Winds of Change....

Klaus Meine - Scorpions - singt
auf Englisch, aber hier ist der Text auf Deutsch



Wer weiss:   Wie alt ist dieses Lied???   

Interview hier!

 

(Mit Unbreakable fingen sie an. Hier, im 2010, feiert die Band ihr 33. Jahr.)  

Deutsch durch Musik! So kann man gut lernen!

Learn German with Music: 

10 Songs with Hidden German Grammar Lessons

What I like about this article by CAITLIN HARDEE  Published By FluentU August 24, 2016
is that the author suggests ways to focus on the language and grammar, while listening to (or reading--yes, I expect several of these songs will make it to the classroom) the text. -rsb 

It’s test time in German class, but your mind is a total blank.

How are you supposed to remember all those convoluted rules in your textbook?

Try a new tactic and learn the lyrics of these awesome songs. The human brain has a much easier time remembering words attached to music. German songs can be like flashcards without the tedium, guiding you through the grammatical jungle with concrete examples of how the language actually works.

Don’t be caught off guard the next time the German teacher springs a pop quiz on you! Take these helpful songs for a spin, and you’ll have yourword order, cases and more memorized before you know it.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. 
Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Learn German with Music: 

10 Songs with Hidden German Grammar Lessons

1. Noun Declination: Annett Louisan – Mama will ins Netz

A sweet, upbeat ditty with plenty of humor and fond mockery.

The scenario: The singer-songwriter’s mother ventures into the world of computing for the first time, hoping to figure out the process of sending an email. Louisan helps her on the phone, providing instructions.

Plenty of nouns, so plenty of article declination.
-- What to do mit der Maus (with the mouse)? 
                  -- Mit dem Karton (with the box)? 
-- Was hast du denn für ‘nen Provider (so what kind of provider do you have)?
                  -- Mama has no idea. Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt (Hope dies last).

2. Adjective Declination: Wirtz – Im freien Fall

Hard-rocking, compelling song about thinking critically and speaking the uncomfortable truth, even when it’s unpopular.

Daniel Wirtz uses vividly descriptive language, so we can observe how adjective endings change form with different cases. He starts with the image of mentale Müllentsorgung (mental trash disposal).
He employs dative and accusative declination of neutral-gender adjectives:
--Zieh’ mit dem schneidenden Wort, gegen das stumpfe Gelaber (move with the cutting word against the dull babble).
-- He presents his personal philosophy in reinster Form (in purest form)
-- as he describes das Leben im freien Fall(life in free fall).
Also a good example of adverbs.

3. Prepositions: Herrenmagazin – Der langsame Tod eines sehr großen Tieres

Zu, über, unten, in, vor, aus, bei (to, over, under, in, before, out, at) – this song is full of those luscious German prepositions. As the indie rockers from Hamburg paint a dark and abstract picture of dysfunctional love, you can cement in your brain the diverse ways in which prepositions act upon possessive pronouns, articles and adjectives. 

Also, the lyrics provide examples of imperative form in the second-person plural (you-all-guys).
The live acoustic version of the song on TV Noir, with a slower tempo and black-and-white aesthetic, is particularly lovely and haunting.

4. Two-way Prepositions and the Dative Case: Andreas Bourani – Eisberg

Learning to sort out the proper form – accusative or dative – of two-way prepositions is key. While some prepositions are always clear – durch (through) and gegen (against) are accusative, while aus (out) and mit (with) are dative – it’s easy to get two-way prepositions like in, auf and über (in, on and over) mixed up. Think of this song and remember:
-- Dative is used to describe where something is statically existing – the wo (where at) state.
--Accusative is used for movement – the directional or wohin (to where) state.

This song shows many examples of the dative state, so you can refer back to it and work out the accusative by elimination, if ever confused.
Ich treib alleine auf dem Meer (I float alone on the sea) he sings, static state, with the dative particle dem. If he were to shove a boat into the sea and take off, it would be the directional accusative, (fahre hinaus) auf das Meer, shortened to aufs Meer (I’m sailing out onto the sea).
This song is also a good example of reflexive pronouns.

5. Separable Verb Prefixes: Gisbert zu Knyphausen – Dreh dich nicht um

In this song, singer-songwriter Gisbert zu Knyphausen says goodbye to a failing romantic relationship. He tells his love gently to leave and not look back, and he employs a number of verbs with separable prefixes as he lays out the impending separation. Nimm deine Schuhe mit, he says – take your shoes with (you), the imperative form sending the “with” on the front of the infinitive verb mitnehmen (to take with) to the end of the clause.

