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Rating: One of the aspects that fascinates me the most and makes me love this Remarkable Woman platonically is undoubtedly her passionate dynamism, a constant and inexhaustible desire to reinvent herself that is reflected throughout her career; when Nina decides to take a new direction, she dedicates herself completely, diving in headfirst without regard for anyone; not everyone can do this, but she can, simply because she is Nina Hagen. While many others have set their path on continuous repetitions or have miserably burned out in the attempt to change direction, she can boast never having made an album that sounds like a copy of the previous one, all without ever selling out and remaining true to herself. It's simply a matter of charisma and a bit of "boldness," there's not much more to add. In 1983, she took her first truly drastic turn, with a little help from none other than Giorgio Moroder: "Angstlos," "Fearless," without fear, beyond the explosive outbursts of "Unbehagen" and the schizoid tendencies of "NunSexMonkRock," a great album that is shamelessly pop, flamboyant, gaudy, extremely fun, sagaciously self-parodic, where Nina Hagen’s irreverent personality perfectly integrates into that bizarre and unmistakable context generally cataloged as the '80s, to the point that, in my opinion, it becomes a standard, a perfect example of excellence.
To begin with, to welcome you into the magical and colorful world of "Fearless," you will find one of the signature tracks in Nina Hagen's repertoire, perhaps her best-known exploit alongside "Smack Jack," namely the majestic "New York, New York", where the Berlin Diva flaunts her innate transformative skills by perfectly playing the part of a wealthy and bored sixty-year-old woman seeking adventures in the nightclubs of the Big Apple, not forgetting to remind anyone who may have forgotten her vocal talents of a would-be opera singer in the chorus, presenting everything in a highly enjoyable funky/urban mix. Phenomenal is the only adjective suitable to describe Nina in such a state of grace, especially because this is just the beginning. "Fearless" strings together a combination of extraordinary pop melodies never missing a beat, "I Love Paul" with an amusing little choir "Hare Krshna Hare Rama" effortlessly and naturally inserted into a light and frivolous funk, the minimal synth pop of a visionary "Flying Saucers", Hagen's answer to "Video Killed The Radio Star" in terms of effectiveness and melodic perfection, which also abound in "The Change", picking up some pacifist, hippie, and new age clichés and mixing them into an extraordinary and delightful pop song, enriched by a bit of yodeling improvisation and a reggae quotation in the finale. Nina is like that; she likes to shuffle the deck, try new paths, confuse casual listeners, and in the B-side of "Fearless," she puts in a bit of everything: a pinch of rap in "What It Is", her wandering falsetto in the oriental-flavored "Silent Love", new wave in "T.V. Snooze", ideally picking up the baton from "Born In Xixax," punk pop bastardized with synths in "Springtime In Paris", an amusing collection of French stereotypes recounted with the flair and charm of someone utterly intoxicated. This is the Nina I adore, and to finish in grand style, she unveils the Marlene Dietrich within her in an enigmatic baroque pastiche like "Zarah," an alluring and visionary fusion between past and present, operatic choruses, and pre-war lieder contaminated by disco pulses; this is the recipe for another great showpiece, often revisited in various collections, even in remixed versions that nonetheless do not match the atmosphere and eccentricity of the original.
Giorgio Moroder's influence is very evident; it is crucial to the perfect success of the album, but "Fearless" is undoubtedly a Nina Hagen album 100%, confirmed by the many trademarks, her little "obsessions" that you come to know by listening to her, the flying saucers and Hinduism, the "subliminal" presence of David Bowie, hovering like a ghost between a strategically placed "station to station" and "scary monsters" in the lyrics. And then, of course, there's that feeling of freedom that has always made her unique, ever since "Du Hast Den Farbfilm Vergessen," the genuine sincerity, without too much fuss, straight as an arrow, of a Woman for whom "express yourself don't repress yourself" is not just another slogan to flaunt but a rule of life. And when, as with all truly great artists, art intertwines with life at a profound level, then great masterpieces come on their own.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 New York, New York (05:16)
New York City is the hottest place
For a honeymoon in a hotel room
New York City is my favorite place
'Cause I know so many people with a golden face
Uh-huh
It's always late at night when I wanna go out
And New York City has for sure the horniest crowd
Especially for me, this is true,
I have the best time when you're there too
Honey, after the show, when we are ready to go
We are going disco
But before we hit East 7th Street
We are going to another disco
Disco after disco
And shaking our hair to the disco rap
AMPM, Pyramid, Roxy, Mudd Club, Danceteria
The newest club is opening up (repeat x3)
New York, New York (repeat x4)
Yeah!
