Münchener Freiheit
Encyclopedia
Münchener Freiheit is a German
pop and rock band that had released seventeen albums by 2007, six of which have gone gold and have sold over five million copies in Europe
. They are named after a square in the city of Munich
in Germany, meaning "Munich liberty". It is considered part of the Neue Deutsche Welle
musical movement.
They are best known in the English
-speaking world for their single "Keeping The Dream Alive". This song became a #14 hit single
in the UK Singles Chart
when released in 1988, making Münchener Freiheit a one-hit wonder
there. "Keeping the Dream Alive" still receives a lot of airplay at Christmas time and can be found included on many Christmas compilation album
s. In the United States
the song failed to chart there when it was originally released, gaining favour with the American public only after it was featured in the soundtrack for the movie Say Anything.... The single has received additional exposure in the United States thanks to the singing talent contest American Idol
on the Fox television network. The song has been used in recent seasons as a backdrop to video montages featuring contestants on the programme.
(guitar and vocals), Rennie Hatzke (drums), Michael Kunzi (bass and vocals), and Alex Grünwald (keyboard), formed in the early 1980s. Their first album Umsteiger, released in 1982, was a 'rough-around-the-edges' form of New Wave
showing an aggressive side to Zauner's otherwise smooth vocals. This was followed a year later by Licht
, which took them in a more 'synth pop' direction. The band's next album Herzschlag einer Stadt in 1984 was a more commercial new wave record which spawned a Top 30 hit in Germany, Oh Baby.
In 1988, Münchener Freiheit released Fantasie in Germany and its English counterpart, Fantasy
. Unlike Romancing in the Dark, Fantasy contained all tracks from its German counterpart. The album went un-noticed throughout the US but was moderately successful in Europe. Freiheit never again released an English album in the US. However, in their homeland, Fantasie (DE#4) was a great success spending eight weeks in the Top 10 and spawning two Top 15 singles: "So lang' man Träume noch leben kann" and "Bis wir uns wiederseh'n". Keeping the dream alive is the English-language version of So lang' man Träume noch leben kann. This single became the band's sole hit in the UK, reaching number 14 in the UK singles chart in December 1988.
Their follow-up, Purpurmond
, was the last album to be re-recorded in English under the title Love is No Science. Nine of its eleven tracks were re-recorded in English, along with a second re-recording of "Tausendmal Du", this time entitled "All I Can Do".
under the name of Deuces Wild
. The album was recorded in English with most of the lyrics written by Tim Touchton, who had worked with the band since Fantasy.
Despite the moderate reception of Purpurmond, the band returned to the German Top 10 in 1992 with Liebe auf den ersten Blick, earning a Top 15 hit with the title track. The band also represented their country in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest
, finishing in 18th place with their song, "Viel zu weit". The band returned a year later with the album Energie (1994), which gave them another Top 30 album in Germany, although their next two albums, Entführ' mich (1996) and Schatten (1998; with a sleeve design by Klaus Voormann
), failed to chart at all.
Leaving Sony Music for the EastWest label, the band moved towards conventional dance-pop on their next album, Freiheit die ich meine (2000). The album saw the band re-enter the German Top 50 following their two album absence. The band changed labels again to Koch International, releasing the albums Wachgeküsst (2002) and Geile Zeit (2004). Although these albums used a similar 'radio-friendly' formula to Freiheit die ich meine, both albums peaked in the lower regions of the German Top 100.
Münchener Freiheit continue to record and tour, celebrating their 25th anniversary with the Double CD retrospective Alle Jahre, Alle Hits (2005) and a new single "Du bist das Leben".
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...
pop and rock band that had released seventeen albums by 2007, six of which have gone gold and have sold over five million copies in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. They are named after a square in the city of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in Germany, meaning "Munich liberty". It is considered part of the Neue Deutsche Welle
Neue Deutsche Welle
Neue Deutsche Welle is a genre of German music originally derived from punk rock and New Wave music...
musical movement.