The same rule returns as he applies the imperative to the verb umdrehen and tells her, dreh dich nicht um (don’t turn around) and with his construction based on the verb krummnehmen (take the wrong way), the imperative nimm sie uns nicht krumm (don’t take it wrongly). We also see a separable verb, einreden (talk into / persuade), staying whole, because the modal verb musst (must), at the start of a long sentence, keeps it united at the end of a subordinate clause.

6. Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns: Bushido “Zeiten ändern sich”

This belongs to that particular brand of rap song which glorifies the money and possessions the rapper has accumulated while sneering at his haters, who so clearly underestimated him back in the day.

All that self-involvement produces great examples of reflexive verbs and pronouns! As reflexive verbs have the same object and subject, “me me me” songs are perfect. For instance, Bushido can now buy himself (sich kaufen) all kinds of things if he wished, like an entire Lidl grocery store and a villa. Why? Because the times have changed (themselves) – Zeiten ändern sich.

7. Subjunctive I: Frittenbude – Bilder mit Katze

Subjunctive I (Konjunktiv I) can seem like a uselessly esoteric concept in language class, but it’s actually subtle, expressive and may end up being enormously helpful if you become professionally active in Germany. Why? It enables you to make passive assertions, relating unverified claims or hearsay without staking your own credibility on the statement, and is frequently used in journalism.

Good thing you have this catchy electro track with laconic hipster rap vocals to help you remember how the form works. Actually, there’s just one example – doch sie sei leider pleite (she was supposedly broke, unfortunately) – but the song is also packed with adjective declination, past tense verb conjugation, lots of slang and complex narrative lyrics, and the music video is utterly charming. Sei (subjunctive form of is) is basically the most important passive verb form anyway, along with habe(subjunctive form of have).

Watch the video, and then go buy a Polaroid camera and an Audiolith shirt. If you make it all the way to a Frittenbude concert, you can whip out your passive form humor and tell the merch guy: Man sagt, da draußen gebe es nichts wie dieses Shirt von Audiolith mit den schönen großen Buchstaben (they say there’s nothing out there like this shirt from Audiolith with the nice big letters).

8. Subjunctive II: Fräulein Wunder – Wenn ich ein Junge wär

Ah, subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II), the marvelous realm of theoretical, far-fetched possibilities and sheer imagination. What would you do if you were suddenly transformed from a girl to a boy? The ladies of Fräulein Wunder have a few ideas. Ich würd nur D-max gucken, und Jacky-Cola schlucken, ich würd mich selber küssen, und nur zum Spaß freihändig pissen – wenn ich ein Junge wär… (I would watch only D-max, gulp cola, kiss myself and piss with no hands for fun…) Drinking with Swedish girls, martial arts and donating sperm also make the list of subjunctive activities.

9. Possessive Pronouns and Genitive: Die Toten Hosen – Paradies

Once upon a time in Poland, I got to tell the members of Die Toten Hosen that their music had helped me learn German, and it wasn’t an exaggeration. Campino’s voice simply has an unforgettable quality – this song is no exception. If you want to learn the tricks of possessive form, spend a bit of time with these lyrics. They feature possessive constructions using the genitive form, both feminine and masculine: Die Hölle der Wiedergeburt (the hell of rebirth), im Buch des Lebens (in the Book of Life). Possessive pronouns also show up: The genitive dessen Chancen stehen nicht schlecht (his chances aren’t bad) and the basic accusative wer sein Schicksal mit Demut trägt (he who bears his fate with humility).

10. Imperative: Silbermond – Krieger des Lichts

A stirring song in general, and especially helpful if you’re studying the imperative form. Silbermond singer Stefanie Kloß is here to motivate the depressed and daunted listener, and she does it with a wide range of commands in second-person singular and plural.

Lasst uns aufstehen, macht euch auf den Weg, sei wie der Fluß, wenn dein Wille schläft, dann weck ihn wieder, hab keine Angst, fürchte nie, lass dich nicht täuschen, lerne zu fesseln und zu befreien (let us stand up, set out on the way, be like the river, when your will sleeps, wake it up again, never fear, don’t let yourself be deceived, learn to take hold and let go) – this song really spans the gamut of imperative verbs. Also, you’ll find some useful examples of possessive genitive.

