Why So Many Songs Pay Homage to Berlin

Countless songs pay homage to the city of Berlin. Songs from Germans with a special affection for the city, and from international stars who found inspiration there. Join us on a trip through Berlin and music history. Here are our 5 iconic Berlin songs.
00:00 Intro
01:30 "Koffer in Berlin" by Marlene Dietrich from 1955
05:36 "Heroes" by David Bowie from 1977
10:07 "One" by U2 from 1990
13:20 "Dickes B" by Berlin multicultural band Seed 2001
16:05 "Sky and Sand" by Berlin brothers Paul and Fritz Kalkbrenner from 2008
19:09 How does Berlin sound today?
#dwhistoryandculture #berlin
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Пікірлер: 58

  • @Jannes-pj4cd
    @Jannes-pj4cd7 ай бұрын

    I’ve been last year to Berlin and what a city! I’m also a Bowie and U2 fan and I was impressed by the city and how it had inspired two of my favorite artists. I’ve got to go back someday.

  • @petrvaribrus9693
    @petrvaribrus96937 ай бұрын

    Why was Alphaville's SUMMER IN BERLIN not mentioned???! Such a beautiful song by the German band, written before the wall came down, when it was needed most.🎖

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    You are absolutely right, hat's also a very good song. Maybe we should make a second part? Thanks for watching.

  • @davidawalkerjr2905

    @davidawalkerjr2905

    7 ай бұрын

    My Thoughts exactly!

  • @Pewtah

    @Pewtah

    7 ай бұрын

    There are many songs aboout Berlin, but Alphaville's "Summer in Berlin" belongs to the Top 5, for me to the Top 3. No other song captures the vibe of a summer day in Berlin so well. I was disappointed when this song was still not mentioned in the video. A second part of that topic would be very appreciated.

  • @petrvaribrus9693

    @petrvaribrus9693

    7 ай бұрын

    @@Pewtah Spot on! Let's hope the sequel is released by our demand!:))

  • @rumbatumblajambomambo6241

    @rumbatumblajambomambo6241

    4 ай бұрын

    Yes, yes please please yes! Maybe extend that to painters and other artists@@DWHistoryandCulture

  • @SagesseNoir
    @SagesseNoir7 ай бұрын

    Marlene dietrich was very popular here in the USA. And I saw the BLUE ANGEL (a German film for which i needed English subtitles) while I was a student and was very imp0ressed

  • @markreeder6781
    @markreeder67817 ай бұрын

    just a brief explaination of what i meant by my final statement. i was asked if berlin could be replicated elsewhere. well no. not really. its about music tho. i said ukraine has the most potential, just as post war berlin had after ww2. as it‘ll have ruins for club locations and a desire to escape the drearyness of daily life. etc of course, it’s been edited a bit so there can be the question at the end. hope you get my drift? 😊

  • @fabiandimaspratama
    @fabiandimaspratama7 ай бұрын

    Thanks for this insight, DW! The only song know so far about Berlin is a minor one: "Das ist Berlin".. from Liane Augustin & The Boheme Trio (sometimes this old song is erroneously associated with Marlene Dietrich). "Das ist Berlin, Berlin, die ewig junge Stadt" at the beginning of the lyrics means _Berlin the eternally young city_ still relevant until today. The repeated words of "Du mein Berlin, Berlin" in its lyrics is like a a mantra spell which illustrate the singer's is deeply fallen in love because of the magic/the charm of the city. "Genau im Mittelpunkt der Welt, Hat sie der Herrgott hingestellt" means _Berlin is the center of the world as if it was placed by God that way_ also still relevant today. "Du mein Berlin, Berlin, du Perle an der Spree" means _Berlin the pearl of the river Spree_ .. also the mention of the river Spree is significant as it flows through Berlin and serves as a symbol of the city's life.

  • @cervgiovanni
    @cervgiovanni7 ай бұрын

    Really good video

  • @erik_griswold
    @erik_griswold7 ай бұрын

    Sorry you could not include Zoo Station by U2 also but I guess they only get one on the list.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Oh yes, that's also a very good song. Maybe we should make a second part? Thanks for watching.

  • @andretogn
    @andretogn7 ай бұрын

    Very nice, thanks 🇩🇪😊. In my opinion,'Stay (far away, so close)' by U2 has to be included too. Both Wim Wenders' film and official video are so connected to the capital!

