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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Political points at their best, 22 Nov 2002
I personally consider myself to be left wing, politically. And I find that I agree with every political point this album makes. Not because it takes a political line - because it makes common sense. The pieces written on it to satirise the Wiemar Republic, it is quite chilling to realise how relevant their points still are. Tackling everything from the views of the elite, in "The Smart Set", to Feminism in "Chuck out the men", gay rights in "The Lavender Song", to the degeneration of society in "It's all a swindle". Taking an apolitical line ("The left betrays, the right dismays", from "It's all a swindle"), the simple message of sense is hammered home through witty lines, good music, and the wonderful voice of Ute Lemper. "Munchhausen" is quickly becoming my favourite piece - it is also the longest - where a person describes their seeing a perfect world, where women have the choice of abortion, where Justices are truly just, where films are not propaganda features, where disarmament has happened, where 'nowhere will you see those flags which sport that *thing* that zigs, and zags'. Except the narrator of the story is Munchhausen - a man infamous for being a liar. Lemper's powerful voice does this piece perfect justice, capturing the hope of the perfect world, the dismay of it not being true, the hatred in the chorus, repeating in ever more bitter tones 'Liar, liar, liar liar liar ... but how I wish your lies were true', and finally the disillusionment; 'truth's as hard and tough as nails, that's why we need fairy tales'. The booklet in the CD cover does a good job explaining the context, and relevance of the songs, for those who have no knowledge of the history that these songs were originally set in, and yet in a way it is unnecessary; the songs have proved unfortunately timeless. Although they contain a possible note of optimism, it should be noted that that optimism was 80 years ago - and we have made nearly no social progress since then. Why should the optimism be any more relevant now, than then? I consider this album to be a wonderful piece of satire, a timeless comment of society both of the past, and the present. Even if sociological criticism isn't your thing, Ute Lemper's voice will melt your heart - I would recommend that anyone buy this.
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