Mein Teil
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This article may contain original research. (October 2016) |
| "Mein Teil" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Rammstein | ||||
| from the album Reise, Reise | ||||
| Language | German | |||
| English title | "My Part"/"My Share" | |||
| Released | 26 July 2004 | |||
| Studio | El Cortijo (Málaga, Spain) | |||
| Genre | Neue Deutsche Härte | |||
| Length | 4:32 | |||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
| |||
| Rammstein singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Mein Teil" on YouTube | ||||
"Mein Teil" (German for "My Part" or "My Share") is a song by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. It was released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Reise, Reise (2004), on 26 July 2004. It was Rammstein's first number-one single, topping the Spanish Singles Chart. Remixes of the song were done by Arthur Baker and Pet Shop Boys. "Mein Teil" was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 48th Grammy Awards but lost to Slipknot's "Before I Forget".[1]
"Mein Teil" attracted controversy in Germany; the media dubbed it „Das Kannibalenlied“ ("The Cannibal Song") due to its lyrics referring to the Armin Meiwes cannibalism case, which helped to boost it to second place in the German music charts after its release in early August 2004.
Background and composition
[edit]The song is inspired by the case of Armin Meiwes and Bernd Jürgen Brandes. In March 2001, in Rotenburg an der Fulda, the two men aged in their 40s met each other, cut off and cooked Brandes' penis and attempted to consume it together. Afterwards, Meiwes killed Brandes, dismembered him and then stored and ate his remains over the next 10 months until he was caught in December 2002. As a result, Meiwes was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in jail for manslaughter, but was later charged with murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
According to bassist Oliver "Ollie" Riedel, the song came about after "one of our members brought a newspaper to rehearsal and it had a story about the cannibal guy in it. We were fascinated, shocked and amused at the same time". Vocalist Till Lindemann stated, "It is so sick that it becomes fascinating and there just has to be a song about it".[2]
Music video
[edit]The video for "Mein Teil" was directed by Zoran Bihac. It depicts Christoph Schneider cross-dressed as Armin Meiwes' mother, Till Lindemann receiving oral sex from an angel (played by Luciana Regina) before he eats her wings and kills her; Christian Lorenz performing ballet in a hallucinatory state; Paul Landers shaking, screaming violently and wandering around in a frantic and crazed state; Richard Kruspe violently fighting with his doppelgänger; Oliver Riedel writhing on the floor in painful spasms with his skin covered in white powder, in a style closely resembling the Japanese dance form of butoh; the band fighting in a mudpit; and Schneider leading the rest of the band on leashes as they crawl out of the Deutsche Oper U-Bahn (subway) station and behave like dogs.
At the beginning of the song in the video, the phrase „Suche gut gebauten Achtzehn- bis Dreißigjährigen zum Schlachten – Der Metzgermeister“ ("Looking for [a] well built 18- to 30-year-old to slaughter – The Master Butcher") is spoken, voiced by Riedel, although the album version of the song does not have this beginning. The quote is taken from an online post by Armin Meiwes.
The controversy over "Mein Teil" prompted MTV Germany to restrict the airing of the music video to after 11 PM.
Live performances
[edit]
It debuted in three consecutive concerts for members of the fan club, in October 2004. This song is one of the most notable live performances of the 2004–2005 Reise, Reise tour. From the central backstage access, Till Lindemann appears pulling a giant cooking pot. He is dressed as a blood-stained chef holding a microphone with a large, real cooking knife attached to the end. Keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz appears in the pot, with metal cylinders attached to his arms and legs, and plays the keyboard during the song. After the second chorus, Till takes a flamethrower and roasts the bottom of the pot, "cooking" Flake. Flake escapes from the pot and starts running around the stage with flames erupting from his arms and legs, while chased by a knife-wielding Till.