New York City is the hottest place
For a honeymoon in a hotel room
Uh-huh
New York City is a place so nice
Everybody says it so they had to name it twice
New York my happy love's you, I love you very much
I could not live without you, so let's always keep in touch
New York City has the fanciest rule
When you want to live in this town you just have to be a fool
After the show when we are ready to go
We are going disco
But before we hit East 7th Street
We are going to another disco
Disco, after disco
And shaking our hair to the disco rap
AMPM, Pyramid, Roxy, Mudd Club, Danceteria
The newest club is opening up (repeat x3)
New York, New York (repeat x8)
Yeah
It's going hop hop hop hop hop hop
Straight up to the top
Hop hop hop hop hop hop
Straight up to the top
Let there be light
'Cause David Bowie's gonna be here tonight in New York
I create ecstacy in my world
I know who I am
And I am willing to declare myself to the world
I am a star!
I
By Brutamonte
02 My Sensation (04:05)
My heart is full of love and affection
In time I'm looking for a brand-new erection
Oh yes, I need your sweet inspiration
You change again and move from station to station
Thank God I got rid of my old affection
Sometimes I'm seeking for total perfection
Yes, I need your sweet inspiration, uh huh
And then I satisfy the nation
Yes, you are my main attraction
You give me all my sexual erection
We're having fun when we are in action
What a gift, to give satisfaction
It's been so tough without your love
I can't be glad, don't give me that
I need you now, 'cause anyhow
I love you so, don't tell me no, no!
I want your lips, I want your heart
Oh baby baby, hold me tight tonight
Oh yes you are my most perfect connection
Because I really need your kind of protection
And I want you to get my information
It's for your personal salvation
This is a hot and spicy situation
I get my kicks off sensing your vibration
It's for my spiritual unification, uh huh
And God knows that you're my sensation
Yes you are my main attraction
You give me all my sexual erection
We're having fun when we are in action
Oh what a gift, to give satisfaction
It's been so tough without your love
I can't be glad, don't give me that
I need you now, 'cause anyhow
I love you so, don't tell me no, no!
I want your lips, I want your heart
Oh baby, baby hold me tight tonight
My deep caress in such a hot location
It's waiting for your next revelation
I'm sure you're digging all my stimulation, uh huh
???? through me a generation
This is a hot and spicy situation
I get my kicks off sensing your vibration
It's for my spiritual unification, uh huh
And God knows that you're my sensation
Yes you are my main attraction
You give me all my sexual erection
We're having fun when we are in action
What a gift, to give satisfaction
It's been so tough without your love
I can't be glad, so don't give me that
I need you now, 'cause anyhow
I love you so, don't tell me no, no
I want your lips, I want your heart
Oh baby, baby hold me tight tonight...
05 The Change (04:45)
There is no such a thing called death
It's just a transformation, yeah yeah yeah
That boy george roman and queen elizabeth
All go from station to station
There is no end, it always goes on
There is no end for you, there
is no end for me
Understand, mon cherie
Heidi...
It's true [yodel], don't be blue [yodel]
When we lay down receiving life's crown
Open your eyes right now
Oh please be nice anyhow
It's gonna be no end for me
You fight with others just because you are wrong
Accumulating rubbish inside yourself
You have to throw it out, yes you have to throw it out
Human relationships are just so-so today
It's not too deep and darkness stands in our way
How about the light, i'm finished with the night
There is no end, it always goes on
Take my hand
And then we go the way, decide if you'll leave or if you'll stay
Say, what you say?
c'mon, hey hey hey
Our religions have to fight with one another
Just because we have the same father and mother
We shouldn't think them strange
So we have to do the change, the change
And our children live in danger and in sorrow
Who knows if they're not radioactive by tomorrow?
We shouldn't think it strange but we have to do the change
Yes we have to do the change
We have to do the change (4x)
The change, the change, the change
When we don't wake up now, who knows if we wake up at all!
We're so important and wish we would not fall
Deep down with Babylon, where's everybody gone?
It's true [yodel], don't be blue [yodel]
When we lay down receiving life's crown
And then we go the way, decide if you'll leave or if you'll stay
Say, what you say?
c'mon, hey hey hey
It's true [yodel], don't be blue [yodel]
When we lay down...
10 Zarah (04:38)
Ich weiss, es wird einmal ein Wunder gescheh'n
Und dann werden tausend Märchen war.
Ich weiss, so schnell kann keine Liebe vergeh'n,
Die so gross ist und so wunderbar.
Wir haben beide den selben Stern
Und dein Schicksal ist auch meins
Du bist mir fern und doch nicht fern,
Und uns're Seelen sind eins.
Und, und, und...
Darum wird einmal ein wunder gescheh'n
Und ich weiss, dass wir uns wiederseh'n
I know that one day all my miracles come true
And the Golden Age of Love will come to you
I know that Love is meant forever to be
Love is God and it's made for me
We both share the same star and your fate is also mine
And you're far but not very far 'cause our souls are one and divine
When I would have to live without your love
When I have to think nobody cares for me, loves me
That I would have no happy destiny
Would ouch, ouch
When I would not know to give my heart
And he would say today, "Well baby I love you"
Life would make no sense
Life would make no sense for me
It's cold but I know more....
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