Opium fürs Volk

Opium fürs Volk (Opium for the people) is the seventh studio album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen. Although it's not considered a concept album, it has a central theme of religion (exemplified by the intro "Vaterunser", "Die zehn Gebote" and "Paradies"). It's regarded as one of the best DTH albums.^[1][2] The title is derived from a common misquotation of Karl Marx, who called religion the Opium of the People - Opium des Volkes.

Track listing

1. "Vaterunser" (Our Father) (Traditional) − 1:10
2. "Mensch" (Man) (von Holst/Frege) − 4:08
3. "Die Fliege" (The fly) (Frege/Frege) − 1:54
4. "Die zehn Gebote" (The ten commandments) (Rohde/Frege) − 4:04
5. "Böser Wolf" (roughly Big Bad Wolf) (von Holst/Frege) − 4:02
6. "Nichts bleibt für die Ewigkeit" (Nothing stays for infinity) (von Holst, Frege/Müller, von Holst, Frege) − 4:10
7. "Ewig währt am längsten (Dub)" (lit. Forever lasts the longest; a pun on Ehrlich währt am längsten [roughly Honesty is the best policy]) (Meurer/Müller, von Holst, Frege) − 2:54
8. "Und so weiter" (And so on) (Rohde/Frege, Müller) − 1:40
9. "Bonnie & Clyde" (Breitkopf/Frege) − 3:30
10. "Der Froschkönig" (The frog king) (Breitkopf/Frege) − 3:47
11. "XTC" (Meurer/Frege) − 4:16
12. "Lügen" (Lies) (von Holst/Frege) − 4:12
13. "Paradies" (Paradise) (Frege/Frege) − 4:08
14. "Und wir leben" (And we're living) (Meurer/Frege) − 3:50
15. "Er denkt, sie denkt" (He thinks, she thinks) (Frege/Frege) − 4:34
16. "Seelentherapie" (Soul therapy) (Breitkopf/Frege) − 5:13
17. "Viva la Revolution" (Breitkopf/Frege) − 4:46
18. "Zehn kleine Jägermeister" (roughly Ten little hunters/Jägermeisters) (Rohde/Müller, Frege) − 4:45

2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks

19. "Fliegen" (Flying) (Frege/Frege) – 4:28 (from "Pushed Again")
20. "Prominentenpsychose" (Celebrity psychosis) (Frege/Frege) – 3:14 (from "Nichts bleibt für die Ewigkeit")
21. "Herzglück harte Welle" (roughly Heartluck strong wave) (Rohde/Frege) – 1:57 (from "Bonnie & Clyde")

Singles

1995: "Nichts bleibt für die Ewigkeit"
1996: "Paradies"
1996: "Bonnie & Clyde"
1996: "Zehn kleine Jägermeister"

Demos

One unreleased demo from the album surfaced in 2007 with the re-release of Auf dem Kreuzzug ins Glück.

• "Kitsch" (Breitkopf/Frege) – 3:53

Personnel

• Campino - vocals
• Andreas von Holst - guitar
• Michael Breitkopf - guitar
• Andreas Meurer - bass
• Wolfgang Rohde - drums

Charts

References