In English, please!
Dear English-speaking friends,
on the occasion of Bodo’s performance in New York on 25th May 2014 we would like to tell you a bit more about the piano playing music comedian Bodo Wartke. As Bodo already played concerts not only in German-speaking countries but also in London, Edinburgh, Herräng and Hongkong, it is now time to give you some information in English.
About Bodo
Bodo Wartke, born in 1977, is one of the most famous German music comedians. His songs deal with such diverse topics as love, capitalism, politics, women, society, as well as life in general and in particular. In his second program for example, Bodo sings about the dilemma of a vampire who keeps losing his loved ones to his blood addiction, about how he steps and stumbles over the excrements on the pavement left by Berlin’s fauna, how he falls in love with the daughter of a plastic surgeon and he explains the link between Schiller and the GEZ (German authority for TV licensing). He plays the piano and sings in the musical and acting tradition of Tom Lehrer, Victor Borge, Georg Kreisler and Heinz Erhardt.
Bodo shows the weaknesses of alleged strengths and proves that you can be funny without having to make fun of others. The only one who is laughed at is himself. That is why he won the „Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis“ (German Cabaret Award in the category „Chanson“ in 2004).
Bodo has been a music comedian since 1996. He is currently touring with three different programs, performing annually an average of 100 solo shows in venues all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He reaches an audience of altogether 80,000 people per year.
In addition to his solo play „König Ödipus“ and his 5th solo program „Was, wenn doch?“, Bodo presents some of his evergreens together with The Capital Dance Orchestra in a show called „Swingende Notwendigkeit“. Since April 2018 he is on stage with the sequel of „König Ödipus“: "Antigone".
Also read Bodo's recent interview for Wings (page 22).
Swingende Notwendigkeit - Offizieller Trailer 2014
Swingende Notwendigkeit - Extras
From Herräng to New York
Bodo is a passionate dancer in the field of swing music. That is why he has regularly traveled to Herräng in Sweden for many years now. On the homepage of Herräng Dance Camp you will find an inspiring video and the following introduction we like to quote here:
„The unique World of Herräng – with the roots in Lindy Hop, the swing era, Harlem and New York, we build a community for the participants to enjoy high quality dance, music and entertainment in a welcoming setting where just about anything can happen. In the unique World of Herräng all building blocks are important, it’s a friendly and respectful community where we integrate and inspire each other to creativity and participation. We remember and cherish Frankie Manning and his words: If the whole world did the Lindy Hop, there would be no wars.“
Frankie Manning would have turned 100 in 2014. There was a big celebration of him in New York called: FRANKIE 100: Frankie Manning Centinnial & World Lindy Hop Day where passionate dancers of swing music from all over the world met. The day before started with an event called „Herräng in an afternoon“ followed by a New Year’s Eve-style party to ring in Frankie’s birthday with dancing to incredible live music until 4 am. Bodo was one of the musicians at this event playing his famous multilingual lovesong.
Lovesong Herräng
live, 2011
The multilingual lovesong
Bodo’s „Lovesong“ (in German: Liebeslied) is one of his two most popular songs. The other one is called „Yes, Dear!“ (in German: Ja, Schatz!). Together the two videos of these songs achieved more than 6,500,000 clicks on youtube. Here you will find the English versions: Lovesong and Yes, Dear!
By the way, the reason why some of Bodo’s lyrics were translated into English is based on a very special occasion: Bodo got invited by the organisors of the world famous Fringe Festival to play in Edinburgh in August 2011 and in London’s New Players Theatre in 2010. There he presented his piano cabaret in a rhyming culture.
Lovesong
Bootleg, Kookaburra Comedy Club, Berlin
After his performance in London Bodo wrote the following in his newsletter: „It was a fantastic and succesful night. The spirit in the theatre was terrific. The room was crowded and the audience was split into half German, half English speaking, native people. It was lovely for me to see that the anglophone people were as amused by my songs and my performance as my German-speaking audience.
Even my translated travel diary matched successfully in English! Maybe the railway transportation system in Great Britain and Germany are not that different?! During this performance I learned that the prevalent prejudice is not true, that British believe that Germans cannot be funny. I can state: The cultural exchange was successful! Therefore I decided to translate more of my songs into English. Carnegie Hall, I’m coming!“
Here you can download and read Bodo’s Travel Diary.
Lovesong creator
It was Tom Harris, Bodo’s former tour technician, who had the idea of installing the lovesong creator back in 2006. The lovesong creator has become a huge success – thanks to all of you!
live at the New Players Theatre, London
Some extra information & more songs
For further information about Bodo and his work we recommend the blog by Alan McGornick. In September 2012 he wrote a detailed text about Bodo’s music and his lyrics, very interesting!
Here you can listen to more songs and download further lyrics in English:
Yes, Dear!
Bootleg, Kookaburra Comedy Club, Berlin