Let us know if you have found a new favorite song or two, and which of these songs has helped you progress most in learning German!

Deine Freunde -- Schokolade u.s.w.

 Their videos have disappeared from youtube but I have found them here: 

 "Entdecke das Video 'Hausaufgaben' und mehr von Deine Freunde auf..." 
DEINE FREUNDE...HAUSAUFGABEN -- UND MEHR!
http://www.universal-music.de/deine-freunde/videos/detail/video:385552/hausaufgaben
http://www.universal-music.de/deine-freunde/videos/detail/video:385552/hausaufgaben


(Danke, Candis Kusch!)  
  
Hausaufgaben Songtext   (Danke, Luke Springman vom  Bloomu.edu)  

So kommst du mir nicht davon mein Freund! 

Hast du deine Hausaufgaben schon gemacht?
Oder hast du nur wieder davon geträumt?
Du kannst nicht immer machen was Dir passt- 

so haben wir nicht gewettet!
Du setzt dich jetzt hier hin, 

du setzt dich jetzt hier hin!
Dann wird geschrieben, gelesen, und gerechnet 

bis wir fertig sind!
Komm mach sie eben, denn du hast im Leben nicht immer eine Wahl 

und wenn du morgen früh immer noch hier sitzt, das ist mir ganz egal!
Jetzt hol deine Stifte aus der Kiste raus, 

pass auf dass du nicht so schaust, 

wie bist du drauf?
Ich weiß nicht, du hast es - 

mir egal! 

Mach jetzt!

 

REFRAIN       Ich stell' sie so gut ich kann ganz weit hinten an, 

 ------->           mach' später irgendwann: Hausaufgaben!
...........>           Ich lass die Zeit vergehen: Bye Bye -Auf Wiedersehen 

...........>           hab' nachher ein Problem.  Hausaufgaben!  

 

Hausaufgaben!  Hausaufgaben!

schieb schieb, schieb die Hausaufgaben weg!
schieb schieb, schieb sie noch ein kleines Stück!
schieb schieb! später hast du leider Pech! 

Denn dann kommen sie zurück.
Bomm digge baa die Hausaufgaben sind schon wieder da!
Ich wollte sie ja machen aber komm nicht mehr klar.
-ja ja-

ok war ein Witz das ganze war so:
Ohh bitte bitte glaub mir ich mach keine Show,
hab die Hosen hoch gezogen und dann lagen sie im Klo.
-ohh ohh -
Wieder nicht geglaubt- okay wie wäre das:
Ihr wisst ja normalerweise ist auf mich immer Verlass 

aber vorhin gab es Regen und der Ranzen wurde nass.
-ach -
Check mein Angebot, sag nu, geht klar, 

die eine Hälfte jetzt, die andere Hälfte später!
Fischigalli fischigalli feta
- ah- wie bitte?

REFRAIN  Hausaufgaben!

Mathe, Bio, Deutsch, Englisch, Chemie, Kunst, 

Physik, Ethik, Erdkunde, Religion, Wirtschaft

Hausaufgaben!  Hausaufgaben!  Hausaufgaben!  Hausaufgaben!

Liedertexte zum Thema: Kein Mensch ist illegal (Toleranz)

HIER SIND DIE LIEDER

"Kein Mensch ist illegal": Alle Songs mit Songtext aus dem Sampler mit K.I.Z, Kraftklub & Co

Am 23. Oktober erscheint der neue Sampler "Kein Mensch ist illegal". 
Auf dem Album singen diverse deutsche Künstler gegen Fremdenhass und für mehr Toleranz in Deutschland und der Welt! 

Das Thema Flüchtlinge und Asyl ist derzeit in aller Munde. Auch deutsche Musiker haben sich mit der Thematik intensiv beschäftigt.

Das Ergebnis ist ein Sampler, auf dem sich über dreißig Künstler für mehr Toleranz und Weltoffenheit einsetzen.

Offizielles Release-Date von "Kein Mensch ist illegal" ist am 23. Oktober. Wir verraten euch vorab, wer mit welchen Songs dabei ist.

Neben derzeit ganz großen Musikern wie K.I.Z, Kraftklub, Casper, Marteria, OK Kid und Gloria sind auch alte Showhasen mit dabei. So singt Farin Urlaub seinen Song "Welche Kirse?,
Herbert Grönemeyer sieht "Feuerlicht" und Ton Steine Scherben geben "Duch die Wüste" zum Besten.

