Once more…auf Deutsch!
A selection of some well-known pop songs recorded in German specifically for the German market.
Tapping into foreign markets
Once upon a time, it wasn't uncommon for record labels to try to boost a single's international sales potential by releasing it in a variety of European languages. Throughout the 60s, many well-known tracks were re-recorded for the German market. While some sound odd, others enjoy classic - albeit quirky - status. DW presents a selection of artists who covered their own songs in German.
Roy Orbison - 'Mama'
By the early 60s, the Big O had already had a string of hits in the US and the UK but had failed to make much impact on the German chart. So in 1963, he holed up in a studio in Hamburg with songwriter and producer Ralph Siegel and 'Germanized' two of his songs, "Mama" and "San Fernando." Perhaps Germans weren't impressed with his language skills; neither single charted.
The Beatles - 'Sie liebt dich'
Incorrectly interpreted as a nod to their first taste of fame in Hamburg, the German versions of "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold your Hand" were actually recorded in Paris in 1964 at the urging of EMI's German producer, Otto Demler, to ensure greater success in Germany. The experiment was neither repeated nor necessary as Beatlemania swept the country in spite of English lyrics.
Dionne Warwick - 'Geh vorbei'
Ranked at number 70 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, Warwick recorded a German version of "Walk on By" during the same 1964 studio session which produced the original. The original is by far the better known version and is arguably Warwick's signature song, yet her vocal performance on the German recording remains very commendable.
Johnny Cash - 'Wer kennt den Weg'
CBS executives encouraged the Man in Black to record a handful of his hits for the German market. One such track, released in 1964, was "Wer kennt den Weg," the German version of 1956's "I Walk the Line." Cash also recorded in Spanish. Aficionados regard his experiments with German as more successful, perhaps due to his three-year tour of duty in the country with the US Air Force.
The Temptations - 'Mein Girl'
Astute businessman and Motown boss Berry Gordy flew language tutors into the label's Detroit HQ to prep his artists for foreign-language versions of some of their biggest hits. Training was largely done phonetically with most artists unsure of what they were actually singing. One of the more successful singles from this period is The Temptations' 1964 German cover of "My Girl."
Marvin Gaye - 'Wie schön das ist'
One of the stars initially responsible for shaping and defining the sound of Motown, Gaye failed to set the German charts on fire. On his 1964 German version of "How Sweet It Is," the soul legend understandably puts in a less than electric performance. The recording lacks emotion, giving the game away that he was probably singing from a crib sheet rather than from the heart.
The Supremes - 'Wo ist unsere Liebe'
In contrast to Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and the girls deliver a surprisingly good vocal performance on this version of their 1965 smash, "Where did Our Love Go?" While it's still audible that the vocal track has been laid down phonetically with the aid of a lyric sheet, the singers nevertheless put in a supreme effort - resulting in a German version almost as good as the original.
Dusty Springfield - 'Warten und hoffen'
Dusty, one of the greatest vocalists the UK ever produced, was encouraged several times to record in a variety of European languages. However, she clearly struggled with German, particularly on 1965's cover of "Waiting and Hoping," and her German language singles all flopped. And even with her English originals, Dusty failed to click with German record buyers.
Sandie Shaw - 'Wiedehopf in Mai'
During the 60s, the winning song from Eurovision was regularly re-recorded in several different languages ahead of its pan-European release. One famous example was Sandie Shaw's "Puppet on a String," the winning entry from the UK in 1967. Whether in English or in German, Shaw herself loathed the song: "I hated it from the very first oompah to the final bang on the big bass drum."
Olivia Newton John - 'Unten am Fluss...'
Her maternal grandparents fled Germany prior to World War II, while her father taught German at the University of Melbourne. These familial links with the country might well explain Australian singer Olivia Newton-John's credible vocal performance on her 1972 cover version of "On the Banks of the Ohio," which was a hit in Germany under the name "Unten am Fluss, der Ohio heisst."
ABBA - 'Waterloo'
Swedish supergroup ABBA continued the tradition of re-recording a Eurovision win for different European markets in 1974 when they released "Waterloo" in German, English, French and Swedish. They would be one of the last groups to do so. By the 70s, the trend for recording in German was disappearing; it was clear to record labels that the original English versions generally sold better anyway.
David Bowie - 'Helden'
By 1977, the practice of recording foreign-language versions of songs had been all but abandoned. However, as a nod to the country which inspired both the album and the single, David Bowie recorded a German version of "Heroes," released under the name "Helden." While something of a one-off novelty, the German version remains - remarkably - almost as well-known as the English-language original.