Udo Jürgens
Encyclopedia
Udo Jürgens is an Austrian composer and singer of popular music whose career spans over fifty years. He has written more than 800 songs and sold over 100 million records.
He is credited with broadening German-language pop music beyond the traditional postwar schlager
in the 1960s by infusing it with a modern pop appeal; his exceptionally tuneful compositions and sophisticated arrangements attract fans of all ages, and even in his 70s he continues to fill the largest concert venues in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
channel ORF
with the song "Je t'aime". He wrote the 1961 worldwide hit "Reach for the Stars
", sung by Shirley Bassey
.
In 1964, he represented Austria for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest
with the song "Warum nur warum?
", finishing sixth. The UK
participant, Matt Monro
, was impressed with the melody and covered
the song (with English
lyrics
by his manager Don Black
) as "Walk Away", which reached number four in the UK Singles Chart
and number 23 in the US
Billboard
Hot 100
chart
.
Jürgens' song "Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen
" came fourth in 1965's contest
, and in 1966 he won the competition
with "Merci, Chérie", which became an English-language hit for Vince Hill
, another cover by Monro, and one of Jürgens' most recognized compositions. Jürgens' version alone sold over one million copies, and he was awarded a gold disc
by Deutsche Vogue in 1966.
In the following years, he wrote some of his most famous songs, like "Griechischer Wein", "Aber bitte mit Sahne", "Mit 66 Jahren", and – one of his biggest successes – "Buenos Días, Argentina", which he performed together with the German football team in 1978.
In 1977, he invited The Supremes
to appear as guests on his televised and recorded gala concert. The Supremes (Mary Wilson, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Green), who were on a brief farewell tour of Europe at the time, performed two of their own current hits, "You Are The Heart of Me" and "You're My Driving Wheel", as well as a duet
with Jürgens, "Walk Away" in English.
In 1979, he released a disco
album entitled Udo '80. It produced a hit song "Ich weiß was ich will". This song was also released as a 12 inch disco single in an extended remix
for discotheques.
On 2 December 2007, the musical Ich war noch niemals in New York (I've never been to New York) opened in Hamburg
's Operettenhaus. It weaves songs by Jürgens into a familial storyline, similar to the treatment of ABBA
songs in Mamma Mia!
, the musical it succeeded at the venue.
was the pre-eminent interpreter of Jürgens' music in the English-speaking world. "Illusionen" was adapted by Black for Monro in 1977 as "If I Never Sing Another Song," and it was performed by Shirley Bassey
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
.
In the early 1990s, the German thrash metal
band Sodom
released a 'metalized' cover of "Aber Bitte mit Sahne
".
In 2009 the German band Sportfreunde Stiller
covered the "Ich war noch niemals in New York" together with Jürgens on their MTV Unplugged
concert in Munich.
He is credited with broadening German-language pop music beyond the traditional postwar schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
in the 1960s by infusing it with a modern pop appeal; his exceptionally tuneful compositions and sophisticated arrangements attract fans of all ages, and even in his 70s he continues to fill the largest concert venues in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Career
In 1950, he won a composer contest organized by Austria's public broadcastingPublic broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
channel ORF
ORF (broadcaster)
Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF, is the Austrian national public service broadcaster.Funded from a combination of a television licence fees and revenue from limited on-air advertising, ORF is the dominant player in the Austrian broadcast media...
with the song "Je t'aime". He wrote the 1961 worldwide hit "Reach for the Stars
Reach for the Stars (song)
Reach for the Stars is a song made popular by Shirley Bassey and written by Austrian pop singer/songwriter Udo Jürgens . As a double A-side single it went to #1 in the UK charts....
", sung by Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
.
In 1964, he represented Austria for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1964
The Eurovision Song Contest 1964 was the ninth Eurovision Song Contest. It was held in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark after the Danish victory the previous year. Sweden did not participate because of a boycott by singers. They did however broadcast it...
with the song "Warum nur warum?
Warum Nur Warum?
"Warum nur warum?" was the Austrian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1964, sung in German by Udo Jürgens.The song was performed sixth on the night...
", finishing sixth. The UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
participant, Matt Monro
Matt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
, was impressed with the melody and covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song (with 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...
lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
by his manager Don Black
Don Black (musician)
Don Black, OBE is an English lyricist. His works have included numerous musicals, movie themes and hit songs. He has provided lyrics for John Barry, Charles Strouse, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Quincy Jones, Jule Styne, Henry Mancini, Michael Jackson, Elmer Bernstein, Michel Legrand, Hayley Westenra,...
) as "Walk Away", which reached number four 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 ...
and number 23 in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
Jürgens' song "Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen
Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen
"Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen" was the Austrian entry in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest, performed in German by Udo Jürgens....
" came fourth in 1965's contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1965
The Eurovision Song Contest 1965 was the 10th in the series. Luxembourg's win was their second. Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Spain each scored "null points" for the second time. The 1965 contest marked the debut of Ireland, a country which later went on to dominate the competition. This was also...