When Flake was asked about what it is like to perform this, he said: "It is fine. It is only pain. Although one can not breathe in, because then one would inhale the flames and die". Due to all of the theatrical performance, the song usually extended to six or seven minutes when played live. It was played at every concert of the Ahoi Tour, but was dropped on the Liebe ist für alle da Tour, a move which irritated many fans. However, it returned to playlist for the Latin American leg of the tour in 2010, the Auckland and Perth legs of the Big Day Out festival and the South African leg of the tour in 2011, all replacing "Ich tu dir weh" except on the Brazilian leg of the South America tour, where both songs were played. The song has since returned to the playlist of the Made in Germany 1995–2011 concert tour. They dropped the live performance again in 2016, until 2019, when it was included in the setlist for their Europe Stadium Tour. It has been included on the setlist for the Europe Stadium Tour and North American Stadium Tour of 2022, and also for the Europe Stadium Tour 2023 and 2024.
Track listing
[edit]CD single
- "Mein Teil" (Single Version) – 4:23
- "Mein Teil" (You Are What You Eat Edit) Remix by Pet Shop Boys – 4:07
- "Mein Teil" (Return to New York Buffet Mix) Remix by Arthur Baker – 7:22
- "Mein Teil" (There Are No Guitars on This Mix) Remix by Pet Shop Boys – 7:20
- The Australian edition also features the "Mein Teil" video.
Mini-CD single
- "Mein Teil" (Single Version) – 4:23
- "Mein Teil" (You Are What You Eat Edit) Remix by Pet Shop Boys – 4:07
- Also released as a two-track CD single.
2 x 12-inch vinyl single (limited to 1000 copies)
- "Mein Teil" (You Are What You Eat Mix) Remix by Pet Shop Boys – 6:45
- "Mein Teil" (You Are What You Eat Instrumental Mix) Remix by Pet Shop Boys – 7:00
- "Mein Teil" (The Return to New York Buffet Mix) Remix by Arthur Baker – 7:22
- "Mein Teil" (The Return to New York Buffet Instrumental Mix) Remix by Arthur Baker – 7:23
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
|
References
[edit]- ^ 48th Grammy Awards - 2006. Rock on the Net. Accessed 2 July 2009.
- ^ Agence France-Presse (29 August 2004). German rock band's 'part' song tells of cannibals' repast. Taipei Times. Accessed 2 July 2009.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 229.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil". Tracklisten. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein: Mein Teil" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil". VG-lista. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 8/8/2004 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil". Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ "Rammstein – Mein Teil". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart on 8/8/2004 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart on 8/8/2004 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2004" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
Citations
[edit]- "Strange tastes", Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia), 24 October 2004
- "German cannibal inspires hard rockers Rammstein to new hit", Agence France Presse, 27 August 2004
- "Shock'n'roll Circus", The Times (London), 29 January 2005
External links
[edit]Mein Teil
View on GrokipediaConception and recording
Inspiration and development
The inspiration for "Mein Teil" originated from the 2001 Armin Meiwes cannibalism case in Germany, where Meiwes, a computer repair technician, posted an advertisement on a fetish website seeking a consenting victim to be killed and eaten. Bernd Jürgen Armando Brandes, a 43-year-old engineer, responded to the ad, met Meiwes, and agreed to the act; Meiwes severed Brandes's penis, which they attempted to eat, before killing and consuming portions of his body over several months.[10] The case, which surfaced publicly in late 2002, shocked the world due to its consensual nature and the detailed video recording Meiwes made of the events.[11] During the 2003 sessions for Rammstein's fourth studio album, Reise, Reise, the band encountered reports of the case through media coverage, including newspapers, which ignited internal discussions about its psychological and societal implications. Frontman Till Lindemann, who handles the band's lyrics, was particularly struck by the story, describing it as "so sick that it becomes fascinating" and proposing the title "Mein Teil" ("My Part"), a phrase evoking the victim's offering of his body in the incident.[3] Guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe collaborated closely with Lindemann on the core concept, delving into the motivations behind the act as a lens for exploring themes of extreme intimacy and self-sacrifice, with Kruspe noting his fascination with "why he would want to kill a man and eat [him]" as a compelling narrative for a song.[12] The development of "Mein Teil" unfolded amid the album's broader examination of journeys—both literal travel and metaphorical voyages into human darkness—positioned as a provocative commentary on depravity rather than mere sensationalism. Despite anticipating backlash, the band unanimously selected it as the lead single, embracing the controversy to highlight societal taboos.[13]Recording and production
