Kauf MICH! (album)
Encyclopedia
Kauf MICH! is the ninth album by Die Toten Hosen
, released in 1993. The LP is mainly a concept album
dealing with consumerism
and ultraconservatism
. Along with the album's art and several songs addressing commerce
, satirical advertisements and infomercials are interspersed among the music. In addition, the concept of right wing extremism
as exemplified by ultraconservatism and neo-Nazism
in the songs "Wilkommen in Deutschland" and "Sascha ...ein aufrechter Deutscher" is explored, which excited controversy during the time of the album's release. It was a best-selling album in Germany
for 13 weeks in 1993, also selling well in Austria
and Switzerland
.
Tracks 6 & 8 are mock infomercials performed by Gerhard Polt
and Gisela Schneeberger and directed by Hanns Christian Müller. "Wünsch DIR was
" has an intro sung by the children's choir "Mosquito" from the music school in Meerbusch
.
"
1993: "...wünsch DIR was"
1993: "Alles aus Liebe
"
1994: "Kauf MICH!
"
"Einmal in vier Jahren" has been previously available in a live version on Im Auftrag des Herrn.
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
, released in 1993. The LP is mainly a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
dealing with consumerism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
and ultraconservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
. Along with the album's art and several songs addressing commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
, satirical advertisements and infomercials are interspersed among the music. In addition, the concept of right wing extremism
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
as exemplified by ultraconservatism and neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
in the songs "Wilkommen in Deutschland" and "Sascha ...ein aufrechter Deutscher" is explored, which excited controversy during the time of the album's release. It was a best-selling album in Germany
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...
for 13 weeks in 1993, also selling well in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Tracks 6 & 8 are mock infomercials performed by Gerhard Polt
Gerhard Polt
Gerhard Polt is a Bavarian writer, filmmaker, actor and satirical cabaret artist.Gerhard Polt often performs using Bavarian dialect. His main topics are Bavarian people, culture and politics. His performances in Munich theaters, which he started in 1976, are very popular...
and Gisela Schneeberger and directed by Hanns Christian Müller. "Wünsch DIR was
Wünsch DIR was
"Wünsch DIR was" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the second single and the thirteenth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
" has an intro sung by the children's choir "Mosquito" from the music school in Meerbusch
Meerbusch
Meerbusch, a town in Rhein-Kreis Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, has been an incorporated city since 1970. Meerbusch is the municipality with the second most income millionaires in North Rhine-Westphalia.- Geography :...
.
Track listing
- "Umtausch ausgeschlossen!" (roughly "Trade-in debarred!") (Rohde/Frege) – 2:18
- "Niemals einer Meinung" ("Never of the same opinion") (Frege/Frege) – 3:44
- "Hot-Clip-Video-Club" (Rohde/Frege) – 4:01
- "Wilkommen in Deutschland" ("Welcome to GermanyGermanyGermany , 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...
") (Breitkopf/Frege) – 3:56 - "Drunter, drauf & drüber" ("Under, on and over") (Frege, Müller/Frege, Müller) – 3:02
- "Erotim-Super-3-feucht" ("ES3-damp") – 0:31
- "Kauf MICH!Kauf MICH! (song)"Kauf MICH!" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the fourth single and the seventh track from the album Kauf MICH!. The single cover is designed as a typical washing powder box....
" ("Buy ME!") (Breitkopf/Frege, Müller) – 3:30 - "Die Homolka Kettensäge" ("The HomolkaHomolkaHomolka is a Czech surname and may refer to:* Karla Homolka, Canadian serial killer, with Paul Bernardo* Oscar Homolka, Austrian-born actor* Walter Homolka, German rabbi* Tammy Homolka, sister and victim of Karla Homolka...
chainsawChainsawA chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
") – 0:36 - "Sascha ...ein aufrechter DeutscherSascha ...ein aufrechter Deutscher"Sascha ...ein aufrechter Deutscher" is an anti-Nazi song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the first single and the ninth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
" ("Sascha ...an upstanding German") (Frege, Müller/Frege, Müller) – 2:34 - "Gewissen" ("Conscience") (Breitkopf/Frege, Müller) – 2:41
- "Gute Reise" ("A good trip") (von Holst/Frege) – 5:04
- "Alles aus LiebeAlles aus Liebe"Alles aus Liebe" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the third single and the twelfth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
" ("All out of loveLoveLove is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
") (Frege/Frege) – 4:34 - "Wünsch DIR wasWünsch DIR was"Wünsch DIR was" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the second single and the thirteenth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
" (roughly "Make a wish") (Meurer/Frege) – 4:15 - "Mein größter Feind" ("My biggest enemy") (von Holst/Frege) – 3:08
- "Rambo Dance" (Meurer/Frege/Talk by Tom GerhardtTom GerhardtTom Gerhardt is a German actor and comedian.- Life :Gerhardt studied German studies and philosophy. After his university studies Gerhardt worked for German newspaper Express in Cologne. Since 1990s he worked as actor in different films...