Ziel ist es, Flüchtlinge zu unterstützen: Der gesamte Erlös aus dem Verkauf wir "ProAsyl" und "Kein Mensch ist illegal" gespendet!

"Kein Mensch ist illegal" - Alle Songs aus dem Album: 
1. Isolation Berlin - "Alles Grau"
2. Farin Urlaub - "Welche Krise?"
3. Kraftklub - "Schüße in die Luft"
4. K.I.Z. - "Hurra die Welt geht unter" feat. Henning May
5. Love A - "100.000 Stühle leer"
6. Madsen - "Sirenen"
7. Thees Uhlmann - "Im Sommer nach dem Krieg"
8. Turbostaat - "Tut es doch weh"9. Vierkanttretlager - "Krieg & Krieg"
10. Donots - "Dann ohne mich"
11. Casper - "Hinterland"
12. OK Kid - "Stadt ohne Meer"
13. Mikrokosmos23 - "Reisegäste"
14. Findus - "Hafenklang"
15. Astairre - "1984"16. von Brücken - "Blendgranaten"
17. Trümmer - "Wo ist die Euphorie?"
18. Ton Steine Scherben - "Durch die Wüste"
19. AnnenMayKantereit - "Jeden Morgen"
20. Niels Frevert - "Das mit dem Glücklichsein ist relativ"
21. Marcus Wiebusch - "Jede Zeit hat ihre Pest"
22. Frittenbude - "Die Möglichkeit eines Lamas"
23. Marteria - "Welt der Wunder"
24. Jan Delay - "Sie kann nicht tanzen"
25. Tocotronic - "Prolog"26. Boxhamsters - "Erdstern"
27. Fiva - "Das Beste ist noch nicht vorbei"
28. Deichkind - "Denken Sie groß"
29. U3000 - "Wir haben euch belogen"
30. Schrottgrenze - "Zeitmaschinen"
31. Pascow - "Zeit des Erwachens"
32. Kante - "Morgensonne"
33. Gloria - "Schwaches Gift"
34. Der Ringer - "Das Kind deiner Zeit"
35. Die Goldenen Zitronen - "Flimmern"
36. Herbert Grönemeyer - "Feuerlicht"
"Hurra die Welt geht unter" - Das Video zum Song:

 

Celebrating 25 Year of German Unity: Traum von Cro feiert Deutsche Einheit in Frankfurt

THE LOCAL de --  Germany News (in English)   National

25 years of German unity

Berliners celebrate the very first German Unity Day on October 3rd 1990. Photo: DPA.

How to celebrate German Unity Day nationwide

Published: 02 Oct 2015 12:30 GMT+02:00

Saturday October 3rd marks 25 years since Germany officially reunited into one country at the end of the Cold War. As millions prepare to celebrate the big anniversary, The Local brings you a run-down of where the major celebrations are taking place to ring in the Day of German Unity.

October 3rd 1990 was the first German Unity Day to mark the reunification of East and West Germany at the end of the Cold War. Though Germans aren’t known to celebrate the day with gaudy displays of patriotism, various cities are commemorating the holiday with music, art and more.

Here’s a look at what to expect.

Frankfurt am Main

Where: Römerberg and Paulsplatz
When: October 2nd at 3pm to October 4th

Photo: DPA.

Frankfurt is actually the place to be to celebrate reunification this year, with Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Joachim Gauck, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and even European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in attendance.

Why, you might ask? It’s a tradition that each year since 1990, the major national celebration takes place in the state of the sitting president of the Bundesrat (the upper house of the German parliament). Since the current president, Volker Bouffier, is from Hesse, the big party is taking place in the state’s largest city, Frankfurt.

The festivities in Germany’s financial hub will swing into action on Friday, with a concert by Frankfurt singer Namika, followed by a performance by German rapper CRO.



Hier ist das Musikvideo, Traum, von Cro.  Eine Traumfrau, Julie, sollte wählen (to choose).
Lüc und Remie kämpfen um ihr Herz zu gewinnen.

Cro spielt dabei . . . .
Findet ihr die Musikvideo lustig? --rsb

--- More concerts will follow on Saturday, in particular from German pop singer Sarah Connor. The music will continue through Sunday evening, including big band style and folk music.

