Heirate mich (song)

From RammWiki
Heirate mich
Song by Rammstein from the album Herzeleid
GEMA database:3796008-001
ISWC:T-801.861.116-1
Working title:Kinski
Heirate mich in Berlin[1]
Composer:Rammstein
Lyricist:Rammstein
Recorded:March 1995
Polar Studios, Stockholm
Producer:Jacob Hellner, Carl-Michael Herlöfsson
Mixed:Ronald Prent
Chateau du Pape, Hamburg
Released:25 September 1995
Length:04:44
Time signature:4/4
Tempo:95
Key:E minor
Live debut:2 Jul 1994 (first known time)
Last performed:4 Oct 2022
Live count:191
Stream / Buy:
Herzeleid tracklist
  1. Wollt ihr das Bett in Flammen sehen?
  2. Der Meister
  3. Weißes Fleisch
  4. Asche zu Asche
  5. Seemann
  6. Du riechst so gut
  7. Das alte Leid
  8. Heirate mich
  9. Herzeleid
  10. Laichzeit
  11. Rammstein

Heirate mich is the eighth song on the album Herzeleid by Rammstein.

Background

  • The working title for this song was Kinski because the song uses a riff from the Magdalene Keibel Combo song Klaus Kinski. According to the GEMA database, another working title was Heirate mich in Berlin.
  • The song didn't have a chorus until the band began the production for the album. "For Rammstein it wasn't anything weird. They didn't think in choruses, it was the guitars that played the chorus. It was one of the first concepts they had. I didn't understand a thing, just explained what a cool song they had, but not having a chorus is a big anticlimax." - Jacob Hellner[2]

Versions

Studio

Title Release Length Recorded Released Notes
Heirate mich Herzeleid 04:44 1995 25 Sep 1995 Fades into Herzeleid.
Heirate mich (Edit) Lost Highway 03:03 18 Feb 1997 Extended intro with transition from the previous track.
Missing synth build-up section.
Shortened main riff before first verse.
Ends before guitar solo.
Transitions into the next track.
Heirate mich XXI 04:44 4 Dec 2015 2015 Remaster.
Full fade-out.
Herzeleid (XXI Vinyl) 8 Dec 2017
Herzeleid (XXV Vinyl) 4 Dec 2020
Heirate mich Herzeleid (XXV CD / Digital) 04:44 2020 Remaster.
Full fade-out.
Heirate mich 6 Rough-Mixes/3 Mixes 04:42 1995 1995 Mix.

Live

Title Release Type Length Recorded Released Notes
Heirate mich Rammstein Life Video 27 Sep 1996 Arena Berlin, Berlin 24 Dec 1996
Heirate mich Live aus Berlin Audio 06:16 22 Aug 1998
23 Aug 1998
Wuhlheide, Berlin 30 Aug 1999
Live aus Berlin (2CD) 07:47 Full intro.
Live aus Berlin (VHS / DVD) Video 07:46 14 Sep 1999
Heirate mich Lichtspielhaus Video 31 May 1998 Rock am Ring, Nürburg 1 Dec 2003

Live

Live Performance

Herzeleid Tour

In 1994, the song had a different structure. It did not feature any breaks inbetween the chorus and verses where "Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)" was sung. In addition to this, an additional chorus line was sung after the verse that would end the song normally. Another minor difference is that the song featured slightly different guitar riffs for the main portion of the song, as well as the chorus.

In 1995, the song was finalized, but did not yet make heavy use of stage effects. The song would start off with Flake playing a long keyboard intro with choir voices and bells. Till would stand with his back towards the audience, while Paul and Richard would be crouched down on their sides of the stage. During the keyboard intro, Till would slowly turn around start facing the audience with his hands behind his back. Once the final bell synth was used, Till would raise his arms slowly before grabbing his microphone and starting to sing the first line. The lines of this intro would be sung very slow and abridged, after every line, Flake would make use of a synth while Till would either make a fist or make more slow arm gestures. After the intro, Till would stand still while the guitarists came to the front of the stage and started playing.