) – 4:09 - "Katastrophen-Kommando" ("Catastrophe commando") (von Holst/Frege) – 4:30
-
- "Der letzte Tag" ("The last day") - 3:28 (hidden trackHidden trackIn the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
)
- "Der letzte Tag" ("The last day") - 3:28 (hidden track
-
-
-
-
- "Der letzte Tag" is a separate track on the remastered version.
-
-
2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks
For the 25th anniversary of the group all albums from 1983-2002 were remastered and re-released. The remasters have a second booklet and additional songs. The re-release of Kauf MICH! has the album's b-sides for bonus tracks. There are actually 3 parts of "Der heiße Draht", on which people sing DTH songs over the phone. However, for the remaster, only a "best of" was compiled out of the three.- "Krieg und Frieden" ("WarWarWar is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and peacePeacePeace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
") (Meurer/Frege) − 4:58 (from "...wünsch DIR was")
- "Im Namen des Herrn" ("In the name of the Lord") (Frege/Frege) − 2:08 (from "...wünsch DIR was")
- "Auf dem Weg zur Nummer 1" ("On the way to number 1") (Rohde/Frege) − 4:01 (from "Alles aus LiebeAlles aus Liebe"Alles aus Liebe" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the third single and the twelfth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
")
- "5 Minuten" ("5 minuteMinuteA minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units...
s") (von Holst/Frege) − 3:01 (from "Alles aus Liebe")
- "Hilfe" ("Help") (von Holst/Frege) − 3:24 (from "Kauf MICH!Kauf MICH! (song)"Kauf MICH!" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the fourth single and the seventh track from the album Kauf MICH!. The single cover is designed as a typical washing powder box....
")
- "Der heiße Draht (Best of)" ("The hot wire") − 6:09 (from "Kauf MICH!")
Singles
1992: "Sascha ...ein aufrechter DeutscherSascha ...ein aufrechter Deutscher
"Sascha ...ein aufrechter Deutscher" is an anti-Nazi song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the first single and the ninth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
"
1993: "...wünsch DIR was"
1993: "Alles aus Liebe
Alles aus Liebe
"Alles aus Liebe" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the third single and the twelfth track from the album Kauf MICH!....
"
1994: "Kauf MICH!
Kauf MICH! (song)
"Kauf MICH!" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the fourth single and the seventh track from the album Kauf MICH!. The single cover is designed as a typical washing powder box....
"
Demos
Several unreleased demos from the album surfaced in 2007 with the re-release of most DTH albums.- "Das kleine ABC" (The little ABC) (von Holst/Frege) – 3:34 (released on DamenwahlDamenwahlDamenwahl is the third studio album of the German punk band Die Toten Hosen. The term "Damenwahl" appears in "Verflucht, verdammt, gebrandmarkt" and the intro of "Altbierlied"...
) - "Aufgeben (gilt nicht)" (Giving up (is not a choice)) (Frege/Frege) – 5:01 (released on Damenwahl)
- "Gipfelstürmer" (Summiteer) (Meurer/Frege) – 3:45 (released on Damenwahl)
- "Einmal in vier Jahren" (Once in four years) (Breitkopf/Frege) – 4:49 (released on Ein kleines bisschen HorrorschauEin kleines bisschen HorrorschauEin kleines bißchen Horrorschau is the sixth LP by Die Toten Hosen, released in 1988...
) - "Schwarze Sheriffs" (Black sheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
s) (Frege/von Holst) – 3:39 (released on Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau)
"Einmal in vier Jahren" has been previously available in a live version on Im Auftrag des Herrn.
Personnel
- Campino - vocals
- Andreas von Holst - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Michael Breitkopf - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Andreas Meurer - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Wolfgang Rohde - drums
Charts
| Year | Country | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Germany 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... |
1 |
| 1993 | Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
5 |
| 1993 | Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
9 |