Rammstein

MeinHerzbrennt

2012

RammsteinWorld
Home

The single

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • Mein Herz brennt - Piano Version
  • Gib mir deine Augen
  • Mein Herz brennt - Video Edit
  • Mein Herz brennt - Boys Noize RMX
  • Mein Herz brennt - Piano Instrumental
  • 4:31
  • 3:44
  • 4:18
  • 5:00
  • 4:31

In 2001 was released Mein Herz brennt, the opening track of the Mutter album, a subtle balance of everything that Rammstein has produced best: powerful guitars, sublime orchestration and enigmatic lyrics. Certainly one of the best songs ever written by Rammstein. In order to honour this "unexploited treasure" (Paul Landers), the band decided to release it as a single in 2012.

The artwork realized by Dirk Rudolph fits particularly well the new piano version of Mein Herz brennt, recorded with Sven Helbig: simple, strange and fascinating… "Pure pain" (Sven Helbig). In addition to the traditional remixes present on each Rammstein single, the band proposes another new song, Gib mir deine Augen recorded during the Liebe ist für alle da sessions in 2009.

The initial aim of the band was to honour one of its best song. This is largely achieved, as Mein Herz brennt is the best single released by Rammstein since quite a long time…

Back to homepage
Home

Nun liebe Kinder…

During the composition of the album Mutter, Till first choosed "Sandmann" as the title of the song that was finally released under the name "Mein Herz brennt" in 2001. In this text, Till offers a personal version of the legendary Sandman that we all know. The text of the demo (played live once at the Knaack Klub in 2000, before the album release) tells the story of a man who kills the sandman and stole his scalp to fool children. Till's final text is more elusive and takes root in the classic German literature, inspired by the version of the Sandman given by Ernst T. A. Hoffmann, a romantic writer and composer of the early nineteenth century, in his novel "Der Sandmann".

The main character of this novel, Nathaniel, was marked in his childhood by the lawyer Coppelius that he identifies as the Sandman and the murderer of his father. Therefore, Hoffmann modifies the character of the Sandman, who terrorizes the children rather than just make them fall asleep. This inversion gave Till the idea of writing a text where a monster visits the children about to fall asleep, in order to steal their hot tears, and then inject them into his veins.

The comparison does not end there. If Till voluntarily occults a big part of Hoffmann's story, both texts have lexical fields and topics in common. First, the eyes, as Nathanael thinks that Coppelius wants to steal his own. The heart too: Nathanael falls in love with Olympia, a girl who lives across the street, and feels the need to "scratch his chest" in order to defend her. The gesture is the same in Mein Herz brennt, where the monster rip off his heart from his chest. Finally when Olympia (actually an automaton) is dismembered by its creators, the heart of Nathanael literally burns, and that lead him to madness and death. It reminds us the chorus and title of the song, "Mein Herz brennt" (My heart burns).

The evil beings also appear in both texts, wether they are Coppelius' owls or "schwarze Feen". Coppelius' shenanigans, presented as a demon, are often described as "infernal" by Nathanael. Moreover, when Olympia sings, Nathanael associates her with "ghosts". These "ghosts" resemble those of Mein Herz brennt, which interfere in children's dreams, like Olympia in the spirit of Nathanael.

Till gives in Mein Herz brennt a very personal vision of the Sandman, which is the narrator of the text, largely inspired by Hoffmann. Till was also inspired by other elements of the German culture, such as "Das Sandmännchen" (The Little Sandman), a 1950s German TV show for children. It systematically began with the sentence "Nun, liebe Kinder, fein Gebt Acht. Ich habe euch etwas mitgebracht", an expression very close to the chorus of Mein Herz brennt.

