| Deutschland | |
|---|---|
| Song by Rammstein from the album Rammstein | |
| GEMA database: | 22278365-001 22286969-001 (Remix) |
| ISWC: | T-804.100.770-0 T-804.099.492-2 (Remix) |
| Composer: | Rammstein |
| Lyricist: | Rammstein |
| Recorded: | 2018 Studio La Fabrique, France  |
| Producer: | Olsen Involtini |
| Released: | 17 May 2019 |
| Single: | 28 March 2019 |
| Video: | 28 March 2019 |
| Length: | 05:22 |
| Time signature: | 4/4 |
| Tempo: | 120 |
| Key: | Dm |
| Live debut: | 24 May 2019 |
| Last performed: | 5 Aug 2023 |
| Live count: | 110 |
| Stream / Buy: |     |
| Rammstein tracklist | |
Deutschland is the first song on the album Rammstein by Rammstein.
Background
- The song was added to the GEMA database on 27 March 2019. Later that day, the remix by Richard was added as well.
- The song was released digitally on 28 March 2019. A physical CD single followed on 12 April 2019.
- The song features Richard on backing vocals.
- On 16 April 2019, a snippet of the song featuring only the guitars was uploaded to the official Rammstein YouTube channel.
- The female voice heard in the last chorus of the song is Meral Al-Mer.
- During the recording sessions, two different versions of the song existed. The band picked one thanks to the album's producer Olsen Involtini.[1]
- Christoph Schneider said that this was the song that inspired everyone in the band.[1]
- When the Remix of the song gets performed live, it is listed as DJ Set Stick Figure Dance on the setlist.
- In the May 2019 issue of the German Rolling Stone magazine, there is a small history about the song:[2]
Ein bestimmter Song machte während der langen, langen Arbeit am Album schon früh energisch auf sich aufmerksam: ein eher mittelschneller, tanztauglicher Wellenbrecher, classic Rammstein, dabei auf seltsame Art tiefenmelancholisch. "Mutter!" hatte Richard Z. Kruspe in der ersten Demoversion dazu gesungen; er hatte beim Schreiben über seine Familie nachgedacht. Das hätte man so nehmen können. Problem: Einen Song namens "Mutter" gibt es bei Rammstein schon, seit 2001. "Irgendwann kam dann einer auf die Idee: Lass uns doch 'Deutschland' singen und einen Deutschland-Song daraus machen", erzählt Christoph Schneider.
One particular song drew energetic attention early on during the long, long work on the album: a rather mid-tempo, danceable breakwater, classic Rammstein, yet strangely deep melancholy. "Mutter!" Richard Z. Kruspe had sung to it in the first demo version; he had been thinking about his family while writing it. You could have taken it that way. Problem: A song called "Mutter" already exists with Rammstein, since 2001. "At some point, someone came up with the idea: Let's sing 'Deutschland' and make a Germany song out of it," says Christoph Schneider.
Plagiarism claim
At release of the song, people quickly pointed out that the intro bears a stron resemblance to Our Darkness by Anne Clark, which led to claims that Rammstein plagiarized the song. Anne Clark herself posted a statement about that on Facebook:[3]
I have never claimed Rammstein plagiarised Our Darkness.
I never heard the song until I received a flood of emails and messages from people saying they thought Rammstein had “used” the Our Darkness intro on Deutschland.
My comment on Facebook was done in good humour - but in these serious times I forget that humour isn’t a human quality anymore. If David Harrow and I were to claim plagiarism about every song that starts with an arpeggio synth intro, we wouldn’t have done anything else but claim for the past 36 years!
It’s really no big deal to me. I have other far more important things to do.
For any further comment you should speak with David Harrow directly as he was the composer of the music for Our Darkness.
I hope this clarifies everything.
With warm regards,
Anne ClarkNice to hear Rammstein have been so influenced by David Harrow's and my little number! 😆
Who said anything about plagiarism?!
Following that, it was discovered that also the intro of Good Day To Die by Godsmack has a lot of similarities to Deutschland.
In 2022 the French duo NinjA Cyborg sued Rammstein for Deutschland, claiming the band plagiarized their song The Sunny Road, which was released in 2018. According to NinjA Cyborg, the band started to work on the song in 2015, while Rammstein counter-claimed that the composition for Deutschland began in 2014. In first instance, NinjA Cyborg were condemned to pay a fine of 6.000 € to Rammstein and 3.000 € to their label. In 2024 a court date has been set for 10 September 2024.[4][5]
Versions
Studio
| Title | Release | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschland | Rammstein | 05:22 | 2018 | 17 May 2019 | |
| Deutschland | 05:24 | 28 Mar 2019 | |||
| Deutschland | Deutschland (Video) | 05:54 | 28 Mar 2019 | Preceded by a score. Extended intro. Extended bridge. Amplified outro end notes. Fades into a shortened Sonne piano instrumental. | |
| Deutschland (Radio Edit) | U-Mode May 2019 | 04:18 | May 2019 | Shortened arpeggio intro. Skips from arpeggio intro to drum build-up. Skips main riff after second chorus. Shortened outro. |
Remix
| Title | Release | Length | Remixed by | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschland (Remix by Richard Z. Kruspe) | Deutschland | 05:46 | Richard Kruspe | 28 Mar 2019 |
Live
Variations
Professional recordings
Music Videos
| Name | Director | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschland | Specter Berlin | 28 Mar 2019 |
Lyrics
| Album version |
|---|
Du (du hast, du hast, du hast, du hast) |
| Video version |
|---|
Du (du hast, du hast, du hast, du hast) |
| ドイツ (Official Japanese translation by Reimi Kishimoto) |
|---|
お前はたくさん泣いた |
Media
Merchandise
| Du Ich Wir Ihr | |
|---|---|
 | |
| T-Shirt | |
| Sold at: | RammsteinShop |
| Released: | 12 April 2019 |
| Price: | 25.00€, 22.00€ (LIFAD) |
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Metal Hammer Germany, June 2019, p. 20
- ↑ Rolling Stone Germany, May 2019
- ↑ Facebook post by Anne Clark
- ↑ Rammstein a-t-il plagié ? Une expertise conclut à un « emprunt volontaire » au groupe pyrénéen NinjA Cyborg
- ↑ Rammstein assigné en justice pour plagiat par le groupe français NinjA Cyborg