf Geburtstagsfeiern oder Erwachsene bei schlechten Hochzeitsfeiern dazu gezwungen werden, ihn zu tanzen. Ausserdem nennen sie ihn noch nicht einmal chicken dance (Hühnertanz). Was man stattdessen in Deutschland bekommt, wenn man Bier und Live Musik vermischt, ist eine unverhältnismäßige Liebe zu bestimmter amerikanischer Musik, so wie folgende:
Country Roads Wir Amerikaner haben John Denver so gut wie vergessen, aber sein Erbe lebt jede Nacht irgendwo in Deutschland weiter, ob es nun von jemandem mit der Gitarre in einer U-Bahn-Station oder von einer Gruppe auf einem Volksfest gespielt wird. Dieses Lied wird Sie wahrscheinlich krank vor Heimweh machen.
Sweet Home Alabama Wir lieben dieses Lied fast genauso sehr, aber Sie könnten, jedes Mal wenn eine Gruppe in Deutschland spielt, denken, Sie seien in Nashville, weil dieses Lied ein Muss ist, jedes einzelne Mal.
Alles von der Bloodhound Gang Die meisten Amerikaner würden nicht einmal den Namen dieser Gruppe kennen, aber Sie würden sich eventuell an ein Lied über ein brennendes Dach erinnern. Diese Gruppe gibt sogar zu, dass sie nicht sehr musikalisch ist, aber ihre lustigen Texte haben sie irgendwie während der letzten Jahre in Deutschland beliebt gemacht. Oder vielleicht ist es, weil sie den Takt recht deutlich gemacht haben in ihren Liedern und die deutschen Jugendlichen deshalb besser dazu abspacken können.
US5 Wir hatten unseren Anteil an peinlich schlechten Boygroups, aber diese Kinder sind in Amerika nie groß rausgekommen, egal, wie gerne sie dieses Image in Deutschland darstellen würden. Dafür sind wir verantwortlich für NKOTB, Backstreet Boys und N`Sync, entschuldigen Sie das bitte.
Bon Jovi Einem Bon Jovi Konzert wird in Amerika mit weit verbreitetem Desinteresse begegnet, aber Deutsche, jung und alt, männlich und weiblich, lieben alle Bon Jovi. Das ist sonderbar.
Auf das nächste mal zusammen “Last Christmas” singen,
John
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June 12th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
You forgot the most popular one: »Y.M.C.A.«! Everyone loves that song and I actually had the recent pleasure of sharing the dance floor with Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans, and the actor Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari of »Babylon 5«) to that song at a convention. Boy, that was fun!
June 12th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Two (more) words: Weather Girls
June 12th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Worst thing is that Germans don’t appreciate their own musical geniuses, like Kraftwerk.
June 12th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
What?
Huh?
You forgot The Hoff?
How dare you! (*shakes fist*)
June 12th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Never underestimate the power of the “Gröhlfaktor”.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
> so that the German kids can abspacken better.
Thanks for teaching me a new German word
Just in case: http://www.dyden.de/definition/abspacken
June 12th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
http://hasselhoff.istheshit.net
June 12th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
“…und sich durch ein hohes Maß an Kreativität auszeichnen…”
not…
June 12th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Eerily accurate. Well, it’s not a band, per say, but what’s up with the infatuation with line dancing for the Ü40 crowd? God forbid a DJ plays the Electric Slide (or other kitschy Slide-esque song), but then damn near the whole room keeps doing it for hours on end. It boggles the mind.
I guess the flipside to this music trade deficit is that you can thank Germany for the near-ubiquitous playing of “Rock You Like a Hurricane” at any air show/outdoor festival, and I swear some schools still play “Wind of Change” at their prom. Ah, Scorpions, our guilty pleasure…
June 13th, 2008 at 4:07 am
“Summer of 69″, Bryan Adams. Always a favourite, even though he’s Canadian
June 13th, 2008 at 5:49 am
Bon Jovi rules! I recently saw them in Munich and Stuttgart - they were great!
June 13th, 2008 at 6:28 am
I always, ever since I hear music, mix up Bon Jovi with Guns’n Roses. Never found out why they should be popular.
Anyway, what is very interesting - more than 90% of music in Germany is in English. I suppose it is completely the other way round in US or UK. So, what I really like to know: Does it make a difference in everydays music listening if all the songs are in “foreign” or native language?
Well, uh, if I imagine to be harassed with German language music all the day, I would get the same attitude as Michael Douglas in “Falling Down”…
June 13th, 2008 at 7:17 am
: Does it make a difference in everydays music listening if all the songs
: are in “foreign” or native language?
Yes. The text is easier to understand. And so you realize that most songs are lyric sediments.
June 13th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Just to be clear.
Wind of Change is the soundtrack of the German unification (and not that ridiculous song performed by the Hoff)
It gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it as all the memories come up again.
June 13th, 2008 at 7:36 am
I was trying to sort my AllTimeFavorites Top500 Songs for the last months. I realized that about 70% of the songs are made in Germany. And of course many songs are in german, so I think not all lyrics are crap. I recommend Sportfreunde Stiller (any other than the “You have to win Zweikampf”-album (except some songs, of course)) or Wir sind Helden for good german lyrics.
June 13th, 2008 at 8:07 am
I’m afraid that Germany is responsible for the success of the Backstreet Boys. At least they have been popular here before anywhere else.
June 13th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I guess this just means that we have to make Scooter and DJ Bobo popular in the US. Then we can call it even.
June 13th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
DJ Bobo isn’t German…
June 13th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
What about Bobby Brown by Frank Zappa? It seens to always crop up on the radio here…
June 14th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
well… you find me another country where he (she? i have no idea) is popular, and i will take it back
June 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Don’t forget “unsere Kellys”! The Kelly Family
June 17th, 2008 at 12:40 am
My friend Sara is friends with the German exchange student at our school, Anne. Anne says that Sara has more German music on her iPod than she does.
July 5th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I’m shocked that “the Boss” Bruce Springsteen didn’t make the above list!! Every German man I’ve met loves Bruce Springsteen, and I am talking about men under 30! WTF?? Nothing is more un-cool than that!!
March 29th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Hotel California from the eagles >>>>> Look in utube for german group rock pop
March 31st, 2009 at 7:50 pm
hey, one year ago… but i have to add my senf / mustard dazu.
i listen to much music while working (coding), and listening to german music would not allow me to focus on my work (cause i would pay attention to the text, and not just listen). so i i went to english, to french, to russian and now to björk (the texts are absurd)
the posts before look like a best of list