» Download the complete analysis of Mein Herz brennt (PDF)

Language : GERENG

Nun liebe Kinder gebt fein Acht
Ich bin die Stimme aus dem Kissen
Ich hab euch etwas mitgebracht
Hab es aus meiner Brust gerissen
Mit diesem Herz hab ich die Macht
Die Augenlider zu erpressen
Ich singe bis der Tag erwacht
Ein heller Schein am Firmament
Mein Herz brennt

Sie kommen zu euch in der Nacht
Dämonen Geister schwarze Feen
Sie kriechen aus dem Kellerschacht
Und werden unter euer Bettzeug sehen

Nun liebe Kinder gebt fein Acht
Ich bin die Stimme aus dem Kissen
Ich hab euch etwas mitgebracht
Ein heller Schein am Firmament
Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz brennt

Sie kommen zu euch in der Nacht
Und stehlen eure kleinen heißen Tränen
Sie warten bis der Mond erwacht
Und drücken sie in meine kalten Venen

Nun liebe Kinder gebt fein Acht
Ich bin die Stimme aus dem Kissen
Ich singe bis der Tag erwacht
Ein heller Schein am Firmament
Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz brennt

Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz brennt
Mein Herz
Mein Herz brennt

Now, dear children, pay attention
I am the voice from the pillow
I have brought you something
I ripped it off my chest
With this heart I have the power
To blackmail the eyelids
I sing until the day awakes
A bright light on the heavens
My heart burns

They come to you in the night
Demons, ghosts, black fairies
They creep out of the cellar shaft
And will look under your bedding

Now, dear children, pay attention
I am the voice from the pillow
I have brought you something
A bright light on the heavens
My heart burns
My heart burns

They come to you in the night
And steal your small hot tears
They wait until the moon awakes
And put them in my cold veins

Now, dear children, pay attention
I am the voice from the pillow
I sing until the day awakes
A bright light on the heavens
My heart burns
My heart burns
My heart burns
My heart burns

My heart burns
My heart burns
My heart burns
My heart
My heart burns

Sven Helbiginterview

We have been given the opportunity to talk with Sven Helbig, a musician and a composer who worked with Rammstein for a few years. You can hear him on the new version of Mein Herz brennt, that he arranged. We would like to thank him for this interview.

The band always knows exactly what they want and don´t want.

I wanted to take all the scary aspects away and make you feel Till´s longing and desperation.

I can´t get enough of Till in this video. I am very surprised about the emotional impact.

Hi Sven! How are you? Could you introduce yourself to the Rammstein fans, who may not know who you are?
I am a composer. I write mainly orchestra music. My first solo-album will be released in February next year. It's called Pocket symphonies.
You worked with Rammstein on their last three studio albums. What exactly does your work with the band consist of?
I just add little extra instruments here and there. The band always knows exactly what they want and don´t want. I don´t add much, but to find the little things that work well in the song takes long. The effort is much higher than the five notes might suggest.
For example, for the little yodel in Roter Sand, I had to walk days thru the mountains of Appenzell [a mountainous region, ed] in Switzerland until I found a 92 years old grandfather, who still can do this old, sad yodel. He took me to the cowshed and started yodelling for me. I recorded it. It's on the orchestral version of Roter Sand on Liebe ist für alle da.
Please Sven, tell us the story behind this new version of Mein Herz brennt. What were the main objectives of the band at the beginning?
The band wanted to have a piano-remix. I did two remixes for them before, Mann gegen Mann [Musensohn remix, ed] and Ohne dich [Sacred mix, played with a church organ, ed].
This time they wanted to have more like a re-interpretation of Mein Herz brennt. It was not easy, since it is such an energetic song.
Ohne dich was a ballade. The church organ did not really change the character of the song. This was by the way a wonderful experience. I was allowed to use the church organ between 1 and 5 am in the night, and we could not find the switch for the light. So we recorded with candles. Great! For the Piano version I just printed the lyrics and took them with me everywhere. While reading, the texture of some piano music appeared. I just had to write it down at a certain point out of my head.
As a composer, what were the difficulties and traps to avoid to make a good piano version of such a powerful and loved song?
The piano cannot get as powerful as the guitars of Rammstein. So, I was looking for another character of the person, who is the narrator. Not too dangerous, much more sad and quiet. I wanted to take all the scary aspects away and make you feel Till´s longing and desperation. I think true pain is quiet. This is why I choose to play the main melody so soft. Pure pain.
At the end, how did the recording take place? Were Piano and voice recorded separately? Both of you realized a great performance!
I did a demo of my version and the band loved it exactly the way it was. So we kept it and Till had to sing on it. Till was intrigued by the music and so he got it right at first take. I recorded the piano with another player, because I thought my playing would not be good enough.
Then the producer of Rammstein, Jacob Hellner, called me and said Something is lost!. This is why I am playing now on the record. I did not play piano on a record or in front of an audience before.
With hindsight, are you personally satisfied with this piano version? And the band, what does he think about it? Overall, the fans have been surprised but love it.
What the band thinks is easy to see. It's very unusual to decide that the remix becomes the A-side! They decided to do a video. How great! That says anything.
You have probably already seen the video for Mein Herz brennt (Piano version) directed by Zoran Bihać. It's a wonderful one, isn't it?
It´s overwhelming. I can´t get enough of Till in this video. I am very surprised about the emotional impact. Even I get goose bumps after all that work.
Will there be a chance to hear you again on a Rammstein record? The band (through the voice of Paul Landers) has already discussed the possibility of working on a Rammstein orchestral album. What is your opinion on such a project?
I would love it. But with Rammstein you never know.