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Oh yes, that's also a very good song. Maybe we should make a second part? Thanks for watching.

  • @rumbatumblajambomambo6241
    @rumbatumblajambomambo62414 ай бұрын

    I love your work. Any video you put out just makes my day. Brilliantly written, great image and editing, well told. Just perfect.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    4 ай бұрын

    We're glad you enjoyed it. Make sure to follow us for the latest uploads 😊

  • @Xalira
    @Xalira7 ай бұрын

    Very interesting video, but it should have said “Berlin wasn't known for POP/ROCK music until then” - it was extremely well known in the classical music world, for sure!

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you for watching and for sharing your insights with us and the community.

  • @imano8265

    @imano8265

    Ай бұрын

    Yes but Bowie changed that!

  • @michaeljoseph9722
    @michaeljoseph97227 ай бұрын

    Hildegard Knef - Berlin, dein Gesicht hat Sommersprossen

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Also a very good song. Maybe we should make a second part? Thanks for watching.

  • @imano8265
    @imano8265Ай бұрын

    Bowie by far has set the trend and the hype about Berlin. Hansa Studio before he worked there was not this famous as it is today. No Germanin the 70s could really believe that he would sattle down in Berlin. They felt hounered , at least the intelectuals. He influenced the whole german music: "neue deutsche Welle" and "Heroes" is about the separated Berlin and about the hope the force and the spirit which can people bring together against all odds.

  • @fanyrojas7479
    @fanyrojas74797 ай бұрын

    I am not from Germany but I just have this feeling that a lot of people go there to flourish in a lot of types of art it is like the city is made for creative people❤

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. It's true that Berlin has always attracted creative people.

  • @fredriksundberg4624
    @fredriksundberg46247 ай бұрын

    Why didn't you playing something with Depeche Mode and Rammstein?

  • @jaysterling26

    @jaysterling26

    7 ай бұрын

    What, you mean people who actually lived there other than tourists(?)?!

  • @fredriksundberg4624

    @fredriksundberg4624

    7 ай бұрын

    @@jaysterling26 Martin Gore of Depeche Mode actually lived in West-Berlin for at least 3 years and they've also made a trio of albums there from Construction Time Again 1983 Some Great Reward 1984 and Black Celebration 1986 and 5 out of 6 in Rammstein is from Berlin. Till Lindeman is from Rostock.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Interesting suggestion. Maybe we should make a part two? Thanks for watching.

  • @mangasky7
    @mangasky77 ай бұрын

    If there's any chance you could reupload this, with just the Bowie section, I'd be very grateful.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    But what about the other artists then? Thanks for watching.

  • @johnturley8621
    @johnturley86217 ай бұрын

    This video about Berlin mentions the "suitcase in Berlin," which I didn't really associate with Marlene Dietrich...but with the Dutch singer/songwriter/musician Boudewijn de Groot. He has done no less than two songs dealing with Berlin, "Parijs, Berlijn, Madrid" from 1973, and the very touching "Berlijn" from 2004; the first-mentioned refers to "having a suitcase in Berlin". This singer, and a great many of his songs, are very well worth hearing, even if the Dutch language is somewhat less accessible to most in the world...and his two songs about Berlin are particularly listenable and ought to be more appreciated there. JAT

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you for the recommendation! We will definitely tune in.

  • @pikofilms
    @pikofilms7 ай бұрын

    There is one very iconic song in Polish by the band KULT about Berlin with the phrase: "my house, my house, divided" but perhaps with an even more touching sentence from the chorus: "My street is divided by a wall The right side glows with neon lights The left side is completely blank From behind the curtain he observes both sides It's a very sad song, but also one of the most classic new wave songs. Maybe you'll like it too? Kult. Arahia. kzread.info/dash/bejne/kaqrlK1pccqsdpM.html

  • @queerulantin6431
    @queerulantin64317 ай бұрын

    Ihr habt "Es gibt nur ein Berlin" von der queeren Künstlerin, Ikone und Legende Claire Waldoff vergessen

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Oh yes, that's also a very good song. Maybe we should make a second part? We kindly remind you to adhere to our netiquette guidelines and comment in English. This allows the community to participate in constructive discussions. You can find our guidelines in the information box of our videos or by visiting the following link: p.dw.com/p/MF1G Thanks for watching!