Luxuslärm (mit Culcha Candela) Mehr Gewicht (More Weight)

Hier fehlt etwas, das mehr Gewicht hat --  We're missing something of substance here.



Songtext

Immer weiter jetzt keine Pause
ohne Umweg gerade aus
Kalorien und Zeit gespart
keine Kurven - keine Kurven
du schaust dich im Spiegel an
du checkst wirklich jedes Kilogramm
doch du siehst nicht aus wie die,
die Perfekten - im TV

(zu fett) oh man hier kriegt jeder sein
(fett weg) irgendwann gibt es "Google light"
doch das Lied ist ungefähr so kerngesund wie tonnenschwer

(Refrain)
  Hier fehlt was das mehr Gewicht hat
  'n vollen Mund und ein Gesicht hat
  Zucker, Baby, rundes Ding
  wo sind deine Kurven hin?
  Hier fehlt was das mehr Gewicht hat,
  eine Meinung die ein Anderer nicht hat
  Lass deine Sachen schwingen
  wo sind die - wo sind die Kurven hin

Brücke
  hmmm, deine Kurven hin
  Ich hab jetzt tierisch Bock auf Haribo,
  die machen alle nur nicht Models froh
  Achtung, Achtung, Size Zero, scheiß Zero
     du bist gut so
  Ist dein Finger jetzt dein bester Freund,
  für die Figur von der doch jeder träumt?
  Mach dich locker, brich dein Wort,
  für 'ne Runde Rittersport

(zu fett) oh man hier kriegt jeder sein
(fett weg) irgendwann gibt es "Google light"
Doch das Lied ist ungefähr so kerngesund wie tonnenschwer

(Refrain)

---  Flatscreen, Flatscreen an der Wand
Wo ist das Fett hin in Deutschland?
Wer hat meinen Appetit gestohlen,
war's Heidi Klum oder war es Dieter Bohlen?
Wo sind die Frauen hin, überall nur Kinder
Auf dem Laufsteg wird es jeden Tag schlimmer
Kein Decolltè, nur noch knochige Rippen
Ich hätte lieber echte ordentliche... Hüften
Wen interessiert es welchen Umfang dein Bauch hat?
Wer entschiedet was eine Frau ausmacht?
Ein Starbauch, ist nicht immer flach,
siehe Cindy aus Marzahn und Dirk Bach
"Ey Digger" - kommt nicht von ungefähr
Win kleines Fettpolster ist einfach gemütlicher
Ab wann ist man zu dick und wann nicht,
entscheide selbst und dann entspann dich

(Refrain)

Hier fehlt was das mehr Gewicht hat
'n vollen Mund und ein Gesicht hat
Zucker, Baby, rundes Ding
wo sind deine Kurven hin?
Hier fehlt was, das mehr Gewicht hat,
eine Meinung die ein Anderer nicht hat
Lass deine Sachen schwingen
Wo sind deine Kurven hin?
Wo sind die Kurven hin?

(Gib mir was, das mehr Gewicht hat)
Hier fehlt was, das mehr Gewicht hat

--How do you feel Culcha Candela added substance and credibility to this song? -- rsb

 

Laing : Ich bin so verliebt

Ich krieg meine Schnürsenkel nicht zu
Ich trage links den rechten Schuh-u
Ich ess' mein Müsli mit Saft
Ich platze fast vor Kraft
Ich rede Stunde am Telefon
Gibt's einen der noch nichts weiß davon?
Ich nehme allen die Vorfahrt
Ich tanke Disel statt Bezin.

Ich bin verliebt x3
verliebt...
Zu Hause stapelt sich Geschirr
Meine Katze ist ganz dürr
Ich habe seit Tagen keinen Spiegel gesehen,
doch ich war noch nie so schön.

Ich bin so verliebt...

Ich bin so verliebt,
ich brauche keine Musik.
Ich bin so verliebt,
dass alles einen Sinn ergibt.
Das alles, alles einen, einen Sinn ergibt
ich bin so verliebt.
Das es sowas gibt.
Mein Leben gerät aus der Bahn.
Ich geb dem Busfahrer Trinkgeld.
Ich schwebe durch die Welt,
manchmal fall' ich hin
Du raubst mir meinen Gleichgewichtssinn.
Mir ist das so egal
Ich bin den ganzen Tag beschäftigt ich fühl mich feneomenal!

