Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: german
Song Meaning of “Reeperbahn 2011 (What It’s Like) [feat. Jan Delay] – MTV Unplugged Radio Version” by Udo Lindenberg
“Reeperbahn 2011 (What It’s Like) [feat. Jan Delay] – MTV Unplugged Radio Version” is a song that takes the listener on a journey through the notorious red-light district of Hamburg known as the Reeperbahn. The lyrics describe the often hedonistic lifestyle of the people who can be found in its neon-lit alleys, from drunken revelers to opportunistic pickpockets and shady dealers. Udo Lindenberg and Jan Delay portray a gritty, yet romanticized view of the area, pointing out both its fast-paced thrills and its gritty, seedy underbelly. They sing of people whose lives are filled with pleasure and pain as they take on the precarious lives of those who frequent the Reeperbahn – and the implied cautionary reminder is to stay out of its depths.
The acoustic version of the song further emphasizes the romanticized, yet cautionary tone of the piece. Udo Lindenberg paints the picture of a wild night on the Reeperbahn, with its lust and excess filling the city streets. Jan Delay’s hauntingly beautiful vocals add an ethereal, almost mournful quality to the piece, causing the listener to feel sorrow and empathy for the people of the Reeperbahn – yet at the same time an understanding as to why it is attractive to them.
The song ultimately serves as a vivid and evocative snapshot of the nightlife on the Reeperbahn – a place both glamorous and sordid, with its tales of love, excess and danger. Despite its overtly cautionary message, the tune is a captivating and romantic look into the often unseen world of the Reeperbahn – a place at once exciting and dangerous, and one in which danger often begets pleasure.