  • @maryreid4273
    @maryreid42737 ай бұрын

    I'd be surprised if a few Lufthansa passengers don't also 'still have a suitcase in Berlin', based on what I have heard recently regarding baggage.

  • @arnodobler1096
    @arnodobler10967 ай бұрын

    More about German music would be great. Independent of Berlin.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much for your suggestion. We will forward it to our production team. We are glad to know that you enjoy our content.

  • @yacetube
    @yacetube7 ай бұрын

    Of course, Berlin will end up hip and clean like NewYork. And Some other cities, Leipzig ? Krakow ? Kyiv? will Berlinize a bit maybe. In some way.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your insights with us and the community.

  • @rushdiahmad2435
    @rushdiahmad24354 ай бұрын

    So no Scorpions and Modern Talking... OMG 😳😮

  • @nicholasleonardbookedits-si9ng
    @nicholasleonardbookedits-si9ng7 ай бұрын

    How come freewill has lost its turbulence? it seems as if Heaven’s already reached. But somewhere still a toddler learns to dance, though cherubs leave the flight attendants be. They’d hover down with olive branch’s crown- -now flight attendants handing you a drink. Our old enlightenment no longer found, it seems we stopped believing in their wings. Lets wonder what we could inherent back, and make a hundred Venice Italies by making art Tomorrow shouldn’t lack, and let no wonder wreck titanicly. So champ a renaissance of lost freewill. There's plenty more for us to wonder still.

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Hello, We appreciate your comments on our KZread channel DW History and Culture. We want our audience to be able to engage in constructive debates, share stories and discuss our content. Please ensure that quotes - if used - are cited accordingly in your comments, if possible. In the event of violations of these guidelines, comments will be edited, hidden or completely deleted by our community managers without prior agreement. In the event of persistent or serious violations, we reserve the right to block users from our channels temporarily or permanently. By choosing to comment on our DW social media platforms, you agree to abide by these DW netiquette guidelines. You can find DW netiquette linked in the info box of every video as well as by following this link: p.dw.com/p/MF1G We look forward to stimulating discussions and a lively exchange of views.

  • @nicholasleonardbookedits-si9ng

    @nicholasleonardbookedits-si9ng

    7 ай бұрын

    i wrote this lol @@DWHistoryandCulture

  • @crayonbonbon9039
    @crayonbonbon90397 ай бұрын

    yo das wussup

  • @queerulantin6431
    @queerulantin64317 ай бұрын

    Marlene Dietrich is a queer bisexual icon!

  • @queerulantin6431
    @queerulantin64317 ай бұрын

    Berlin is my forever queer and weird dirty love

  • @rocio4292
    @rocio42927 ай бұрын

    It's easy if you know the real side of the His-story, keep investigating, it is a rabbit hole ... fascinating 😉

  • @discomon
    @discomon7 ай бұрын

    Modern Talking!!!

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    We might consider them for a second part...

  • @kriskisbulck786
    @kriskisbulck7867 ай бұрын

    This video refers to the Berlin from the 70's, 80's, like it hopes some new art comes from the muslim enclave it is today. Those days are long gone dear DW.

  • @arnodobler1096

    @arnodobler1096

    7 ай бұрын

    Die einzige Konstante ist Veränderung! 🤷‍♂️

  • @DWHistoryandCulture

    @DWHistoryandCulture

    7 ай бұрын

    Hello, We appreciate your comments on our KZread channel DW History and Culture. We want our audience to be able to engage in constructive debates, share stories and discuss our content. To achieve that, we kindly remind you that we do not allow dismissive and insulting comments towards other users. We also do not tolerate any form of discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, abuse of minorities, religious insults, profanity, or other forms of hate speech. Any comment containing conspiracy theories and/or deliberately misleading information is not allowed. In the event of violations of these guidelines, comments will be edited, hidden or completely deleted by our community managers without prior agreement. In the event of persistent or serious violations, we reserve the right to block users from our channels temporarily or permanently. By choosing to comment on our DW social media platforms, you agree to abide by these DW netiquette guidelines. You can find DW netiquette linked in the info box of every video as well as by following this link: p.dw.com/p/MF1G We look forward to stimulating discussions and a lively exchange of views.