After the line "Ist seinerzeit dein Herz gewesen" would be a very short break where Schneider would have two heavy drum hits, for every drum hit, Till would hit his knee before continuing to sing. Till would also do a digging gesture to coincide with the word "graben" of the line "Geh ich nun graben jede Nacht". During the chorus, Till would sing "Heirate mich" and then alternate between turning backwards and forward again while Paul and Richard sang "Hei, hei, hei". Schneider would have the same two drum hits after line "Hat er den kalten Mund geküsst", while Till would be blowing kisses.

After the second chorus was sung, a guitar solo would follow, while Till remained in place. Shortly thereafter Till would start singing the "Heirate mich" chorus again, with more intensity than before. When the guitarists sung their part, Till would slowly say the last verse of the song with only keyboards and drums backing him. He would crouch down a bit more with every line and make wide arm gestures. A small break would again be played by Schneider hitting his hi-hats after the line "Die Nacht ist heiß und wir sind nackt". Till would then finish the song's outro by letting the audience yell "hackt" of the word "abgehackt".

Starting in 1996, some small alterations would be made to the song. The synth intro would remain the same as 1995, but now, during the short breaks after every line in Till's intro, a loud guitar strum would be played in addition to a synth. During the last verse, Till would use a phasing effect on his vocals for the first two lines, and yell "abgehackt" now as well, whereas the audience only did this before. These changes would be in effect as early as January 1996. The guitar strum would be played from January to March.

In June, this was replaced by additional drumming from Schneider. The band also started experimenting with stage effects for the song around this time. On 10 June, a small baby doll was attached to a pole and placed in the middle of the stage. After singing the intro, Till would crouch down and cross his arms over his chest while going away from the center of the stage. Flake would then activate an explosion via his keyboard and, corresponding with Schneider's drum hits, the doll would completely explode. Till would then slowly rise back up and return to the center of the stage. The rest of the performance would remain unaltered, but Till's phasing vocals on the last verse would not be present. He would, however, let the audience yell "nackt" and yell "abgehackt" himself.

A single day later, on 11 June, an altered version of the previous effect would start getting used. Two mannequin heads would be placed on poles and placed on either side of the stage. The mannequins would often be drawn on. They would also sometimes have hats placed on them. The mannequin heads would already be present on the stage during the previous song, which was Spiel mit mir at that point in time. During the transition between songs, Till would place the heads more to the front of the stage. Till would once again crouch down after the intro and Flake would trigger their simultaneous explosions. The mannequin heads would be used for the entirety of the month June, before getting replaced as stage effect.

During the next month, on 6 July, another stage effect was used at the start of the song. A technician installed multiple mannequin heads at the front of the stage during the song transition. When Till started to sing the heads caught on fire. Till would slowly move towards one, and at the end of the intro, he would pick up a sledgehammer that was present in front of the head and started smashing it. Till's smashing movements would be timed with Schneider's drum hits. During the instrumental break after the intro, Till went over and grabbed one of the lights present on the stage, held it above his head and threw it off. This concert also marked the first known use of the "abgehackt" synth at the end of the song, which would echo until the transition to the next song.

By 19 July, the mannequin effect was in complete disuse. In its place, a new effect premiered that would be used until the end of the tour. Instead of mannequin heads, one inflated sex doll would be attached to a pole and placed in the center of the stage. The doll would be dressed in a makeshift wedding dress and veil, made out of white fabric or paper. The doll and its outfit would look burnt and bloodstained. A technician would place the doll during the song transitions. Sometimes it would be lit on fire during the intro. Like the previous iterations, Flake would trigger its explosion at the end of the intro while Till crouched down.

The last notable event happened on the 100 Jahre Rammstein concert on 27 September. At the start of Spiel mit mir, a burning "Rammstein" signboard was ignited. The signboard kept on burning for the duration of the song, as well as the next, which was Heirate mich. After the sex doll exploded and Till kicked its stand down, timed with Schneider's drum hits, Till went to grab a tiny doll. He held on to the doll for the duration of the first verse, throwing it away after the line "Von dem Gesicht, was mir gelacht". After the chorus, the burning signboard fell down into the audience, injuring four people.[3] Crew members kept the audience away and rushed to put out the board with fire extinguishers while Till and Richard looked at the damage. The band members continued to play the song instrumentally while Till jumped down into the audience in order to help the crew. After a while, Till went back to the stage and sung the last "Heirate mich" chorus. Before going backstage, he asked the audience if everyone was fine.