(Dank an Lotte für den Text)

Ten Pop Songs that Will Help You Learn German

Research has shown that listening to music can help you improve your language skills. These ten pop songs will help you master the German language.

May 12, 2015 by Nicolette Stewart

“In the 1970s, extensive research was carried out into the powers of music in the learning process, by the Bulgarian physician Georgi Lozanov. He revealed that music puts listeners into a state of relaxed alertness, the ‘alpha state,’ the ideal state of consciousness for learning, and his tests were conclusive.

“More recently, in the March 2005 issue of the journal ‘Nature’ researchers at Dartmouth College in the US reported that they had pinpointed the region of the brain where ‘ earworms ‘ or catchy tunes reside, the auditory cortex. They found that the sounds and words that have actually been heard can be readily recalled from the auditory cortex where the brain can listen to them ‘virtually’ again and again. Music it seems is the ideal catalyst to the memorisation of words.”  (source)

Why learn German with music?

Add to the research the fact that listening to music is a lot more fun than staring at a textbook, and you have an ideal formula for language learning.  If you've ever gotten a song stuck in your head, you are familiar with the way that music and lyrics can work their way into your brain effortlessly.  The melody carries them in and while you're humming that tune, implants important grammatical concepts and vocabulary in your memory.

Songs with clear, easy-to-differentiate lyrics are ideal for language learning, but if you're having trouble understanding what the singer is saying, Google the song title + band name + lyrics.  Then listen to the song while reading the words. Repeat.  Once a catchy tune gets into your head, you'll find yourself repeating phrases and words to yourself even when you aren't studying.

These ten songs will help you improve your German:

99 Luftballons by Nena

You've no doubt heard this song before, but did you know that it is about a nuclear apocalypse brought about by accident? Use this catchy pop tune to practice your listening comprehension skills and learn vocab that will help you discuss the pros and cons of war.

Listen to 99 Luftballons:

Leider Geil by Deichkind

"Geil" ist a German slang word for cool (ok; it can also have overtones of meaning "horny").  This humorous song will hammer both "leider" (unfortunately) and "geil" (cool/awesome) into your active vocabulary while explaining which of the negative/stupid/bad things in the world that are actually kind of, well  "leider giel."

Listen to Leider Geil:

Elke by Die Ärzte

This song by Berlin band Die Ärzte tells the story of a couple who start as pen pals and then "12 seconds later" end up together. Those whose musical taste has punk leanings will enjoy this humorous and energetic love song.

Listen to Elke:

Wir trafen uns im Garten by 2RAUMWOHNUNG

This twee but upbeat pop song is about a couple who meet in a garden.  When after the break up thoughts about her ex-partner leave her feeling tired and sad, the singer tries to distract herself with other things.  It is one of the many songs that will help you learn the vocab you will need to talk about a break-up, but unlike many of its thematic relations, it has an upbeat and positive sound and attitude.

Listen to Wir trafen uns im Garten:

Für immer Immer by Fettes Brot

Practice geography and German vocab with this song about all the women from around the world that Fettes Brot have loved.

Listen to Für immer Immer:

Halt Dich an mir fest by Revolverheld

This emotional ballad from Hamburg band Revolverheld will provide you with vocabulary to talk about a failing relationship.

Listen to Halt Dich an mir fest:

Wo willst du hin? by Xavier Naidoo

Mannheimer singer Xavier Naidoo is generally a good starting point for German learners who enjoy soul and R&B. This song is about a failed relationship and forgiveness.

Listen to Wo willst du hin?:

Ja by Silbermond

Silbermond hail from Bautzen, Saxony, and they have been playing quiet, emotional pop music since forming in 1998.  Ja will help provide you with vocabulary for talking about feeling down, but strengthened by a relationship.

Listen to Ja:

Fallshirm by Mia

Mia (not to be confused with Sri Lanken/British performer M.I.A.) writes upbeat, dancey pop music.  The group are from Berlin and having been making music since 1997.

Listen to Fallschirm:

Tage wie diese by Die Toten Hosen

The list ends with an upbeat rock-pop anthem written to get stadium crowds holding their lighters in the air and signing along. Days like these (as the title would be in English) is about those perfect days when you feel like you can do and be anything.

Listen to Tage wie diese:

Tags:

Du bist 21-22-23. . .

Hier:  eine neue Garageband aus Köln: 

AnnenMayKantereit

 Christopher ANNEN :  spielt Gitarre und Mundharmonika
            Henning MAY : singt und spielt Klavier
Severin KANTEREIT : trommelt. 

