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Eisbr

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Wikipedia article




"'Eisbr'" (German for polar bear) is a 1980 cult hit[http://www.swisskulthits.ch/vol1/songs.html Swiss Kult Hits.ch] composed by the Swiss Neue Deutsche Welle band Grauzone.[http://www.discogs.com/Grauzone-Eisb%C3%A4r/master/42687 Eisbr single (Discogs)] It first appeared on the 1980 compilation album 'Swiss Wave - The Album'.[http://www.discogs.com/master/43611 Swiss Wave The Album (Discogs)] The shorter single version was later collected on the Grauzone album 'Die Sunrise Tapes' (1998).[http://www.discogs.com/Grauzone-Die-Sunrise-Tapes/release/243167 Die Sunrise Tapes (Discogs)]

The song features a man singing he wants to be "a polar bear in the cold polar", because by being one he "wouldn't have to cry any longer and everything would be fine." The instrumental arrangement also evokes an Arctic atmosphere.

Grauzone recorded in 1982 an English-language version (Polar Bear) of the song, which was first released in 2010 on the double CD 'Grauzone 1980-1982 Remastered'.[http://www.mital-u.ch/grauzone/music.html#A9 mital-U - Grauzone 1980-1982 Remastered]

The song is post-punk performed with guitar, drums and synthesizers.[http://www.ichwillspass.de/ndw/bands/grauzone.htm Grauzone - Ich will Spass.de]

Track listing



; 7" single (1981)

: A "Eisbr" (4:17)

: B "Ich lieb sie" (I Love Her) (3:18)

; 12" single (1981)

: A "Eisbr" (4:17)

: B1 "Ich lieb sie" (3:18)

: B2 "Film 2" (3:35)

Chart performance



Covers and cultural references



* In 1990, Polar Pop (feat. Mc Grzimek) released a house version of the song.[http://www.discogs.com/Polar-Pop-Eisbr/master/62497 Polar Pop - Eisbr (Discogs)]

* In 1993, Prisonshake released a cover version on the B-side of their "Two Sisters" single.

* In 1996, Scholle (ohne Schwester C.) produced a dance version on the compilation NDD - New German Dancefloor Stufe 3.[http://www.discogs.com/Various-NDD-Neuer-Deutscher-Dancefloor-3/release/148410 NDD - Neuer Deutscher Dancefloor 3 (Discogs)]

* In 1997, The Belgian hard house discjockey Frdric de Backer released a cover of the song under the pseudonym GrooveZone.[http://www.discogs.com/Groovezone-Eisbaer/master/116056 Groovezone - Eisbaer (Discogs)] It was released in 24 countries and sold over 300,000 copies.

* In 2001, The Austrian Neue Deutsche Hrte band Stahlhammer covered this song, it appears on the album 'Eisenherz' (2006).[http://stahlhammer.org/v4/articles/albumreviews/eisenherz4.php Stahlhammer > Eisenherz album review]

* In 2003, Knorkator feat. Holger Klein interpreted the song.[http://www.metalnews.de/?metalid=06&action=show&konid=137 METALNEWS.DE - LIVE: Knorkator @ JUZ Klrwerk, Amberg]

* In 2004, The German band Razzia covered Eisbr on their album Relativ Sicher Am Strand (2004)

* In 2004, The German Neue Deutsche Hrte band Oomph! released their version of the song as a B-side on the single "Augen Auf!", and on a new edition version of 'Wahrheit oder Pflicht'.[http://www.elektrolurch.com/spezial/oomph!/oomph!.htm ELEKTROLURCH BANDSPECIAL - OOMPH!]

* In 2006, The French band Nouvelle Vague recorded a version of the song for their album 'Bande Part'[http://www.laut.de/lautstark/cd-reviews/n/nouvelle_vague/bande_a_part/index.htm laut.de | Nouvelle Vague - "Bande A Part" (CD-Kritik)]

* The Dresden Dolls has covered the song in live concerts.

* Rodolphe Burger has covered the song in live concerts with Stphane Eicher as guest.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2PRN14Toas|Rodolphe Burger & Olivier Cadiot - Eisbr (avec Stephan Eicher) - Psychopharmaka Festival "C'est dans la Valle" 2013]

* In 2016, the song featured in the Swiss-French animated film My Life as a Courgette.

* In 2016, Mexican Stoner Rock band SUPERHIGH recorded a spanish version titled "Oso Polar", and released it as a digital single.

* In 2016, Deathline International covered this song on their Eisbr EP.[https://www.discogs.com/release/8583361-Deathline-Intl-Eisb%C3%A4r Deathline International - Eisbr (Discogs)]

* In 2017, The German Neue Deutsche Hrte band Eisbrecher covered this song on their Sturmfahrt album.[https://www.discogs.com/Eisbrecher-Sturmfahrt/master/1228474 Eisbrecher - Sturmfahrt (Discogs)]

* In 2018 the band Mind Spiders covered the song and translated the lyrics to english on their album Furies.

* In 2020 Eisbr was added to the Grand Theft Auto radio station, Kult F.M.

* In 2021, Sam Vance-Law released a cover of the song on his NDW EP

References



Category:German-language Swiss songs

Category:Swiss pop songs

Category:1981 singles

Category:1980 songs

Category:Arctic in fiction

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