Münchener Freiheit (known sometimes simply as Freiheit) is a German pop and rock band that had released nineteen studio albums by 2016, four of which have gone gold. They are named after a square in the city of Munich, meaning "Munich freedom". They are considered part of the Neue Deutsche Welle musical movement.
They are best known in the English-speaking world for their single "Keeping the Dream Alive". This song became a #14 hit single in the UK Singles Chart when released in December 1988, making Münchener Freiheit a one-hit wonder there.
History The early years The band, composed of Stefan Zauner (vocals, keyboards), Aron Strobel (guitar and vocals), Rennie Hatzke (drums), Michael Kunzi (bass and vocals), and Alex Grünwald (keyboard), formed in the early 1980s. Their first album Umsteiger, released in 1982, was a rough-around-the-edges form of new wave showing an aggressive side to Zauner's otherwise smooth vocals. This was followed a year later by Licht, which took them in a more synthpop direction. The band's next album Herzschlag einer Stadt in 1984 was a more commercial new wave record, which spawned a Top 30 hit in West Germany, "Oh Baby".
Breakthrough The band's first big hit album came in 1986 with , meaning "from the beginning". Living up to its title, the album contained a selection of new singles, a previously unreleased live version of "Zeig mir die Nacht" (from Umsteiger), two remixes and the occasional track from their previous two albums. Its success was due largely to its two original hit singles, and .
The international years Following the success of Von Anfang an and its follow-up, , the band aimed for international success and began recording tracks from both albums in English. The result was Romancing in the Dark, containing English version of six tracks from Traumziel plus their three biggest West German hits. On this and subsequent English-language albums, the band was credited simply as Freiheit. The majority of the English lyrics were written by the band themselves with some assistance from outside lyricists. (Later the band relied on English lyrics written by professional lyricists Tim Touchton and Curtis Briggs.) The album was released throughout Europe, and there were big hits in Greece (where "Every Time" was a number one single), Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands.
In 1988, Münchener Freiheit released Fantasie in West Germany and its English counterpart, Fantasy. Unlike Romancing in the Dark, Fantasy contained all tracks from its German counterpart. The album went un-noticed throughout the US but was moderately successful in Europe. Freiheit never again released an English album in the US. However, in their homeland, Fantasie was a great success spending eight weeks in the Top 10 peaking at number four and spawning two Top 15 singles: "So lang' man Träume noch leben kann" and "Bis wir uns wiederseh'n". "Keeping the Dream Alive" is the English-language version of "So lang' man Träume noch leben kann". This single became the band's sole hit in the UK, reaching number 14 in the UK singles chart in December 1988.
Their follow-up, Purpurmond, was the last album to be re-recorded in English under the title Love is No Science. Nine of its eleven tracks were re-recorded in English, along with a second re-recording of "Tausendmal Du", this time entitled "All I Can Do".
1991–present
Although 1991 was a quiet year for the band, Zauner and Strobel were still active, releasing the album Living in the Sun under the name of Deuces Wild. The album was recorded in English with most of the lyrics written by Tim Touchton, who had worked with the band since Fantasy.
Despite the moderate reception of Purpurmond, the band returned to the German Top 10 in 1992 with Liebe auf den ersten Blick, earning a Top 15 hit with the title track. The band also represented their country in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, finishing in 18th place with their song, "Viel zu weit". The band returned a year later with the album Energie (1994), which gave them another Top 30 album in Germany, although their next two albums, Entführ' mich (1996) and Schatten (1998; with a sleeve design by Klaus Voormann), failed to chart at all.
Leaving Sony Music for the EastWest label, the band moved towards conventional dance-pop on their next album, Freiheit die ich meine (2000). The album saw the band re-enter the German Top 50 following their two album absence. The band changed labels again to Koch International, releasing the albums Wachgeküsst (2002) and Geile Zeit (2004). Although these albums used a similar 'radio-friendly' formula to Freiheit die ich meine, both albums peaked in the lower regions of the German Top 100.
Münchener Freiheit continue to record and tour, celebrating their 25th anniversary with the Double CD retrospective Alle Jahre, Alle Hits (2005) and a new single, "Du bist das Leben". Stefan Zauner left the band in 2012 to pursue producing solo-albums; his latest CD is Zeitgefühl (2012). Tim Wilhelm replaced Zauner as a singer in the band.