If you want to know more about Sven Helbig, you can visit on its official website or follow him on Facebook. You can also listen to a first sample of his upcoming album, Pocket Symphonies.

Interview via email, December 2012.

Back to homepage
Home

The videos

Piano versionExplicit version

See the video
See the video

Zoran Bihacinterview

We have been given the opportunity to talk with Zoran Bihać, a German director who creates commercials and videoclips. He worked with many companies and artists including Turntablerocker or Beatsteaks, and of course Rammstein. He is the director of several videos of the band, such as Links 2-3-4, Mein Teil, Rosenrot or Mein Herz brennt. We organised our discussion around three main topics: general speaking, Mein Herz brennt (Explicit Version) and Mein Herz brennt (Piano Version). We would like to thank him for his kindness and for the depth of his answers.

When you work with them, they accept you as an artist, like I accept them as well. […] Not many artists do this, or can do this.

After all these "funny" videos I thought that it is time for another level.

Rammstein is the real stuff, that's why it is so intense.

If I could, I would propose them a trilogy… Let's see where our roads will lead us.

Hi Zoran! How are you?
Hello, I'm fine, thank you.
Your first video with Rammstein was Links 2-3-4 in 2001. Did you know the band before, and how did you come to work with them?
A friend of mine who was working at the management at that time, proposed me to them… Well, to Emu [Emanuel Fialik, the former manager, until 2010, ed]. In that time I had a huge success with a funny commercial, where an Asian is whipping another Asian ass.
It was on some "funny ads" shows, and he remembered that, and that is how I got in. I also did videos in that time, but more hip-hop stuff. Then they asked me to do a treatment for Links 2-3-4, which was difficult, because that song was controversial, even if the Rammstein position is clear in this song. Also, I was not sure if I was the right person for this job. There was a meeting with Ollie and Paul, and they checked on me, I checked on them, and Emu checked on me, I checked on Emu… Then we were sure about the fact that we didn't want to see the band performing. So I tried to do something completely "different".
My aim was to find something that can show totalitarism, as a metaphor, and using that powerful marching-groove. As a Saul Bass fan [an American graphist, ed] I was thinking about Spartacus (from Kubrick of course), when the romans attack the slaves, and of his film Phase IV, where ants are attacking scientists, and of Buñuel, Un chien andalou. I combined it to a story…
They loved the concept, especially Till, who is a nature fan (hunting, forests etc.) Interesting Point: Till and I had a discussion about the fact, if only Man can make art. I told him so, but he answered with the fact of a special bird, that is making arty nests for the female birds, just to impress them… And isn't that a very good motivation for making art? He knows a lot about that stuff. So, there it was, an arty animal music video that nobody expected to be like this. I know that not everybody loved it, but it opened the visual world of Rammstein, which is the most important thing. Since then I have been the guy for the "special" stuff, or the complicated stuff.
Could you say that your relationship with Rammstein became a friendship?
Every time we come together, a little bit, but as you know, there is also that song saying "out of sight out of mind". While doing Mein Teil [in 2004, ed], we really got somehow close. They opened up their inner feelings and fears and wishes. Well, almost all of them. When you work with them, they accept you as an artist, like I accept them as well. In that moment we are all on the same level, giving everything for the idea. Not many artists do this, or can do this. I accept this as a present, and a respect, like you respect a friend. But we don't meet in privacy or make holidays together, if you meant that.
When the band decides to shoot a video, what happens? Is there a "call for tender" or do they choose directly one director?
It is always different. Sometimes they already know with whom they want to work, like Jonas Akerlund [director for Pussy or Mein Land, for example, ed], or Eugenio, and sometimes there's a pitch, and you have to have the right idea. Sometimes they have a glimpse of an idea, and you have to fulfil it.
Then, the chosen director proposes his idea? We are not really aware of how everything goes.
Yes, you have to make a written treatment, or better: meet them in person. But then, you still do not know if you have the job. In my opinion, some of my lost pitches would have been better videos, but I will not tell which ones (laugh).
Maybe the others who pitched on mine would also be better (I had to say that…)
Usually in this business you get send the song, and you have to make a treatment for it.
Is everything frozen before the shooting, or is there a part of improvisation during it?
It is good to freeze, only then you can break the ice and improvise, which, in my opinion, is the most important in filmmaking… This project [Mein Herz brennt, ed] is the best example for it.
Does the band keep an eye on what you're doing during the video editing, or do they just check the final version?
You have to present the offline version, and it takes a while until everybody has seen it, and until they judge. They take decisions in a real democratic way, so it takes a while. Then you make changes, and then you make the online.
Rammstein just released Videos 1995-2012 in blu-ray, but many fans are disappointed because most of the videos are not in HD. Do you know if it is due to technical constraints or not?
I think that is the best possible that you can get of the quality of these videos. They had their stuff on old Betacam SP [a non-HD video format, ed] and if you shoot in this format, then you can't get the real HD. it was very problematic with the old material, that's the best quality you could get… Well, that's what I have been told.
I also have my videos, I mastered them on old Betacam SP, may be one is on Digi-Betacam [better quality than Betacam SP, but still not HD, ed].

Mein Herz brennt (Explicit Version)