They are best known in the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking world for their single "Keeping The Dream Alive". This song became a #14 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
when released in 1988, making Münchener Freiheit a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
there. "Keeping the Dream Alive" still receives a lot of airplay at Christmas time and can be found included on many Christmas compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the song failed to chart there when it was originally released, gaining favour with the American public only after it was featured in the soundtrack for the movie Say Anything.... The single has received additional exposure in the United States thanks to the singing talent contest American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
on the Fox television network. The song has been used in recent seasons as a backdrop to video montages featuring contestants on the programme.
The early years
The band, composed of Stefan Zauner (vocals, keyboards), Aron StrobelAron Strobel
Aron Strobel is best known as the lead guitarist for Münchener Freiheit, who had several big hits throughout Europe.-Background:Aron has been a member of the group since their debut in 1982...
(guitar and vocals), Rennie Hatzke (drums), Michael Kunzi (bass and vocals), and Alex Grünwald (keyboard), formed in the early 1980s. Their first album Umsteiger, released in 1982, was a 'rough-around-the-edges' form of New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
showing an aggressive side to Zauner's otherwise smooth vocals. This was followed a year later by Licht
Licht (album)
Licht is the seventh studio album by the German Heavy metal band Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, released by Nuclear Blast Records on 29 August 2008. It peaked at #29 in the German Media Control Charts. The U.S...
, which took them in a more 'synth pop' direction. The band's next album Herzschlag einer Stadt in 1984 was a more commercial new wave record which spawned a Top 30 hit in Germany, Oh Baby.
Breakthrough
The band's first big hit album came in 1986 with Von Anfang an, meaning From the Beginning. Living up to its title, the album contained a selection of new singles, a previously unreleased live version of "Zeig mir die Nacht" (from Umsteiger), two remixes and the occasional track from their previous two albums. Its success was due largely to its two original hit singles, Ohne Dich (schlaf' ich heut' nacht nicht ein) and Tausendmal Du.The international years
Following the success of Von Anfang an and its follow-up, Traumziel, the band aimed for international success and began recording tracks from both albums in English. The result was Romancing in the Dark, containing English version of six tracks from Traumziel plus their three biggest German hits. The majority of the English lyrics were written by the band themselves with some assistance from outside lyricists. (Later the band relied on English lyrics written by professional lyricists Tim Touchton and Curtis Briggs.) The album was released throughout Europe, and there were big hits in Greece (where Every Time was a No. 1 single), Sweden, Norway and Holland.In 1988, Münchener Freiheit released Fantasie in Germany and its English counterpart, Fantasy
Fantasy (Münchener Freiheit album)
Fantasy was the 1988 release by the German pop group Münchener Freiheit. This was their second album to be recorded in English, containing English versions of all tracks from their fifth studio album, Fantasie....
. Unlike Romancing in the Dark, Fantasy contained all tracks from its German counterpart. The album went un-noticed throughout the US but was moderately successful in Europe. Freiheit never again released an English album in the US. However, in their homeland, Fantasie (DE#4) was a great success spending eight weeks in the Top 10 and spawning two Top 15 singles: "So lang' man Träume noch leben kann" and "Bis wir uns wiederseh'n". Keeping the dream alive is the English-language version of So lang' man Träume noch leben kann. This single became the band's sole hit in the UK, reaching number 14 in the UK singles chart in December 1988.
Their follow-up, Purpurmond
Purpurmond
Purpurmond was the 6th studio album by Münchener Freiheit in their native language, reaching #17 in the German charts. Three minor hit singles were released from the album, the most successful being the lead-off single Verlieben verlieren...
, was the last album to be re-recorded in English under the title Love is No Science. Nine of its eleven tracks were re-recorded in English, along with a second re-recording of "Tausendmal Du", this time entitled "All I Can Do".
1991 to present
Although 1991 was a quiet year for the band, Zauner and Strobel were still active, releasing the album Living in the SunLiving in the Sun (Album)
Living in the Sun was the sole album by German rock group Deuces Wild, a side-project of two fronting members of Münchener Freiheit, released on Columbia Records in 1991.-Track listing:...
under the name of Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild (Band)
Deuces Wild were a one-off band formed in Munich in 1991 by Stefan Zauner and Aron Strobel , both of the successful German pop band Münchener Freiheit. Their only album, Living in the Sun was released on Columbia Records in 1991 along with two singles: a Beatles cover, "This Boy", and the...