For the rest of the October 1996 concerts, the song's performance would remain the same. The sex doll would explode at the start of the song, the digging and kissing gestures would remain in place and Till would let the audience always yell "nackt" and an echoing synth would get used on the word "abgehackt". Paul and Richard would provide backing vocals, and Paul could also often be seen jumping place during this song's performance.

Sehnsucht Tour

On the first concert of the Sehnsucht tour, on 9 April 1997, the song was performed the same way as in 1996. In May 1997, changes would start being made to the performance. The exploding sex doll at the start of the song was no longer present, and no similar effect replaced it. However, during the chorus, fire fountains would now shoot out flames from the stage. First, two flames would launch from either side of the front of the stage then two flames would launch from either side of Schneider's drum set. Flake would now wear a black hoody with Rammstein on the back and breast during the song's performance. Sometimes he would put it on during a song before Heirate mich, but sometimes he would don it during the song's performance itself. At the end of the song, Flake would leave his post and he would be replaced with a mannequin wearing the exact hoody with hood pulled up. Till would head over to this mannequin while singing the last line and knock his head off when singing "abgehackt". His voice would then echo while sparks would fly out from a sparkler fountain inside the neck stump of the mannequin.

Starting from July to the end of August, exploding sex dolls would return as a stage effect to the song's performance. There are now be multiple dolls, usually four, dressed in black skirts as well as creepy white masks. The dolls would be put in pairs, one pair on the lower part of the stage and another at the the top part next to Schneider. Similar to the previous sex dolls, these would be set to explode after Till's last line during the intro. The dolls would be set up during the synth intro of the song, due to this, the synth intro during this time period was extended even more. Till would enter the stage already on his knees, shuffle to the dolls, bow and then continue to shuffle to the center of the stage. Till would continue performing whilst on his knees for the duration of the entire intro, only standing up to start the first verse.

Another new addition was that after the guitar solo that followed the second chorus, Till would add another small break before the bridge. The "Heirate mich" chorus would be sung here, in a very slow manner, before starting to sing the bridge in the normal tempo once more. During this break, Till would once again get on his knees and perform in this manner.

From 27 September until 29 November 1997, a majority of the stage effects were dropped. Till and the others' stage antics would remain the same but there would be no stage effect associated with song's intro. Because of this, the church bell synth intro was also dropped completely. The song would thus start off simply with the drums normally played after this intro. The rest of the song would be performed in the same manner as before, but the fire fountains would be replaced by smoke bursts shooting up from the stage. The outro's echoing vocals would also remain the same, but a guitar outro now gets performed at the same time of the echoing vocal outro as a song transition during September and October. The guitar outro would get dropped in November of the same year.

In April of 1998, the song's synth and spoken intro returned, but still no stage effects were used for the intro. The rest of the performance would remain the same, although the smoke bursts were also dropped by this point. The short break before the bridge was still present, but altered a bit. Instead of Till, Richard and Paul singing immediately, they would let the audience sing first. Till would watch while on his knees and after a while he and the others would quietly start singing along as well. While Paul and Richard where located at their microphones, Till would shuffle towards them, often ending in him shortly cuddling with the person he reached. Paul would often play his guitar whilst lying down on the stage at this point. From June 1998 onwards, after singing the intro, two minor explosions would go off at either side of the stage. On 16 August, a couple was married during the song's performance. Flake said their wedding vows during the song's bridge.

When the Family Values Tour started on 22 September, Heirate mich was present but was once again stripped of any stage effects. The song was played on every September date until the start of October, when it was dropped off the setlist. The song was only performed three times in 1999, without any stage effects.

In January and February of 2001, the song returned during the Big Day Out festival performances. A small explosion would go off somewhere on stage after Till's intro. During the instrumental break before the bridge, instead of letting the audience sing, the rubber boat previously used during Seemann would be brought up. Paul would enter the boat and surf over the crowd for the short duration of the break while Schneider and Flake played instrumentally. After a while, Till would start singing the chorus again and Paul would be brought back to the stage. Everyone would then play together and replace the outro by singing an extra chorus line.

