New single “Zeitgeist”
Marius Müller-Westernhagen settled accounts with Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder appears in the new video by Marius Müller-Westernhagen.
© Youtube
“Zeitgeist” is the name of the new single by Marius Müller-Westernhagen. In the accompanying video, the singer deals with the war in Ukraine – and attacks an old friend.
“Someone who could bang on the table and was a highly intellectual”: Only three years ago, Marius Müller-Westernhagen praised the former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the “Bild” interview. When asked specifically about his lobbying work for Russian President Putin, he didn’t want to say anything critical at the time: “It was never explained to me why he went down this path so radically.”
In the meantime, the musician apparently sees his long-time companion with different eyes: Schröder also makes a brief appearance in the video that has just been released for his new single “Zeitgeist”. In the clip, Müller-Westernhagen is standing in a warehouse in front of a gigantic video screen, images of the war are flickering on the screen, explosions can be seen repeatedly, and groups of fleeing people are wandering through the image. Corona and climate change also occur.
However, completely different contemporary phenomena are also discussed: both Heidi Klum and the Kardashians can be seen, as can former US President Donald Trump and Russia’s ruler Vladimir Putin.
Marius Müller-Westernhagen and the laughing Gerhard Schröder
When the laughing Schröder appears briefly, Westernhagen sings: “I prayed, you killed, the power of your words.” This probably doesn’t mean the ex-politician, because shortly afterwards he talks about a “Botox face”. But the singer found another way to express his disappointment with Schröder: When the SPD politician appeared on the wall a second time, Westernhagen leaned his head against the wall in despair.
The desperation is not without reason: During Schröder’s seven-year chancellorship, Westernhagen was considered a close comrade-in-arms and adviser to the head of government. Among other things, Westernhagen supported the 1999 campaign to introduce dual citizenship.
Marius Müller-Westernhagen is apparently disappointed in former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.
© Youtube
Overall, the song is lyrically an exploration of current events and short-lived hypes. “Up today, down tomorrow“, sings the musician, “If you can’t do anything, just pretend“.
Musically, on the other hand, Westernhagen has little new to offer: the Hammond organ howls and the blues guitar nibbles like it did at its best. But the 73-year-old also finds a suitable line for this: “The strength in my loins melted in my hands.”
After all, the strength is still enough for this political song. “Zeitgeist” is the harbinger of Marius Müller-Westernhagen’s new album “Das Eine Leben”, which will be released on May 20th. At least one former fan will probably be less interested in it: Gerhard Schröder’s interest in the music of his former friend should be limited after this video.
Source used: Youtube/Marius Müller-Westernhagen, “Bild.de”