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Rating: Hildegard Knef was introduced to me by some of my dearest friends: Nina Hagen, Nena, and the Rosenstolz, yet another reason to love and thank them. Three different artists, three different styles, all crazy about Hilde: how could you not be, after all, this artist was a true icon, a movie diva and singer; if she had been born elsewhere, her name would be known worldwide, just like Judy Garland's. Her rich, dry, and pronounced voice, with its unmistakable cigarette aroma, is something unique and unforgettable, as are her huge, bright gray eyes, her old-world beauty. Hildegard Knef, born in 1925, lived in the spotlight for over half a century; her filmography is extensive, and as a singer, she enjoyed peak popularity in the '60s and '70s, and not just as a performer: she wrote most of the lyrics to her songs, infusing them with her style, her experiences (the word "zigarette" occurs quite frequently). Not bad for an actress who turned to singing, but she was one of those eclectic talents from another era, shaped by a life lived to the fullest, which wasn't always just roses and spotlights.
The twenty songs in this collection are obviously not representative of her entire musical career; here you won't hear her divinely "attack" Jacques Brel and certainly not face off with Rammstein at a ripe age of 74, just a couple of years before leaving this world; but what you will find here is History, of music and style, and it's pure gold. As the great actress she was, Hildegard Knef performed her songs, she perfectly articulated the verse metrics, expressing an elegance and charisma that was uniquely hers; just think of the chanson that gives this collection its title, her greatest hit, and the perfect paradigm of her style, here beautifully reinterpreted in a Neue Welle style together with Extrabreit. Listening to these twenty songs (all in one breath, barely noticing how time passes) is tantamount to completely immersing oneself in a past that's increasingly distant, and therefore even more fascinating; the inspiration comes from the great musical masters, Cole Porter above all, but Hilde adds so much of herself; hers is a show of grand style, but without grandiose choreographies and vast audiences, no, I see her better on the stage of a small Berlin theater, in front of a small yet faithful audience. In an infinite jubilation of brass, orchestrations, melodies, and memorable performances, the orchestral joy of "Es war beim Ball Parè" and "Eins und eins, das macht zwei" stand out, the lived, bittersweet swing of "In Dieser Stadt", the beguiling charm of "Berlin, dein gesicht hat sommersprossen" and "Heimweh nach dem kurfuerstendamm", heartfelt and slightly melancholic tributes to Berlin, her adopted city. With "Ich zieh mich an und langsam aus" you're in full cabaret mood; Hilde's acting skills shine, while "Ich brauch Tapetenwechsel" is a dream flying on light wings, with an acoustic guitar and little else.
My favorite? "Ostseelied", definitely. A stroll on the Baltic beaches, the wind, the scent of salt, the seagulls, the lapping of the waves, the sand dunes; simply wonderful, goosebump-inducing. Meanwhile, things have changed, music has evolved, as it should: screamo, post-rock, math-rock, and shoegaze have arrived, not to mention Russian choirs, fake-rock music, English free jazz punk, and even black Africa, but in the end, who cares? I don’t give a damn, I have Hildegard Knef, what do I need all that stuff for? What’s that? I’m not open-minded? I’ll come to terms with that; I prefer passion, I prefer to build a niche that's just mine, and I can only welcome such an artist with open arms, completely disregarding anachronism.
Danke schoen, Frau Hilde.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Für mich soll's rote Rosen regnen (03:11)
Mit 16, sagte ich still:
ich will,
will groß sein, will siegen,
will froh sein, nie lügen.
Mit 16, sagte ich still:
ich will,
will alles oder nichts.
Für mich soll`s rote Rosen regnen,
mir sollten sämtliche Wunder begegnen,
die Welt sollte sich umgestalten
und ihre Sorgen für sich behalten.
Und später, sagte ich noch:
Ich möcht verstehen,viel sehen, erfahren, bewahren.
Und später, sagte ich noch: Ich möcht
nicht allein sein und doch frei sein.
Für mich soll`s rote Rosen regnen,
mir sollten sämtliche Wunder begegnen,
das Glück sollte sich sanft verhalten,
es soll mein Schicksal mit Liebe verwalten.
Und heute, sage ich still:
Ich sollt
mich fügen, begnügnen,
ich kann mich nicht fügen,
kann mich nicht begnügnen:
will immer noch siegen.
will alles, oder nichts.
Für mich soll`s rote Rosen regnen,
mir sollten ganz neue Wunder begegnen,mich fern vom alten neu entfalten, von dem, was erwartet, das meiste halten.
Ich will, ich will
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