Discography German-language studio albums YearAlbumEnglish translationPeak positionsCertificationGERAUTSWI1982UmsteigerChanger———1983LichtLight———1984Heartbeat of a City———1986Dream Destination15——GER: Gold1988FantasieFantasy42914GER: Gold1989PurpurmondMagenta Moon17——GER: Gold1992Liebe auf den ersten BlickLove at First Sight72138GER: Gold1994EnergieEnergy28——1996Entführ' michKidnap Me———1998SchattenShadows———2000Freiheit die ich meineFreedom That I Mean46——2002WachgeküsstKissed Awake76——2003ZeitmaschineTime Machine85——2004Geile ZeitGreat Time82——2007XVIIXVII (17)57——2007Eigene WegeOwn Ways10——2010Ohne LimitWithout Limit60——2013MehrMore———2016SchwerelosWeightless———
German-language live albums YearAlbumEnglish translationPeak positionsCertificationGERAUTSWI1990Freiheit Live!Freiheit Live!———1990Live in der Grossen Freiheit69——2005Alle Jahre-Alle Hits(DVD of live concert, 24 February 2005)All Years – All Hits———
German-language compilations YearAlbumPeak positionsCertificationGERAUTSWI19866136GER: Gold1992Ihr großten Hits18——GER: Gold1994Schenk mir eine Nacht (Ihre schönsten Lovesongs)56——1998Definitive Collection (1998)———2003Definitive Collection (2003)———2005Alle Jahre – Alle Hits – Die Singles82——2007Die Hits der 80er———2008Hit Collection———2009Das beste aus 40 Jahren Hitparade———Maxis, Hits & Raritäten———2010Alle Jahre – Alle Hits – 30 Jahre Münchener Freiheit———Ihre besten Lieder 1980–2010———
German-language singles YearAlbumPeak positionsAlbumGERAUTSWI1984"Oh Baby"23——Herzschlag einer Stadt19852(Gold)11Von Anfang an1986972524——Traumziel198724——2—17Fantasie1988"Bis wir uns wiedersehn"11——"So heiß"47——1989"Verlieben verlieren"31——Purpurmond1990"Ich will dich nochmal"50——"Komm zurück"54——Freiheit Live!1991"Liebe auf den ersten Blick"16—31Liebe auf den ersten Blick1992"Einfach wahr"52——"Einmal kommt das Leben"62——Ihre Größten Hits1993"Tausend Augen"52——"Viel zu weit"53——1994"Du bist Energie für mich"56——Energie"Du weißt es, ich weiß es"72——1998"Hit-Mix"80——Schatten2004"Geile Zeit"93——Geile Zeit2007"Nichts ist wie du"84——XVII2009"Sie liebt dich wie du bist"47——Eigene Wege
Other German non-charting singles YearAlbumPeak positionsAlbumGER1982"Zeig mir die Nacht"—Umsteiger"Baby Blue"—1983"Ich steh' auf Licht"—Licht"Rumpelstilzchen"—1984"SOS"—Herzschlag einer Stadt1985"Herzschlag ist der Takt"—1988"Diana"—Fantasie1990"Ihr kommt zu spät"—Purpurmond1994"Schenk' mir eine Nacht"—Schenk' mir eine Nacht – ihre schönsten Lovesongs1995"Du bist da"—Energie1996"Komm doch zu mir"—Entführ Mich1997"Liebe, Lust und Leidenschaft"—1998"Dann versinkt die Welt in Schweigen"—Schatten"Schuld war wieder die Nacht"—2000"Du bist nicht allein"—Freiheit die ich meine"Solang"—2000"Wachgeküsst"—Wachgeküsst"Wieder und wieder"—2003"Tausendmal du (Version 2003)"—Zeitmaschine2005"Ein Engel wie du"—Geile Zeit"Du bist das Leben"—2010"Seit der Nacht"—Ohne Limit2013"Meergefühl"—
English-language studio albums 1987: Romancing in the Dark 1988: Fantasy 1990: Love is No Science
English-language singles YearAlbumPeak positionsAUSIRENEUK1988"Keeping the Dream Alive"55201814
Others "Every Time" (NO-5 SE-15) "Play It Cool" (NO-10 SE-17 NL-4) "Baby It's You" "Back to the Sunshine" "Kissed You in the Rain" "Diana" "All I Can Do"
Notes Universal-music.de: Tim Wilhelm ist neuer Sänger der Münchener Freiheit, 1 March 2012.
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