"Mein Teil" was recorded during the sessions for Rammstein's fourth studio album, Reise, Reise, which took place from November 2003 to May 2004 primarily at El Cortijo Studios in Málaga, Spain.[14] The drums for the track were captured separately at Studio 301 in Stockholm, Sweden.[15] The song was produced by the band members in collaboration with their longtime producer Jacob Hellner, emphasizing a raw industrial metal aesthetic.[16] Mixing duties were handled by Stefan Glaumann at Toytown Studios in Stockholm, resulting in a clear and aggressive sound that highlights the band's instrumentation. Key production elements include heavy, distorted guitar riffs crafted by Richard Z. Kruspe and Paul Landers, layered with pulsating electronic beats from the rhythm section, and Till Lindemann's signature growled vocals, all contributing to the track's intense 4:32 duration.[17][18] In post-production, additional choir arrangements by Sven Helbig were incorporated to amplify the song's dramatic tension, drawing from its cannibalism-inspired theme to underscore the grotesque narrative.[19] The final mastering occurred at Masterdisk Corporation in New York, ensuring a polished yet brutal sonic profile.[20]Music and lyrics
Musical composition
"Mein Teil" exemplifies the Neue Deutsche Härte genre, a style pioneered by Rammstein that fuses industrial metal's aggressive guitar riffs and pounding rhythms with electronic synth elements and a theatrical edge.[21] This track blends heavy, distorted instrumentation with atmospheric electronic textures, creating a sound that is both mechanical and visceral, characteristic of the band's approach to industrial influences.[22] The song's structure adheres to a conventional verse-chorus format, opening with an intro dominated by ominous, low synth tones that establish a brooding atmosphere before transitioning into the first verse.[23] Verses build tension with spoken-word delivery over sparse rhythms, leading into pre-choruses that escalate the dynamics; the chorus then erupts with full-band force, featuring anthemic hooks and layered guitars. A mid-song bridge intensifies the composition through heavy distorted guitar work and double-kick drum patterns from drummer Christoph Schneider, culminating in a keyboard solo by Christian Lorenz that adds electronic flair before returning to the final chorus.[23] This progression mirrors Rammstein's signature build-up, emphasizing rhythmic drive over complex solos. Musically, "Mein Teil" operates at a mid-tempo of 88 beats per minute in the key of D minor, allowing for a deliberate, marching pulse that underscores its thematic weight.[24] Bassist Oliver Riedel's prominent, throbbing bass line anchors the track, providing a foundational groove that intertwines with the electronic undercurrents from Lorenz's keyboards, which contribute haunting, synth-driven atmospheres throughout.[25] The composition draws clear influences from industrial pioneers like Ministry and KMFDM, evident in its fusion of mechanical percussion, abrasive guitars, and provocative sonic intensity that defines Rammstein's oeuvre.[26] These elements are amplified by production layering of synths and overdriven guitars, heightening the track's raw power without altering its core structural simplicity.[27]Lyrical themes