. The album was recorded in English with most of the lyrics written by Tim Touchton, who had worked with the band since Fantasy.
Despite the moderate reception of Purpurmond, the band returned to the German Top 10 in 1992 with Liebe auf den ersten Blick, earning a Top 15 hit with the title track. The band also represented their country in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1993
The Eurovision Song Contest 1993 was the 38th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 15 May 1993 in Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland. The presenter was Fionnuala Sweeney. Niamh Kavanagh was the winner of this Eurovision for Ireland with the song, "In Your Eyes"...
, finishing in 18th place with their song, "Viel zu weit". The band returned a year later with the album Energie (1994), which gave them another Top 30 album in Germany, although their next two albums, Entführ' mich (1996) and Schatten (1998; with a sleeve design by Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann is a German Grammy Award-winning artist, noted musician, and record producer. He designed artwork for many bands including The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Wet Wet Wet and Turbonegro. His most notable work as a producer was his work with the band Trio, including their worldwide hit "Da Da...
), failed to chart at all.
Leaving Sony Music for the EastWest label, the band moved towards conventional dance-pop on their next album, Freiheit die ich meine (2000). The album saw the band re-enter the German Top 50 following their two album absence. The band changed labels again to Koch International, releasing the albums Wachgeküsst (2002) and Geile Zeit (2004). Although these albums used a similar 'radio-friendly' formula to Freiheit die ich meine, both albums peaked in the lower regions of the German Top 100.
Münchener Freiheit continue to record and tour, celebrating their 25th anniversary with the Double CD retrospective Alle Jahre, Alle Hits (2005) and a new single "Du bist das Leben".
German-language studio albums
- Umsteiger (Changer) (1982)
- LichtLicht (album)Licht is the seventh studio album by the German Heavy metal band Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, released by Nuclear Blast Records on 29 August 2008. It peaked at #29 in the German Media Control Charts. The U.S...
(Light) (1983) - Herzschlag einer Stadt (Heartbeat of a town) (1984)
- Traumziel (Dream destination) (1986)
- Fantasie (Fantasy) (1988)
- PurpurmondPurpurmondPurpurmond was the 6th studio album by Münchener Freiheit in their native language, reaching #17 in the German charts. Three minor hit singles were released from the album, the most successful being the lead-off single Verlieben verlieren...
(Magenta moon) (1989) - Liebe auf den ersten Blick (Love at first sight)(1992)
- Energie (Energy) (1994)
- Entführ' mich (Kidnap me) (1996)
- Schatten (Shadows) (1998) (with CD artwork by Klaus Voorman)
- Freiheit die ich meine (Freedom that I mean) (2000)
- Wachgeküsst (Kissed awake) (2002)
- Geile Zeit (Great time) (2004)
- XVII (17) (Jan. 2007)
- Eigene Wege (Own Ways) (2009)
- Ohne Limit (Without limit) (2010)
German-language live albums
- Freiheit Live (1990)
- Alle Jahre-Alle Hits DVD of live concert, 24 Feb. 2005 (2005)
German-language compilations
- Von Anfang an (1986)
- Ihr großten hits (1992)
- Schenk mir eine Nacht (1994)
- Definitive Collection (1997/1998)
- Simply the Best (1999) (Re-released as Tausendmal Du in 2001)
- Alle Jahre, Alle Hits (2005)
English-language studio albums
- Romancing in the Dark (1987)
- FantasyFantasy (Münchener Freiheit album)Fantasy was the 1988 release by the German pop group Münchener Freiheit. This was their second album to be recorded in English, containing English versions of all tracks from their fifth studio album, Fantasie....
(1988) - Love is No Science (1990)
English-language singles
- "Every Time" available on 7" and 12"
- "Play It Cool" available on 7", 12", and CD
- "Baby It's You" available on 7" and CD
- "Back To The Sunshine" available on 7" (South Africa, promotion only)
- "Keeping the Dream Alive" available on 7", 12", cassette, CD, and promo CD
- "Kissed You in the Rain" available on 7", 12", cassette, CD, and promo CD (contains exclusive remix)
- "Diana" available on 7", cassette, and Promo CD (contains 3:35 edit)
- "All I Can Do" available on 7", 12", and 3-inch-CD