Olliver Wichmann introduces and translates HGich.T

HGich.T is the name of a Hamburg based music and video collective. Its beginning dates back to the late 1990's at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg. However, they themselves consider HGich.T a melting pot of different attitudes and thus, their music is a heterogeneous mix of ready-made song construction kits, wilful dilettantism and Dadaism.

There is no sophistication in either their lyrics or production technique of their videos, often this anti-culture attitude is heightened by frequent themes of drug abuse or mental illness.

Paradoxically, it is this very trash culture and exhibited self-destruction on stage that made them a viral Internet phenomenon, with frequent tour dates.

The Red Children's Jacket [Die rote Kinderjacke]

I turn on the gas cooker
I take out the sleeping pills
I light up the candles
I turn on the Stones [1]
I lie on my bed
I pull down the trousers
I take my right hand
I check everything once more
I open Facebook
I delete all my friends
I install MySpace
I put on the children's jacket
I turn on N3 [2]
I imagine a report
I see a house in flames
I jump with the jacket

Help, I'm highly gifted
I can't live like this anymore
I can't take anymore
Help, I'm highly gifted
I can't live like this anymore
I'm a nervous wreck
I ring up the boss of Mercedes

I reach the bottom
I still can breath
I want to say something
I've changed my mind
A reporter is asking me
A camera crew is filming me
A psychologist is asking me
I blink with my eyes
I say "five plus equals eight"
The psychologist is listening
The psychologist has to weep
Carlo von Tiedemann [3] drops by
He opens his children's jacket
I recognise the red jacket
I recognise my father
In my red jacket

Help, I'm highly gifted
I can't live like this anymore
I can't take anymore
Help, I'm highly gifted
I can't live like this anymore
I'm a nervous wreck
I ring up the boss of Mercedes

I put on the red jacket
I take off my trousers
I ring up the boss of Mercedes
I buy the red jacket from the boss of Mercedes
I write my name above the name of the boss of mercedes on the red jacket
I cut off the sleeves of the red jacket
Now, I look like the boss of Rocky [4]

Everything goes black
I see the red jacket
I hear footsteps
of Carlo von Tiedemann
I kick with my feet
I cannot move my feet
I wake up in the ambulance
Carlo von Tiedemann is watching me
He no longer has his red jacket on
He has a white coat on
Put over his red jacket
He is smiling at me
I get two injections
It is 15:82 h
I feel like reborn
I reincarnate as Bhagwan Aswami

[1] = The Rolling Stones
[2] = Name of a public TV channel in Northern Germany
[3] = Name of a radio and TV presenter in Northern Germany
[4] = Rocky Balboa, a character played by Silvester Stallone

The last butterfly [der letzte Schmetterling]


Jerôme: Come here... come here... come to me!

Frank-André: Jerôme, stone friend. What do you convey to me?

Jerôme: Watch out, Frank-André! The devil has returned to Earth.

Frank-André: Oh no, not again! How do I recognize him? What's to be done?

Jerôme: He's invisible. You can't see him.

Frank-André: Your cryptic remarks leave a lot to be desired. Tell me once more what I'm supposed to do.

Jerôme: [unintelligible language]

Frank-André: I warmly welcome today the present bride and groom.

Tutenchamun (groom): I don't know what to say. I'm all overwhelmed.

Frank-André: [unintelligible language]

Tutenchamun: Uh, yeah! Come on!

Frank-André: Do you wanna take Mademoiselle...

Tutenchamun: Aye, Sir! eh... aye, Sir!

Frank-André: Do you really wanna take...

Tutenchamun: Yes, I will

Maike (bride): Yes.

Tutenchamun: Come on!

Frank-André: Alright!

Maike: Have you come to an agreement? May I finally do something?

Frank-André: Hold it! What did Jerôme say to me again?

Jerôme: [unintelligible language]

Frank-André: Yes, exactly! That was it! Are you ready...

Tutenchamun: Yeah, uh

Frank-André: ...for the most challenging of all ordeals?

Tutenchamun: Yeah, uh, come on!

Frank-André: You have to hold your breath now.

Tutenchamun: I can't do it!

Frank-André: Now!

Tutenchamun: Yeah, uh, a really wicked feeling!

[music piece]

A really wicked feeling, yeah
I've got no feeling, yeah
I'm an anaconda, yeah

Frank-André: [unintelligible language]

Bride's father (Dr. Geilser): My son-in-law looks a bit down-at-heel.
A small dowry would befit him. 35... 36... 37 Euros. I can't give
more, I'm afraid! Wait a minute! I handed out a twenty Euro note to
you.

Maike: Huh?

Dr. Geilser: Give me my money back again!

Maike: Do get out your EC-card.

Dr. Geilser: I want to count again.

[Music piece]

We can't give back the money, yeah
Come, let us simply live, yeah
I pulled away the note, yeah
I don't take any drugs, yeah
I drive a Fiat Panda - yeah
I've got two nostrils, yeah
I'm the Three Wise Men, yeah
Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, yeah
I'm a beautiful butterfly, yeah
I use to eat French fries, yeah
A barrier, red-white, yeah
I am the only one
The only corps of drums
For I am the only one
The only corps of drums

Jerôme: Come here... come to me!

Frank-André: Jerôme!

Jerôme: What did you do today, Frank-André? Was it good or bad? Or both? Or crappy? Let's start again! [unintelligible language]




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