Opel-Gang
Encyclopedia
Opel-Gang is the debut album of the German
punk
band Die Toten Hosen
. The title is a reference to an article in a Düsseldorf
newspaper, where a gang of small-time thieves, who drove self-tuned
Opel
s, were named Opel-Gang, even though the band wasn't initially into car modding. The album took under 10 days to record.
As the band is from Düsseldorf
, several songs on this album are centered around this city. "Modestadt Düsseldorf" is a nod to their home town; the title and the theme, although not the exact lyrics of "Opel-Gang" are based on the article mentioned above; in "Hofgarten", the Düsseldorf court garden is meant.
"Reisefieber
" was released as a single and a video was made for it. "Opel-Gang" and "Bis zum bitteren Ende" have become live favourites and defining songs for Die Toten Hosen; the band sometiomes refers to itself as "the original Opel gang" and "bis zum bitteren Ende" has become somewhat a slogan
for the band, also it was used as the title of their first live album.
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...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Die Toten Hosen
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"...
. The title is a reference to an article in a Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
newspaper, where a gang of small-time thieves, who drove self-tuned
Car tuning
Car tuning is both an industry and a hobby, in which an automobile is modified in order to improve its performance, handling and appearance. As most vehicles leave the factory set up for average driver expectations and average conditions, tuning has become a way to personalize the characteristics...
Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
s, were named Opel-Gang, even though the band wasn't initially into car modding. The album took under 10 days to record.
As the band is from Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, several songs on this album are centered around this city. "Modestadt Düsseldorf" is a nod to their home town; the title and the theme, although not the exact lyrics of "Opel-Gang" are based on the article mentioned above; in "Hofgarten", the Düsseldorf court garden is meant.
"Reisefieber
Reisefieber
"Reisefieber" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the only single and the fourth track from their debut album Opel-Gang....
" was released as a single and a video was made for it. "Opel-Gang" and "Bis zum bitteren Ende" have become live favourites and defining songs for Die Toten Hosen; the band sometiomes refers to itself as "the original Opel gang" and "bis zum bitteren Ende" has become somewhat a slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
for the band, also it was used as the title of their first live album.
Track listing
- "Tote Hose" (Nothing going on, lit. Dead trousers [in singularGrammatical numberIn linguistics, grammatical number is a grammatical category of nouns, pronouns, and adjective and verb agreement that expresses count distinctions ....
]) − 1:24 - "Allein vor deinem Haus o. dein Vater der Boxer" (Alone in front of your house or your father the boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
) (von Holst, Frege/Frege, Meurer, Trimpop) − 2:18 - "Modestadt Düsseldorf" (FashionFashionFashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
city DüsseldorfDüsseldorfDüsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
) (Die Toten Hosen/Frege) − 2:16 - "ReisefieberReisefieber"Reisefieber" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the only single and the fourth track from their debut album Opel-Gang....
" (Travel nerves, lit. Travel feverFeverFever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) − 3:46 - "Kontakthof" (von Holst/Frege) − 2:38
- "Opel-Gang" (von Holst, Frege/Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop) − 1:47
- "Willi muß ins Heim" (Willi has to go to an approved school) (von Holst/Trimpop, Frege, Meurer) − 2:17
- "Wehende Fahnen" (roughly Waving flags [from to go down with flying colours]) (von Holst, Frege/Trimpop, Frege) − 3:08
- "Schwarzer Mann" (Black man or Man in black) (Die Toten Hosen/Frege) − 2:20
- "Geld" (MoneyMoneyMoney is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
) (Frege, von Holst/Meurer, Trimpop, Frege) − 2:13 - "Ülüsü" (Meurer, von Holst, Frege/Frege) − 2:33
- "Es ist nichts gewesen" (Nothing has happened) (von Holst/Frege) − 2:38
- "Sommernachtstraum" (Summer night dream) (von Holst/Trimpop, Meurer, Frege) − 1:37
- "Hofgarten" (Court garden) (von Holst, Meurer, Breitkopf/von Holst) − 3:07
- "Bis zum bitteren Ende" (Till to the bitter end) (Frege/Frege) − 2:19
2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks
- "Jürgen EnglerDie KruppsDie Krupps is a German industrial rock/EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka in Düsseldorf.-History:Their initial sound throughout the 1980s combined synthesizers with metallic percussion...
s Party" (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 1:26 (from "Wir sind bereitWir sind bereit"Wir sind bereit" is the debut single by Die Toten Hosen, which wasn't originally released on any albums, later added to Reich & sexy though....