The lyrics of "Mein Teil" were penned by Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann, who is responsible for all the band's textual content.[28] Written entirely in German, the song features a verse-chorus structure with repetitive, anthemic choruses that center on the titular phrase "Mein Teil" ("My Part"), framing it as an intimate, possessive request for a body part within a cannibalistic framework.[29] This repetition underscores the obsessive nature of the desire, blending eroticism with horror through vivid, grotesque imagery. The narrative unfolds as a first-person account of a seemingly consensual meeting between two men, which rapidly escalates into acts of dismemberment and consumption, presented as a twisted romantic liaison.[2] It draws direct parallels to the 2001 Armin Meiwes cannibalism case, where Meiwes killed and partially consumed Bernd Jürgen Brandes at the latter's request, but stylizes the events into a surreal, almost affectionate exchange rather than a factual retelling.[2] Key lines, such as "Du hast mich gefragt, ob ich schon mal einen Menschen gegessen habe" ("You asked if I've ever eaten a human"), highlight the dialogue-driven progression from curiosity to consummation, emphasizing mutual agreement amid the macabre.[29] Central themes revolve around the exploration of forbidden desires, the boundaries of consent in extreme scenarios, and a vein of dark humor that permeates the absurdity of the scenario.[2] Rather than glorifying violence, the lyrics critique societal taboos and the psychological underpinnings of such acts, portraying cannibalism not as mere horror but as a metaphor for ultimate intimacy and possession.[2] The band's intent, as reflected in the song's origin from media reports on the Meiwes case, positions it as satire targeting sensationalist coverage that overshadowed broader global issues like the Iraq War, without endorsing the depicted behaviors.[2]Release
Commercial release
"Mein Teil" was released as the lead single from Rammstein's fourth studio album, Reise, Reise, on July 26, 2004, by Universal Music in Europe.[1][8] The single was issued in multiple physical formats, including a standard CD single in jewel case, an enhanced maxi-CD in digipak packaging, a mini 3-inch CD, and a limited-edition double 12-inch vinyl pressing restricted to 1,000 copies in Germany.[30][31] Digital download availability followed as part of the evolving music distribution landscape. The release featured remixes by Pet Shop Boys ("You Are What You Eat Edit") and Arthur Baker ("The Return to New York Buffet Mix" and "There Are No Guitars on This Mix").[30] Promotion for the single was integrated into the broader rollout of Reise, Reise, with radio airplay and media coverage centering on the track's provocative theme of cannibalism.[1] The artwork depicted a meat grinder bearing the Rammstein logo, underscoring the song's macabre subject matter. The track has seen subsequent re-releases, appearing on the 2011 greatest hits compilation Made in Germany 1995–2011 and as part of the XXXIII Collector's Vinyl Box Set, released on November 14, 2025, which remasters all of Rammstein's singles in a limited-edition 33-disc anthology.[32][33]Standard European CD Single
The standard European CD single for "Mein Teil" was released as an enhanced maxi-single, featuring the edited single version alongside remixes by Pet Shop Boys and Arthur Baker, as well as a video track.[20]| No. | Title | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Mein Teil" | 4:23 | Single version |
| 2 | "Mein Teil (You Are What You Eat Edit)" | 4:07 | Remix by Pet Shop Boys |
| 3 | "Mein Teil (The Return to New York Buffet Mix)" | 7:22 | Remix by Arthur Baker |
| 4 | "Mein Teil (There Are No Guitars on This Mix)" | 7:20 | Remix by Arthur Baker |
| Video | "Mein Teil" | 4:24 | Music video |
German Maxi-CD
A German maxi-CD edition was also issued, mirroring the track listing of the European CD single but in a digipak format.[34]| No. | Title | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Mein Teil" | 4:23 | Single version |
| 2 | "Mein Teil (You Are What You Eat Edit)" | 4:07 | Remix by Pet Shop Boys |
| 3 | "Mein Teil (The Return to New York Buffet Mix)" | 7:22 | Remix by Arthur Baker |
| 4 | "Mein Teil (There Are No Guitars on This Mix)" | 7:20 | Remix by Arthur Baker |
| Video | "Mein Teil" | 4:24 | Music video |
Mini 3-inch CD
The mini 3-inch CD single contains the single version only.[35]| No. | Title | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Mein Teil" | 4:23 | Single version |
Vinyl Edition
The vinyl edition was released as a limited-edition double 12" set in Germany, exclusively featuring extended remixes without the album or single versions. This format was produced in a strictly limited run.[36][31]| Side | Title | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | "Mein Teil (You Are What You Eat Mix)" | 6:45 | Remix by Pet Shop Boys |
| B | "Mein Teil (You Are What You Eat Instrumental Mix)" | 7:00 | Remix by Pet Shop Boys |
| C | "Mein Teil (The Return to New York Buffet Mix)" | 7:22 | Remix by Arthur Baker |
| D | "Mein Teil (The Return to New York Buffet Instrumental Mix)" | 7:23 | Remix by Arthur Baker |