The arrangements on Reinhard Mey studio albums often act as foreign bodies that have been put over his songs, and make a real downer in his career represents But on this album (as on those two predecessors) they are inspired and really well done. here comes with the participating musicians really hilarious, almost impish playfulness over.
I knew and liked the plate as a child, but only as an adult did I appreciate fully what Reinhard Mey has done here. This album already shows him at the height alone its linguistic creativity: he has always managed to integrate an incredibly diverse wordplay and vocabulary as in his songs, no rhyme placed or intentional acts and self-concepts like "air traffic control barrack" seamlessly into its insert texts. Scream I think to this day how he as identified by the words "return path", "double flange" or phrases "because if this breaks a sheet clamp, often does not reduce the pressure cuff" "plumber Latin" created, which one almost buys it for granted!
Mey has often accused that he was "too nice" and do not hurt anyone; But first, I think that's also none artist duty Second, the audience thought him some day start by itself before it hurts, and thirdly, it avoids Reinhard Mey almost continuously to act preachers way, which I think is much more effective. Today I am amazed that the album kicks off with four "funny" songs, to then be more thoughtful: his bitter satire on politicians ("What can be more beautiful on earth ..."), which has lost none of its relevance to the present day, the plumber ("I'm plumber by profession") and impressionistic plays the early seventies ("Two chickens on the way to the day before yesterday") refute the allegations mentioned anyway. "Susann" is a nice satire of the trial, the respective mode to run after; one of the few cases where Mey has adapted and edited a foreign composition.
Smile Meys are numerous citations and cross-references to earlier songs, such as references to "I always wanted to be a mannequin" and Fred Kasulzke in "What could be better ..." or "Two chickens on the way to the day before yesterday" the Mention of Mrs. Emma Pohl or by Alfons Yondrascheck who already in "Incoming Friday, d. 13." briefly appears and Mey served as composer-name for "Good night my friends".
As in many of his records, there is also here contemplative songs about death and impermanence: "The old bear is dead and his cage empty", "My Testament", "Like a tree, which one falls", "The Time of the juggler past "and" There is no more Maikäfer ", with the latter already at that time occupied simultaneously with the impending destruction of the environment by humans. In "But your rest you can find in spite of everything no longer" sings Mey, as well as in "The Old Bear is dead", and thus self-critical but at the same time universally valid own weaknesses and shortcomings as human unreliability, vagueness, and the displacement of-itself pushing responsibility.
That leaves the theme song, seen by many to be another highlight, but I always felt a little turgid and ponderous, and of course Reinhard Mey About Song, his classic "Above the Clouds" - who does not know? It falls to me in the category I-can-it-slow-no-more-listening, while the song is really good; just maybe have long played to death, for which of course neither song nor a composer can do something.
One can only understand why Intercord hangs since 1987, always same (n) CD (s) without remaster them; so she does her no favors artists. Nice that even here all texts are printed, and a pity that you have not taken over the Interior photo of the LP cover on the occasion (the same day as the cover for his compilation "All that I have" originated). Who would like to hear most of the songs included here, as Reinhard Mey she wrote, "unplugged", so to speak, the highly was his live album "20.00 clock" from the same year to heart.