")
- "Niemandsland" (No one's land) (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 2:41 (from "ReisefieberReisefieber"Reisefieber" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the only single and the fourth track from their debut album Opel-Gang....
")
- "Armee der Verlierer" (Army of losers) (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 4:23 (from "Bommerlunder/Opel Gang")
- "Opel-Gang" – 1:59 (from "Bommerlunder/Opel Gang")
- "Schöne BescherungSchöne Bescherung"Schöne Bescherung" is a single by Die Toten Hosen. In concept, the song is a Christmas greeting.Another version of the song is available on The Battle of the Bands....
" (roughly Happy holidaysChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
; lit. Nice gift-giving, also Nice mess) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) – 3:02 (from "Schöne BescherungSchöne Bescherung"Schöne Bescherung" is a single by Die Toten Hosen. In concept, the song is a Christmas greeting.Another version of the song is available on The Battle of the Bands....
")
- "Willi's weiße Weihnacht" (Willi's white christmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) – 2:35 (from "Schöne Bescherung")
- "Knecht Ruprechts letzte Fahrt" (Knecht Ruprecht's last ride) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) – 3:46 (from "Schöne Bescherung")
- "KriminaltangoKriminaltango"Kriminaltango" or "Kriminal-Tango" is a traditional pop song or Schlager, that was released in 1959. The Italian original by Piero Trombetta only achieved a modest success, whereas the German version performed by Hazy Osterwald became a big hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.The song...
" (Criminal tangoTango (dance)Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
) (Trombetto/Feltz) – 3:32 (from "KriminaltangoKriminaltango"Kriminaltango" or "Kriminal-Tango" is a traditional pop song or Schlager, that was released in 1959. The Italian original by Piero Trombetta only achieved a modest success, whereas the German version performed by Hazy Osterwald became a big hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.The song...
")
- "Allein vor deinem Haus o. dein Vater der Boxer" – 2:26 (from "Kriminaltango")
- "Es ist vorbei" (It's over) (Frege, von Holst/Frege, Meurer, Trimpop) – 3:09 (from "Kriminaltango")
- "Die Abenteuer des kleinen Haevelmann" (The adventures of the little Haevelmann) (von Holst/Frege) – 2:29 (as Tangobrüder, from the compilation Ein Vollrausch in Stereo - 20 schäumende Stimmungshits)
- "Frühstückskorn" (Breakfast corn) (von Holst/Frege) – 1:57 (as Tangobrüder, from the compilation Ein Vollrausch in Stereo)
- "Bis zum bitteren Ende" – 3:08 (as Tangobrüder, from the compilation Ein Vollrausch in Stereo)
- "Wir sind bereitWir sind bereit"Wir sind bereit" is the debut single by Die Toten Hosen, which wasn't originally released on any albums, later added to Reich & sexy though....
" (We are ready) (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 1:59 (live in „S0 36“ in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, 30.04.1982)
- "Hip Hop Bommi BopHip Hop Bommi Bop"Hip Hop Bommi Bop" is a parody hip hop version of the Die Toten Hosen song "Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder". The song was born with the cooperation with Fab Five Freddy....
" (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Meurer, Trimpop) – 4:34 (from "Hip Hop Bommi BopHip Hop Bommi Bop"Hip Hop Bommi Bop" is a parody hip hop version of the Die Toten Hosen song "Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder". The song was born with the cooperation with Fab Five Freddy....
")
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....
- Trini Trimpop - drums