Die Ärzte (4): Schrei nach Liebe (1993)

The song "Scream for Love" is "one of the best known political anthems and anti-fascist songs in Germany". It tells the story (with a lovely happy end) of a fictional right-wing extremist/skinhead who gets insulted during the song. The chorus, in fact, ends with "arsehole" - which may have a catharsis effect but was the very reason why radio stations at first were reluctant to play the song. The music company was afraid the single would be hard to marketing. Nevertheless, the song became the first top ten hit for Die Ärzte in Germay (via). That was in 1993 and it does not stop here.



After more than two decades, "Schrei nach Liebe" became a number one chart song again in 2015. A school teacher started the campaign "Aktion Arschloch" and encouraged people to buy the song "Schrei nach Liebe" online or tell radio stations to play it in order to make a statement against xenophobia in these times of refugee and humanitarian crises. The band "Die Ärzte" stated on their official website that they supported the message and that they would donate all proceeds to "Pro Asyl". Download portals such as Amazon and Universal Publishing donated all proceeds, too (via and via). There are several cover versions, among them one sung by 21 senior citizens (LISTEN/WATCH).

„Wir wünschen allen Nazis und ihren Sympathisanten schlechte Unterhaltung.“
Die Ärzte

Here the official video from 1993:



You are really dumb,
which is why you're doing so well.
Hate is your attitude,
your blood boils constantly.
Everything needs to be explained to you
because you really don't know anything,
most likely not even what attitude means!

Your violence is only a silent cry for love,
your combat boots long for tenderness,
you have never learned to articulate yourself,
and your parents never had time for you ... ohhh... asshole!

Why do you have fear of caressing, what's the meaning of all this nonsense?
under the laurel wreath with acorns, I know your heart beats,
and romanticism is only grey theory for you,
between Störkraft and den Onkelz (explanation: nazi bands) is a Kuschelrock LP! (explanation: cuddle rock, a soft rock compilation franchise)

Your violence is only a silent cry for love,
your combat boots long for tenderness,
you have never learned to articulate yourself,
and your parents never had time for you ... ohhh... asshole!

Because you have problems that interest nobody,
because you have fear of intimacy you are a fascist.
You don't have to project your self-hate on others,
so nobody notices what a lovely man you are ... ohhh...

Your violence is only a silent cry for love,
your combat boots long for tenderness,
you have never learned to articulate yourself,
and your girlfriend never has time for you ... ohhh.
Asshole, asshole, asshole!

(translation via)

Live in 2012:



And here another version:

In 2000, Die Ärzte released the song "A Summer Just For Me" in which they asked the question whether the sun also shone for nazis.

Does the sun also shine for Nazis? If so, I would cry.
Are fascists also allowed to travel? That seems unfair.
Do racists also get to see part of the blue sky?
Does the sun also shine for Nazis?
If it's up to me, it doesn't:

(complete lyrics in English: LINK)

::: "Ein Sommer nur für mich" (live): LISTEN/WATCH

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photograph via