Mutter Tour

Heirate mich was not part of the setlist from the start, but it returned on the North American leg of the tour. It was first played on 14 July 2001, with new stage effects. After Till's intro, a small explosion would go off and a row of flames would launch up from the front of the stage. Paul would not surf around in the boat as before, but the outro would still be replaced with the additional chorus. The song would continue being played until September of 2001, albeit without the flames shooting up from the front of the stage.

Stadium Tour

It would be 18 years before the song would get played again. Till would no longer perform the song while on his knees. After singing the line "Schläft jede Nacht bei ihrem Stein", he sometimes add "Ramm... stein" once. During the chorus, the roof of the stage and all the present towers would should flames upwards, timed with every "Hei, hei, hei". The song's performance would now also include the outro again. After the outro, when Till screams "abgehackt" multiple air bursts shoot upwards from the stage.

Variations

Type Description First played Last played
Early version Different structure
Slightly different main and chorus guitar riffs
3.12.1994 31.12.1994
Intro Extended synth intro 21.06.1997 30.08.1997
Intro Lacks spoken intro as well as synth intro 27.09.1997 29.11.1997
Intro Unique intro with spoken intro 22.08.1998 23.08.1998
Outro Lacks outro, replaced by additional chorus 18.01.2001 4.08.2001

Professional recordings

Date Type Location City Country Notes
2 Jul 1994 Video Kunsthaus Tacheles Berlin Germany Two singlecam recordings exist.
15 May 1997 Video Tor 3 Düsseldorf Germany
17 Aug 1997 Video Bizarre Festival Cologne Germany
22 Nov 1997 Video Odjazdy Festival Katowice Poland
29 Nov 1997 Audio Melkweg Amsterdam Netherlands Broadcasted via radio.
29 May 1998 Video Rock im Park Nuremberg Germany
26 Jan 2001 Video Big Day Out Sydney Australia

Lyrics

Album version
 

Man sieht ihn um die Kirche schleichen
Seit einem Jahr ist er allein
Die Trauer nahm ihm alle Sinne
Schläft jede Nacht bei ihrem Stein

Dort bei den Glocken schläft ein Stein
Ich alleine kann ihn lesen
Und auf dem Zaun, der rote Hahn
Ist seinerzeit dein Herz gewesen
Die Furcht auf diesen Zaun gespießt
Geh ich nun graben jede Nacht
Zu sehen was noch übrig ist
Von dem Gesicht, das mir gelacht

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)

Mit meinen Händen grab ich tief
Zu finden was ich so vermisst
Und als der Mond im schönsten Kleid
Hab deinen kalten Mund geküsst
Ich nehm dich zärtlich in den Arm
Doch deine Haut reißt wie Papier
Und Teile fallen von dir ab
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)

Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)

So nehm ich was noch übrig ist
Die Nacht ist heiß und wir sind nackt
Zum Fluch der Hahn den Morgen grüßt
Ich hab den Kopf ihm abgehackt

Pre-release mix
 

Man sieht ihn um die Kirche schleichen
Seit einem Jahr ist er allein
Die Trauer nahm ihm alle Sinne
Schläft jede Nacht bei ihrem Stein

Dort bei den Glocken schläft ein Stein
Ich alleine kann ihn lesen
Und auf dem Zaun, der rote Hahn
Ist seinerzeit dein Herz gewesen
Die Furcht auf diesen Zaun gespießt
Geh ich nun graben jede Nacht
Zu sehen was noch übrig ist
Von dem Gesicht, das mir gelacht

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)

Mit meinen Händen grab ich tief
Zu finden was ich so vermisst
Und als der Mond im schönsten Kleid
Hab deinen kalten Mund geküsst
Ich nehm dich zärtlich in den Arm
Doch deine Haut reißt wie Papier
Und Teile fallen von dir ab
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)

Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)
Heirate mich (hei, hei, hei)

Nehm ich was noch übrig ist
Die Nacht ist heiß und wir sind nackt
Zum Fluch der Hahn den Morgen grüßt
Ich hab den Kopf ihm abgehackt