The shooting of Mein Herz brennt (Explicit Version) has been quite chaotic. Eugenio Recuenco shot a first version of it, and then the band called you to finish the job. How did you deal with such a situation?
After all these "funny" videos I thought that it is time for another level. As I have seen Eugenio's photos with the band, I thought, "Man, he should make a video… He is the one". Then, one day I heard about it, that he was shooting with them, and I was super excited. I'm a big Eugenio admirer, I think he is a real artist. Later, there was this call, I have been asked to check the edit… I saw it and they asked me if I can change the edit. I tried, but I couldn't, it was very beautiful scenes and pictures, but not enough for that long song. So I proposed them to do additional scenes, especially performance scenes. Paul wanted to feature the cello parts, so we decided to make the cello performance. First, thinking that was enough, I added more scenes, to give Eugenio's wonderful pictures another guideline… not knowing where it will lead. I did links between some scenes and tried to give them a sense.
Eugenio Recuenco is very upset by this situation, as he publicly stated that Rammstein has fooled him, and a small controversy is born. He claimed that 70% of the images in the videos are theirs. What do you have to answer to him?
I don't know why he isn't allowed to show his work. HE SHOULD: then everybody would see anyway, why the band was not happy with the result. They explain it in the making of the video. Moreover, I always thought that we would share the director title. But he did not wanted it, he just wanted to be named for his footage, which, to say the truth, never is 70% of this video. That's why I would love that he can show his own version of the film. Thank God I did the Piano Version as well, because that is all my stuff. Also, nobody told me that he did not know that the band was not happy with his video, and that they wanted to rework on it with his material. As a fan of his work, I was really very nervous about that.
So, at the end of the job, I thought, wow, he likes the new version. "Finito". Furthermore, there was no complain at all, until he was not allowed to put his version on his website. Do you know when he saw the video? It was two months ago, or more. Now, I am very sorry for that, especially because I like his work so much. But this is the version that came out, that the band likes a lot.
Let met take an example that sum up the whole thing. I pay you to make a portrait of my face. You get the money and you paint it. But I don't like the result. As you get the money for your work, I have the fucking right to say: I don't want that someone sees that painting of my person, because it does not represent me. I do not like my face in this painting. However, I like the colours. The painting is mine, because you sold it to me. Then, I ask someone else to overdo it. That is may be not so nice of me, I know, but I am the force, sorry.
Now the person, who has overpainted it, did another painting, because he liked that subject so much. So he made me happy with the other version, AND a new painting… for less money. Yippee! I have shown you the new paintings. Two months ago, you said: hmm, that is not my painting anymore, I can't identify it so much, so do not use my name (maybe you just didn't like it…)
After that, I learn you made a copy of the old painting, and that you still want to show it to the world. The other painter has no problem with it… It is obvious, because he is just a painter. But I DO have, because I am the fucking force.
