Hagen is the 39th-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne, Volme and Ennepe meet the river Ruhr. As of 31 December 2010 the population was 188,529. The city is home to the FernUniversität Hagen, which is the only state funded distance education university in Germany. Counting more than 67,000 students (March 2010), it is the largest university in Germany. [1]
Hagen was first mentioned ca. 1200, presumably the name of a farm at the junction of the Volme and the Ennepe. After the conquest of Burg Volmarstein in 1324, Hagen passed to the County of Mark. In 1614 it was awarded to the Margraviate of Brandenburg according to the Treaty of Xanten. In 1701 it became part of the Kingdom of Prussia.
After the defeat of Prussia in the Fourth Coalition, Hagen was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Berg from 1807–13. In 1815 it became part of the new Prussian Province of Westphalia.
Hagen Rether (born October 8, 1969 in Bucharest) is a German political cabaret artist. The most remarkable features in his performance are usually the presence and use of a grand piano and his carrying a baseball club (in the German context it is less related to sports than to street violence) while entering stage, then puts it on the piano before taking off his dinner jacket. Then a red armband can be seen, featuring the black symbol of the German public employment agency within a white circle.
This seems to be an intended allusion to the Nazi's swastika armband, thus alluding to Edmund Stoiber, former minister-president of Bavaria and leader of the conservative CSU, who in one speech referred to unemployed East Germans as voters of the neo-Nazi party NPD.
Among the topics Hagen Rether relates to are not only federal, state and international politics, but also religion, media, consumerism and globalization.
Hagen Rether spent his childhood in Bucharest and Sibiu, Romania as the son of German, Transylvanian Saxon parents of Siebenbürgen. In 1973, his family relocated to (West) Germany settling in Freiburg im Breisgau. He began studying the piano at eight years of age and attended the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, where he still lives today (2008).
Catharina "Nina" Hagen (born 11 March 1955) is a German singer and occasional actress.
Nina Hagen was born in the former East Berlin, East Germany, the daughter of Hans Hagen (also known as Hans Oliva-Hagen), a scriptwriter, and Eva-Maria Hagen (née Buchholz), an actress and singer. Her paternal grandfather died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp (one of Nina's great-grandparents was Jewish). Her parents divorced when she was two years old, and growing up she saw her father infrequently. At age four, she began to study ballet, and was considered an opera prodigy by the time she was nine.
When Hagen was 11, her mother married Wolf Biermann, an anti-establishment singer-songwriter. Biermann's political views later influenced young Hagen.
Hagen left school at age sixteen, and went to Poland, where she began her career. After that, she returned to Germany and joined the cover band Fritzens Dampferband (Fritzen's Steamboat Band, together with Achim Mentzel and others). She added songs by Janis Joplin and Tina Turner to the "allowable" set lists during shows.
Mattafix are a UK duo, made up of Marlon Roudette and Preetesh Hirji. Their sound is a fusion of hip hop/rap, R&B, reggae, dancehall, blues, jazz, soul and world. They won the Sopot International Song Festival in 2006.
Marlon Roudette was born in London and is the son of Cameron McVey, a British music producer, and Vonnie Roudette, a designer and artist from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. As a young child he moved with his mother and sister to St. Vincent, where he began his music career, and returned to London when he was 18. Preetesh Hirji was born in London of dual-Indian parentage and grew up in the heart of West London, where he started at Eastcote Studios on Kensal Road.
Mattafix released their first single "11.30 (Dirtiest Trick in Town)" as a limited edition on Buddhist Punk Records on 13 January 2005. However, the song never charted.
Their second single, "Big City Life", was released by EMI on 8 August 2005. It was a considerable hit, managing a number 15 in the United Kingdom and a number 1 in Germany, Poland, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and New Zealand. It also had considerable success in other European countries where it reached the top 20. It can also be heard on the soundtrack to the hit video game FIFA World Cup Germany 2006, designed by EA Sports, and was included in the NOW! 62 UK compilation, the duo's first and only song to date, to be included in the series.
Remember us when you hear this song in a hundred years or more
Just think of us as we think about you and you'll see that we're not gone
Smile with us and we'll sing for you
The song will last and we will too
Smile with us and you'll see it's true
The song will last and we will too
Yes we will too
Remember us when you hear this song remember us long gone
Just think about us and we'll think about you united in this song
Love is what matters the power that gathers
Love is what matters the power that gathers
Do you believe in antichrist do you believe in God
Do you consider your pen as your sword or do you require blood
Is love always for sale is money the tie that binds
Would you sell your soul for fame or go down for the secrets divine
I would sell my soul for:
Satan or Jesus is it really all the same
Whatever we believe in we continue to kill in vain
Do you wanna be true to yourself or cheat and lie to get by
Do you drive in the fast lane never slowing down to ask why
Why are we living tell me what's the deal
Is this heaven or hell I don't know what to feel
Right now I feel like:very:
The good against the evil I don't know which way to choose
Satan or Jesus I get so confused
Music: Hans Rosen, Michael Ohlsson.
Somewhere in the distance I can hear
A tune sweet and wistful a whispered air
In the arms of a soft breeze 'cross these desolate downs
As evening approaches when summer is young
And next comes the silence in the wake of the day
Then emptiness follows in darkness conveyed
On the wings of a soft breeze to these desolate downs
As the night settles in when summer is young
But life itself will reawake to the footsteps of the dawn
The breeze now bears its silver rays
The earth lets up a yawn
Receive that breeze with all your soul and maybe you will hear
A wistful summer air
Music and lyrics: Hans Lundin.