Live demo versions
2 July 1994
3 December 1994






Dort bei den Glocken schläft ein Stein
Und Ich alleine kann ihn lesen
Und auf dem Zaun, der rote Hahn
Ist seiner Zeit dein Herz gewesen
Die Furcht auf diesen Zaun gespießt
Geh ich nun graben jede Nacht
Zu sehen was noch übrig ist
Von dem Gesicht, das mir gelacht

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir





Mit meinen Händen grab ich tief
Zu finden/(küssen?) was ich so vermisst
Und als der Mond im schönsten Kleid
Hat er den kalten Mund geküsst
Ich nehm dich zärtlich in den Arm
Doch deine Haut reißt wie Papier
Und Teile fallen von dir ab
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir










So nehm ich was noch übrig ist
Die Nacht ist heiß und wir sind nackt
Zum Fluch der Hahn den Morgen grüßt
Ich hab den Kopf ihm abgehackt

Dort bei den Glocken schläft ein Stein
Und ich alleine kann ihn lesen
Und auf dem Zaun, der schwarze Hahn
Ist seiner Zeit dein Herz gewesen

Dort bei den Glocken verbring’ ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken das einsame Tier
Tagsüber lauf’ ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal und letzten Mal

Man sieht ihn um die Kirche schleichen
Seit einem Jahr ist er allein
Die Trauer nahm ihm alle Sinne
Schläft jede Nacht bei ihrem Stein

Dort bei den Glocken schläft ein Stein
Ich alleine kann ihn lesen
Und auf dem Zaun, der rote Hahn
Ist seinerzeit dein Herz gewesen
Die Furcht auf diesen Zaun gespießt
Geh ich nun graben jede Nacht
Zu sehen was noch übrig ist
Von dem Gesicht, das mir gelacht

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir





Mit meinen Händen grab ich tief
Zu finden was ich so vermisst
Und als der Mond im schönsten Kleid
Hab deinen kalten Mund geküsst
Ich nehm dich zärtlich in den Arm
Doch deine Haut reißt wie Papier
Und Teile fallen von dir ab
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir

Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal entkommst du mir










So nehm ich was noch übrig ist
Die Nacht ist heiß und wir sind nackt
Zum Fluch der Hahn den Morgen grüßt
Ich hab den Kopf ihm abgehackt






Dort bei den Glocken verbring ich die Nacht
Dort zwischen Schnecken ein einsames Tier
Tagsüber lauf ich der Nacht hinterher
Zum zweiten Mal und zum letzten Mal

Épouse-moi
Official French translation by Mathilde Bonnefoy

Là-bas près des cloches dort une pierre
Et moi seul sait la lire
Sur la haie le coq rouge
Fut autrefois ton coeur
La peur sur cette haie plantée
Je viens pour creuser chaque nuit
Et voir ce qui demeure encore
De ce visage qui me sourit

Là-bas près des cloches je passe la nuit
La parmi les vers; animal solitaire
Le jour je passe à traquer la nuit
Car tu te dérobes une seconde fois
Épouse-moi

Avec mes mains je creuse profond
Pour trouver ce qui me manque tant
La lune alors apparaissant
J'ai embrassé ta bouche froide
Je te prends tendrement dans mes bras
Mais ta peau, papier, se déchire
Et des lambeaux tombent de toi
Tu te dérobes une seconde fois

Là-bas près des cloches je passe la nuit
La parmi les vers; animal solitaire
Le jour je passe à traquer la nuit
Et tu te dérobes une dernière fois
Épouse-moi

Alors de toi je prends les restes
La nuit est chaude et nous sommes nus
Maudit, le coq salue le jour
Le cou je lui ai tordu

Poem Rammstein book
Official English translation of the Rammstein book poem by Gert Hof

Im Spätwinter 1993 starb mein Vater an
Magenkrebs. Er ist auf einem kleinem
Dorffriedhof im Schatten einer wunderschönen
neuromanischen Kirche beigesetzt.
Seit der Beerdigung bin ich nie wieder an
seinem Grab gewesen.

In the late winter of 1993 my father died of
stomach cancer.
He was buried in a small village cemetery.
overshadowed by a beautiful
pre-gothic church.
Since the funeral I have not been back to
see his grave.

Media

Merchandise

Heirate mich
Shortsleeve shirt
Sold at:Rammstein mailorder
Released:Autumn 1997

Sources