does anyone like Rammstein?

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My first exposure to this band came in 1999, ironically in school when our German teacher (last grade of secondary school) let us listen to the songs Engel and Du Hast as exercise. I checked out more of them but was not that interested at first sight. Must admit my German skills were not good enough back then to understand their tongue in cheeck lyrics and black humor. I did appreciate the more accessible songs where the lyrics were not that important, hence my preference for more poppy work such as Du Hast or Sonne back then (well, the latter remains a great track). Since I moved to Germany and improved my German drastically I really started to appreciate this band. The music itself is heavy and aggressive, but the style suits them well. While I generally dont like the German language that much for poetry or music purposes, it suits this type of music perfectly well. Rammstein are at their best when they sound aggressive and heavy, although it is often the black humor and playing with words in their lyrics that make them attractive to me. The lyrics of Mein Teil for example are a perfect example of how their bizarrity and tongue in cheeck lyrics work perfectly well, the lyrics are quite hilarious but very innovative when you look up the backgrounds of the song. Moskau is another great example of their creative use of language and metaphors (the whole song is one big metaphor in fact)

One front where some improvement could be done: during the live tracks, a bit more live playing would be more appreciated instead of the many pyrotechnics. But I guess for most people the fire and such makes it more interesting, and the singer seems a bit pyromanic anyway so I doubt they will ditch their trademark and drop the pyrotechnics from shows, even if it would allow them to actually play their instruments for real during all the tracks.

Best songs: Engel, Sonne, Tier, Rammstein, Mein Teil, Moskau, Rosenrot, Mein Herz Brennt

Warning: Conservative sould should refrain from checking the videos of Mein Teil and live footage of Bueck Dich !

Yeah, I love Nazi music. Some people say it's morally wrong to listen to it but I don't think it's that bad; it's just music.

Rammstein are no Nazis. They are actually left winged, some of their songs explicitly or non-explicitly tackle this issue, while the band members declared to be left wing in numerous interviews. Where do you get the idea that their music would lean to nazi ideology? Is it just because they sing metal music in German that you link it to Nazism?

Rammstein does not make nazi music, and they are not nazis. As a matter of fact they are very not-nazi.

Rammstein create POP music for everyone.
I listened to them long ago and still like their songs Du Hast, Tier, Heirate Mich, Spieluhr.

Their song moskau is onre off my favs, and its really ignorant to say theyre nazis just beacuse theyre German.

I liked 'du hast'...but that's the only one I heard...

used to be a huge rammstein fan until i discovered dragonforce... all i'd listen to back then

still patiently awaiting their new 2008 album

I love Moskau, definitely one of the best tracks. The song is one big metaphor and a perfect example of Rammstein lyrics creativity. It sounds as if Till Lindemann is visiting a brothel and pays for sex, but it has nothing to do with that. The bordello and its servant girl is a metaphor for the city of Moscow itself: it looks tempting and beautiful on the outside, but there is a very thick layer of corruption below that facade. Lines such as "Diese Stadt is eine Dirne" (this city is a whore) make it clear that the lyrics are not about prostitution but about the contrast between Moscows beauty and the corruption behind that facade.

The second verse is even more clear:

Sie ist alt und trotzdem schoen
Pudert sich die alte Haut, hat sich die Bruste neu gebaut
Sie macht mich geil, ich leide Qualen
Sie tanzt fuer mich, ich muss bezahlen
Sie schlaeft mit mir, doch nur fur Geld
Ist doch die schoenste Stadt der Welt

(she is old but still beautiful
Powders her old skin, has her breasts newly rebuilt
She makes me horny, I suffer pains
She dances for me, I have to pay
She sleeps with me, only for cash
And yet it is the most beautiful city in the world)

The "she" is not a prostitute, it is the city itself: it tempts him, it looks modern and beautiful, but once you dig deeper you see an underground full of corruption, but despite that the city just attracts and gets under your skin. Great track and perfect example of Rammsteins lyrical creativity.

Also, the Russian lines sung by Viktoria Fersh in the chorus are quite interesting. It translates as "Moscow. 1 2 3... Pioneers are heading there, singing songs for Lenin".
Wasnt the pioneers a sort of armed movement and obligatory youth organisation during the communist Soviet era? I can recall a movement calling itself the Pioneers faught with the allies against nazi Germany. This could explain the line of the song.

I absolutly love Rammstien.
My fave band by far, only one that comes close to the is Mindless self indulgence who are creeping up my fave list, have liked them for a good while nowbut il save that for another thread.

But Rammstein are just so unique, mixing elcronica and metal (im not saying they were the first) but they do it so well. I even managed to get my whole family in to them. My dad likes them a) cause he lived in Germany for about 10 years as he was stationed there in the army and b) cause he says "they sing like men, not like these poofy boy bands" lol. my lil bro loves there videos especially "the ant one" (Links 234) and my mum just creams over Till.

I even have there logo tattoed on my arm, that along with a some other band and movie logos (im not that much of an obsessed fan) although it was the most painfull one i had done lol

Oh and no there not Nazi at all. If you watch one of the interview on the newer DVD they say they had a show in Mexico and somone showed up with a Natzi Tshirt (not cause he was natzi or thought Rammstein were, he just related the symbol to Germany) and they refused him entery untill he chaged his shirt.

I did in middle school With that du hast song or whatever =p

No offence but Damn i hate how popular Du hast is. Why dose it seam to be the only song most people know.

Sure its a great song, i love dancing to it but there are so many other great songs of theres that dont get credit cause all the clubs and rock stations overplay Du hast.

OK rant over

Cause it was when the music video first came out lol. You have to admit how cool it was but I dunno.. I just grew out of it I guess

Rammstein are LEFT wing, why do people keep linking German music to nazi? Whats next? Are people going to say Tokio Hotel or Udo Jurgens are nazis as well?! Rammstein have often enough declared to not be really political, but if they need to vote they vote socialist/left wing. One of the members has said he has some form of melancholy to the old East Germany (note: he did not say he has melancholy for communism) and the song Links 123 was written as a sort of reaction to the assumptions that Rammstein would be far right. It is nonsense, they are moderate left winged.

The one reason why Du Hast is overplayed is the combination of danceable music with simple lyrics that are neither complicated nor shocking. On the radio you cannot expect they would play Mein Teil for example

I like Engel, Rosenrot and Ohne Dich, but not the others.

I should add that Dalai lama is by far my favorite song...

Mostly for lyrics.