Walking through silent corridors of time while the sun is going down
Echoes of the blind mans rage steals away the light
And a wild dog cries in the dead of night
Walking through silent corridors of time while the sun is going down
Echoes of forgotten songs steals the silence away
And the musical box begins to play
Walking through silent corridors of time while the sun is going down
Echoes of the blind mans rage steals away the light
And the future dies in the dead of night
You are the blind man rage is flowing in your blood
The good things in life you cannot see you're waiting for the flood
I am the forgotten song nobody can recall
Got harmony rhyme and reason but you're not listening at all
Oh no you're not listening
You are the blind man rage is flowing in your blood
The good things in life you cannot see you're waiting for the flood
I am the forgotten song nobody can recall
I'm peaceful fair and decent but you're not listening at all
No, no nobody's listening
No you're not listening at all
Nobody's listening
Nobody's listening
Nobody's listening at all
Nobody's listening
Nobody's listening
Nobody's listening at all
Music: Anders Rosen, Michael Ohlsson.
The sun shines on my pillow as the dawn is breaking through
The birds are singing merrily but I'm forever blue
Blue for you
It's June outside my window November in my heart
If only we could try again and make a brand new start
'Cause I'm tired of feeling lonely so tired of feeling blue
Can't face another morning just can't go on without you
I've told you that I'm sorry
I've tried to understand
For your love I'd do everything
Your wish is my command
I've told you I will follow
Anytime and anywhere
I'll beg and steal and borrow
Just to show how much I care
I've told you that I love you
And my love goes on and on
I will love you true forever
'Til the day of Kingdome come
But oh why did you go
Leaving me sore wondering
Oh why did you go
Leaving me sore wondering why
Music: Anders Rosen, Hans Rosen, Michael Ohlsson.
Kenny was afraid to die just like many a troubled kid
Kenny was afraid to die even more afraid to live
Kenny was afraid to cry so he stayed away from love
Kenny was afraid to fly he burned the feathers of the helpless dove
One fatal night he felt a desire he could not resist
Kenny was afraid to die so he finally cut his wrists
Jenny was afraid to ask so she never said a word
Jenny was afraid to ask 'cause the answer she'd get might hurt
Jenny was afraid to show what she really felt inside
Jenny didn't want them to know she was to be the reaper's bride
One fatal night she felt a desire she could not resist
Jenny was afraid to die so she finally cut his wrists
Kenny was afraid to die just like many a troubled kid
Kenny was afraid to die even more afraid to live
Kenny was afraid to cry so he stayed away from love
Kenny was afraid to fly he burned the feathers of the helpless dove
One fatal night he felt a desire he could not resist
Kenny was afraid to die so he finally cut his wrists
Kenny was afraid to die to overcome his fear he did
Music: Anders Rosen, Michael Ohlsson.
My love is gone across the ocean
Sailed away across the sea
We made a vow said we'll make it somehow
I guess it wasn't meant to be
The northwinds blow time passes by so slow
And in my weary heart it's autumn forever more
My love is gone beyond the mountains
She's locked the door to my heart
And thrown away the key
You know we made a vow said we'll make it somehow
I guess her promise wasn't made for me
The northwinds blow time passes by so slow
And in my weary heart it's autumn forever more
The northwinds blow time passes by so slow
And in my weary heart it's autumn forever more
My love is gone across the ocean
Sailed away across the sea
We made a vow said we'll make it somehow
I guess it wasn't meant to be
The northwinds blow time passes by so slow
And in my weary heart it's autumn forever more
The northwinds blow time passes by so slow
And in my weary heart it's autumn forever more
Music: Hans Rosen.
Sweet tender Sofie
Tell me what you're doing to me
I hear your voice clear and loud
I see your face in every cloud
Is there anything I can do to get through to you
Is there anything I can say anyway
Oh girl I think you know that I love you so
Oh girl I think you know that I love you so
Sweet tender Sofie
I'm a fool for your loving can't you see
You break my heart but I kind of enjoy the pain
Oh pretty baby you're driving me insane
Is there anything I can do to get through to you
Is there anything I can say anyway
Is there anything I can do to get through to you
Is there anything I can say anyway
Oh girl I think you know that I love you so
Oh girl I think you know that I love you so
Music: Anders Rosen, Hans Rosen, Per Nilsson, Patrik Jansson, Michael Ohlsson.
Sundown hurry on my way
Sundown please come back and stay
Sundown satisfy my need
Sundown set me free
Spare my weary eyes
From the blinding lights
Let the full moon rise
Bring on the night
Sundown take away the pain
Sundown make me whole again
Sundown I move better in the dark
Sundown put out the spark
Spare my weary eyes
From the blinding lights
Let the full moon rise
I am waiting
Waiting for the night
Oh dim the lights
Music: Anders Rosen, Hans Rosen, Per Nilsson, Michael Ohlsson.
Mother nature can comfort and lead us
Can shelter and feed us
But she doesn't need us
Mother nature can cheat and mistreat us
Destroy and defeat us
'Cause she doesn't need us
Mother nature can shelter and feed us
Or kill and defeat us
'Cause she doesn't need us
Mother nature doesn't need us
Mother nature doesn't heed us
Up and down and round and round we spin
Like dust in the wind
Up and down and round and round we spin
Like dust in the wind
Music: Anders Rosen, Hans Rosen, Michael Ohlsson.