Many fans are wondering about the global meaning of this video. Could you give them some keys of interpretation?
The best is to keep it open and to let people make their own interpretation. If it awakes a feeling, then it is the right thing. But, at one step, it was clear for me. Both videos are a co-existence. Like Yin and Yang. It is about birth and death. The birth of a band, rising from flames that they have stoked… and walk away from the place where they where raised by their nightmares. And then leaving us, the final smoke, the spirit, which happens in the same time… Because Till's solo performance [the Piano version, ed] can happen in the same time while they walk towards us. We tried to do this in the audio as well.
With hindsight, are you satisfied with the result?
I don't know, you always can do better… It was a hard job for everybody… I don't know if any video can fulfil a Rammstein expectation. But personally, the Piano version is my Zen statement. I never have been that close to what I am looking for… Or let's say: beauty. Only possible with a performer like this
You released a great uncut version of Mein Teil a few months ago. Can we hope the same thing for Mein Herz brennt in the future, as it seems there is a ton of unexploited footage?
Who knows, we even tried to cut the pictures to the remix versions, but it was senseless. Maybe one day. But it is a different thing than Mein Teil. Totally.

Mein Herz brennt (Piano Version)

There is a clear link between the Piano version and the Explicit one. Could you give us your interpretation of the second video?
The Yang.
What is interesting is that if you take the Piano version separately, as a unique video, it has a totally different meaning, don't you think?
Actually… no! (Laughs)
Something in Till's eyes tells us that he's not only acting, but also expressing very personal stuff, about his artist status and the character he created for Rammstein. He is looking like a sad clown… Do you agree with that?
We did that video after the shoot. That's why there is also no information in the making of. While people were packing and undressing, we shot with Till this version, in only three takes. It's his demasked mask, the undressed clown, yes, you are right. The funny thing is, that his makeup is just the almost wiped out makeup from the scenes before. So it was really the feeling of the final curtain. Then I asked Till to fill the words with bipolarity, show both, hate and love, fear and joy. This gives the thing a schizophrenic feeling. Trying to hate, but with a smile, and trying to smile, with hate… Wow, what he delivered was real feelings. Or: real acting. We wanted to do a video, like it would be his last one, the farewell of the actor to his audience. This is Till's version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way".
Till has huge scars on the body. Did he do that specially for the shooting? We know that he is very involved in what he does, a true artist.
All I can tell you about it, is that they are fucking real… I also asked him about it, he told me that it comes from Flake's treatment to him on stage… But he had a smile in his face… and I think I have to think of an own version, or you, or maybe better not. (Maybe a nice inspiration for a future video…) In Rosenrot [shot in 2005 ed] we wanted to paint the scars on their bodies with special FX make up. Instead of that they preferred Vodka, and wanted to make real scars. So what you see is real whipping. The real stuff. Also what is happening to Till in Mein Teil, it is happening for real. Rammstein is the real stuff, that's why it is so intense.