(Und wer spielt Bass?)

Why Listen to German Pop Music?

• It’s fun! Sure, reading can also be a great way to learn German, but when listening to songs in the language you can really have some fun. It’s also a great excuse to invite your friends around for a German pop session; you can help each other by having a sing-along or playing lyrics games.

• Increase your vocab. Pop music can cover so many different subjects—from heartbreak and romance, to politics and current affairs. In fact, the range of topics covered in pop music means listening to it is a fantastic way to increase your vocabulary.

• Learn how locals speak. Listening to native speakers sing means you’ll be picking up German idioms. You know, phrases or expressions like the English “when in Rome” or “the early bird catches the worm” that don’t translate easily. By listening to German, you’ll be picking up in its hard-to-translate phrases, which you can show off in your lesson work.

• Absorb grammar and vocab. It sounds pretty spooky, but you’ll be absorbing loads of useful vocabulary and grammar subconsciously. The more you listen to German music, the more naturally the language will come to you. And before you know it, you’ll find yourself using a whole load of words and sentence constructs that you didn’t even realize you knew!

• It’s an insight into German culture. When listening to all the latest pop music, you’ll know all the trends and styles that the Germans are getting into, helping you to fit in with the locals.

How to Learn German by Listening to Pop Music

Listen without any subtitles the first time

The very first time you listen to a new pop song, do so without any subtitles or lyrics on hand. Why? This will challenge yourself to really concentrate on the German that you’re hearing. If there’s a music video with the song, try minimizing the window or closing your eyes, so that you can focus all of your mental strength on just one sense, and not get distracted by the visuals.

Can’t the visuals help you understand the meaning? Certainly—depending on the music video, of course. So add them in after your first listen and see what else you can understand. While listening, try to pick out any words at all that you recognize, and jot them down. Feel free to pause the song as necessary, so you can write with no rush.

Look up any words you don’t understand

Depending on your level, it will most likely be beneficial to have a set of the German lyrics handy—after you’ve done some initial “listening only.” If you type the song name into Google followed by “lyrics,” you should end up with a long list of results. The main (and best) website for German lyrics is songtexte.com.

As you dissect these lyrics, if you come across a word or phrase you’re not familiar with, look it upin a dictionary and then write it down. Use whatever recording system works best for you—whether it’s real flashcards, a vocab notebook, an online document, a flashcard app, etc.

This step is vital for improving your vocabulary, so be sure to write down new words—and give yourself a daily goal, like learning four of these words a day.

Play along using music videos

After learning the ins and outs of your lyrics (potentially with FluentU), a fun game to play is Lyrics Training. In this game, you fill in the blanks of the lyrics as the music video plays. There is a huge selection of songs to choose from, categorized by both genre and difficulty.

After choosing your song, you get to select the difficulty of that round—from beginner, with 10% of the words missing, to expert, with all blanks and no lyrics on screen to use as prompts. There are two play modes to choose from as well: “Write Mode,” where you type the missing word, or “Choice Mode,” where you choose the correct word from four options.

The game keeps track of your score, so you can try to beat records and track improvement!

Sing along

After you’ve mastered the lyrics, you’ll be more than ready to sing along to these German pop songs. Heck, some of these are so darn catchy that you’ll probably have already been singing along without even knowing it!

This is a perfect exercise because a) it’s super fun and b) you get to practice speaking in addition to listening. Go phrase by phrase, pausing to sing after the original, and compare your pronunciation with that of the artists. Does it sound the same? What can you change to sound more like them?

Should you be lucky enough to have friends that are also learning German, sing with them! Even if you just talk through the lyrics, you can let each other know if there are any areas of pronunciation that need to be practiced. Plus, you can also give each other a pat on the back if you start to sound like a native!

So now you’ve learned the how and the why behind listening to German pop, I’ll show you our pick of the five best pop bands out there.

5 of the Best German Pop Bands for Learning German

1. Die Ärzte    (Warning:  no video...check out the awesome music below first. --rsb)

Thanks to their quirky song topics and upbeat lyrics, Die Ärzte (The Doctors) have been used to teach German in schools for quite a few years already, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t also be including them in your studies.