, and in 1966 he won the competition
Eurovision Song Contest 1966
The Eurovision Song Contest 1966 was the 11th edition and was held on 5 March 1966 in Luxembourg, Luxembourg. The rule stating that a country could only sing in any of its national languages was originally created in this year. This was possibly created due to the 1965 Swedish entry, "Absent...
with "Merci, Chérie", which became an English-language hit for Vince Hill
Vince Hill
Vince Hill is an English traditional pop music singer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
, another cover by Monro, and one of Jürgens' most recognized compositions. Jürgens' version alone sold over one million copies, and he was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by Deutsche Vogue in 1966.
In the following years, he wrote some of his most famous songs, like "Griechischer Wein", "Aber bitte mit Sahne", "Mit 66 Jahren", and – one of his biggest successes – "Buenos Días, Argentina", which he performed together with the German football team in 1978.
In 1977, he invited The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
to appear as guests on his televised and recorded gala concert. The Supremes (Mary Wilson, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Green), who were on a brief farewell tour of Europe at the time, performed two of their own current hits, "You Are The Heart of Me" and "You're My Driving Wheel", as well as a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Jürgens, "Walk Away" in English.
In 1979, he released a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
album entitled Udo '80. It produced a hit song "Ich weiß was ich will". This song was also released as a 12 inch disco single in an extended remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
for discotheques.
On 2 December 2007, the musical Ich war noch niemals in New York (I've never been to New York) opened in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
's Operettenhaus. It weaves songs by Jürgens into a familial storyline, similar to the treatment of ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
songs in Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
, the musical it succeeded at the venue.
Cover versions
Matt MonroMatt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
was the pre-eminent interpreter of Jürgens' music in the English-speaking world. "Illusionen" was adapted by Black for Monro in 1977 as "If I Never Sing Another Song," and it was performed by Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
.
In the early 1990s, the German thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Sodom
Sodom (band)
Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
released a 'metalized' cover of "Aber Bitte mit Sahne
Aber Bitte mit Sahne
Aber Bitte mit Sahne is an EP by Sodom. The title track is a cover of the 1975 song of the same name by Austrian chansonier Udo Jürgens. The title of the song in English translates to "But Please With Cream"...
".
In 2009 the German band Sportfreunde Stiller
Sportfreunde Stiller
Sportfreunde Stiller is a German antifascist rock band from Germering, near Munich, in Bavaria.The band was founded in 1996 by Peter "Balboa" Brugger , Florian "Rakete" Weber , and Rüdiger "Rüde" Linhof . They took their original name, Stiller, from their former football manager, Hans Stiller, at...
covered the "Ich war noch niemals in New York" together with Jürgens on their MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
concert in Munich.
Family
- His brother, Manfred Bockelmann (born 1943), is a painterPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. - His son by first marriage, John Jürgens (born 1964), is a singer, actor and DJDisc jockeyA disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. - His daughter by his first marriage, Jenny Jürgens (born 1967), is an actress.
- His uncle, Werner Bockelmann (1907–1968), was mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Frankfurt am Main from 1957 to 1964.
Discography
- Portrait in Musik 1. Folge (1965)
- Siebzehn Jahr, blondes Haar (1965)
- Francoise und Udo (1966)
- Portrait in Musik 2. Folge (1967)
- Was ich Dir sagen will (1967)
- Udo (1968)
- Mein Lied für Dich (1968)
- Udo Live (1969)
- Udo '70 (1969)
- Udo '71 (1970)
- Zeig mir wie die Sonne aufgeht (1971)
- Helden, Helden (Musical) (1972)
- Ich bin wieder da (1972)
- Johnny und Jenny treiben's wild (Alle Kinder dieser Welt) (1973)
- Udo heute (1974)
- Meine Lieder (1975)
- Udo '75 (Ein neuer Morgen) (1975)
- Meine Lieder 2 (1976)
- Meine Brüste '77 (1977)
- Buenos Días Argentina (Football World-Championship) (1978)
- Udo '88 (1979)
- Udo 1957–60 (1980)
- Nur ein Blow-Job (1980)
- Leave a little love (1981)
- Willkommen in meinem Leben (1981)
- Silberstreifen (1982)
- Traumtänzer (1983)
- Hautnah (1984)
- Treibjagd (1985)
- Deinetwegen (1986)
- Das Live-Konzert '87 (1987)
- Das blaue Album (1988)
- Ohne Maske (1989)
- Sempre Roma (Football World-Championship) (1990)
- Das Traumschiff (Soundtrack) (1990)
- Open air Symphony mit Anscheissen (1992)
- Geradeaus (1992)
- Cafe Größenwahn (1993)
- 140 Tage Cafe Größenwahn Tour 94/95 (1994)
- Zärtlicher Cock (1995)
- Gestern-Heute-Morgen (1996)
- Ich werde da sein (1999)
- Mit 66 Jahren (Was wichtig ist) (2000)
- Es lebe das Laster (2002)
- Es werde Licht (2003)
- Jetzt oder nie (2005)
- Einfach ich (2008)
- Einfach ich Live (2009)
- Der ganz normale Wahnsinn (2011)