Conclusion

So between Links 2-3-4, Mein Teil, Rosenrot and the two Mein Herz brennt, what's your favourite video?
It is like with children, you love all of them… but Mein Herz brennt (Piano version) is the new born.
We hope to see you again behind the camera for Rammstein. They have a strong image and such a potential! You should propose them to do a short film!
Oh I hope this as well, and if I could, I would propose them a trilogy… Let's see where our roads will lead us.
Thank you Zoran.
De rien, merci beaucoup ! [in french, ed]

If you want to know more about Zoran Bihać and his work, you can visit his Vimeo website, or follow him on Facebook.

Interview via email, December 2012.

Melanie Gaydosinterview

Melanie Gaydos, who worked with Rammstein, appears in Mein Herz brennt (explicit version). She was kind enough to grant us an interview. We would like to thank her.

They are all wonderful and sweet guys, so caring and indeed funny!

The video was directed and shot beautifully, taking the viewer on a journey that really makes them think of a variety of different meanings.

Hi Melanie, How are you? Could you introduce yourself to the Rammstein fans?
Hello, I am wonderful thank you! My name is Melanie Gaydos, I'm an art model currently based in NYC, USA.
Did you know the band before working with them? How is your relationship with Rammstein now? They seem to be very nice and funny guys!
I had known of the band growing up as I had listened to quite a lot of rock and heavy metal music. I did not know them personally until the videoshoot, where I was introduced to the team by Eugenio Recuenco. They are all wonderful and sweet guys, so caring and indeed funny! I had a wonderful time meeting them and talking with each of them on set. As we all have very busy schedules, I do keep in touch with their management team and had the pleasure of seeing them again when they were last in NYC!
The making of the video has been a bit complicated. The band wasn't fully satisfied with the first version shot be Eugenio Recuenco in December 2011. Did you feel that something was going wrong during the shooting?
I had not thought that there would be any problems with the actual videoshoot itself. I sensed there was a bit of language barrier, as I was the only American on set, and with the two teams being from different countries I imagine the communication must have been a bit difficult ! [Those problems are actually evoked in the making-of, ed]
Many fans are wondering about the scenario of the Mein Herz brennt video. May be you have some keys of interpretation for them. How do you understand it from your point of view?
I think the video itself is very close to interpretation as one would have for the lyrics. The video was directed and shot beautifully, taking the viewer on a journey that really makes them think of a variety of different meanings. It's inspirational! I myself play the Sandman, who takes the tears of little children from nightmares. Judging from the feedback from many of the fans, they are right on target!
With hindsight, how was this first experience with Rammstein? Did you enjoy the shooting of the video?
My first experience was Rammstein was truly a beautiful one… I absolutely loved being on set and communicating with everyone. It was a beautiful experience and I had truly felt like I was home. Even though I was miles away in Europe for the first time ever! I felt like this was what I was meant to be doing, and connecting with these kinds of people. Artists.
So what are your projects for the future? May be something is planned with Rammstein?
As of yet I do not know what the future may have in store for me or with Rammstein! I will keep doing what I love and enjoy, which is creating art and shooting. I very much hope to connect with more people though, and share more creativity with them.
Thank you Melanie, we wish you all the best!
Thank you so much as well RammsteinWorld!

If you want to know more about Melanie Gaydos and her work, you shoud visit her website. You can also follow her Facebook page.

Interview via email, December 2012.

Back to homepage
Close

Behind the scenes

Zoran Bihać - Beelitz-Heilstätten, Germany - Dec. 2011 / June 2012

See the video

Play the making of

Close the window
Home

Goodies

Wallpaper #1

Download 4/3 | 16/9

Wallpaper #2

Download 4/3 | 16/9

Facebook cover #1

Download

Facebook cover #2

Download

Mein Herz brennt piano sheet (by myuu)

Download | myuu's Youtube channel

Back to homepage