Die Ärzte started out in Berlin’s punk scene during the ’80s. Two members—Farin Urlaub and Bela B.—were in various different punk bands before joining forces under their medical moniker. In 1993 they were joined by Rodrigo Gonzalez to create their current lineup.

Some of their most notable hits include the anti-Nazi anthem “Schrei nach Liebe” (Cry for Love) and “Hurra” (Hoorah). In recent years they’ve taken a more poppy route with their music.

The above song, “Westerland” is one of their earlier songs from the ’80s, and probably one of their first with a pop vibe. It pays homage to Westerland—an area on the island of Sylt, that lies just off Germany’s north coast. It’s a great song to learn German to, as the chorus’s use of simple sentences are repeated regularly.

2. Silbermond   (I find this video and song both crazy good--rsb)

For those of you who prefer your pop to be on the more rocky side of the spectrum, Silbermond (Silver Moon) is the perfect choice.

The band comes from Bautzen in east Saxony and is fronted by lead singer Stephanie Kloß. After meeting her future band members in the Christian youth program “Ten Sing” in 1998, the foursome went on to form the band Jast in 2000 before changing to their current name the following year.

Even though they perform exclusively in German, they’re also fairly well known across the world, and have even had the honor of performing alongside the likes of Green Day and Chris de Burgh. They won the Best German Act Award in 2009 at the MTV Music Award. If you’re going to improve your German with some pop, you can’t go wrong with these award winners.

All right, so the lyrics are fairly soppy, but “Das Beste” (The Best) is one of Silbermond’s most popular songs and is possibly the most romance-heavy song to feature in this list. But it will help you with your verb conjugation! There are a lot of sentences that begin with “Ich..” and “Du..,” which means plenty of practice on how to conjugate their verb forms.

If this leaves your ears wanting more, check out “Ja” (Yes) and “Unter meiner Haut” (Under My Skin).

3. Wir Sind Helden   (Ein Lieblingslied von vielen Deutschklassen -- rsb)

Wir Sind Helden (We Are Heroes) may have broken up in 2012, but their awesome pop legacy still lives on! The band is usually described as being part of the Neue Deutsche Welle scene, a genre that has developed from new wave music and punk rock.

The group, originally from Berlin, used David Bowie’s “Heroes” as inspiration for their name. Just like Silbermond, Wir Sind Helden had a fairly large international following; they even played to three sold out concerts in London in 2006 and 2007. One of their songs also made it on to the EA Sports video game FIFA ’08!

Their breakthrough hit from 2002, “Guten Tag”  (Hello) is another of their songs that’s worth a listen, as is the very popular “Denkmal” (Memorial). But when it comes to nailing German, our favorite has to be “Nur Ein Wort” (Only A Word) thanks to the helpful word cards in the Bob Dylan-inspired video.

4. Nena

It would be wrong to write a blog post on German pop music and not mention one of its first international superstars, so here she is: Nena!

In 1983 her song “99 Luftballons” (99 Red Balloons) was released to critical acclaim across the world. As mentioned before, German pop music crosses a load of different subject matters, and Nena’s “99 Luftballons” is one of the more political songs, with its anti-war lyrics. It’s worth noting that the English version of the song was rewritten, rather than directly translated from the German, so a useful German exercise would be to compare and contrast the two versions.

After her ’80s smash hit, Nena continues to record new albums and still regularly tours. 2002 saw her duet with fellow ’80s icon Kim Wilde in their hit “Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime.”   (Habt ihr von Kim Wilde gehoert?? -- rsb)

5. Die Fantastischen Vier   (Die da?!  MfG!  SUPER LIEDER! - rsb)

Die Fantastischen Vier (The Fantastic Four), a hip hop group from Stuttgart, were one of the very first groups to rap in German. Just like Die Ärzte, they’ve been on the go since the ’80s, but are still as popular as ever.

“Die Da” is an excellent song choice for learning German, as it features one aspect of grammar that you won’t be taught in schools. Most of the time in spoken German, the Germans will substitute the third person pronoun for a definite article.

Take a look at how they do this in their lyrics:

Es ist die da, die da am eingang steht.(It is her there, who’s standing in the entrance.)

It’s really simple—to do this, simply switch “sie” for “die.”

And that’s also a great example of how to use a relative clause! After the comma, the relative pronoun “die” sends the following verb to the end of the sentence.

Hopefully this post will have whet your appetite for some German tunes. If you pair this with your determination to get to grips with German, then you’ve found one more way to start conquering the language!