EL DORADO is the title track of the album, EL DORADO. It was recorded and released in 2009, featuring songs about the green green grass on the far side of wherever we are. Here’s an updated version of this French song, more or less as we play it today.

Original tracks used in this version:
Christopher - acoustic guitars
Kerstin - viola
Kiki - lead vocals
Kruisko - accordion
Lüül - banjo
Daniel - violin
Rike - cello

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Band & Scheiben Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - electric guitar, bass harmonica
Danda - backing vocals, bass
Kiki - glockenspiel
Uwe Langer - trombone
Uli Moritz - drums

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop and Carsten Wegener
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Mon El Dorado,
symphonie d’un "going better".
Mon El Dorado,
symphonie d’un "going fine".

Quand le jour se lève à peine, my sweetheart.
Les heures m’emmènent vers du jamais vu.

Et puis tu vas voir
le lieu où on se retrouvera.
Et puis tu vas me voir,
je ne porte plus ma robe noire.
Parmi mille regards je serai la seule en ton œil.

Mon El Dorado,
symphonie d’un pur bonheur.

Mon El Dorado, symphonie…

Parmi mille regards je serai la seule en ton œil.
Mon El Dorado,
symphonie d’un pur bonheur.
Les heures m’emmènent vers du jamais vu.

Mon El Dorado…

Translations: 17hippies.de/text/el-dorado

LA ZONA DROM I is a slightly different version of the intro for the original track recorded for the EL DORADO album. The drone is a very short part of a long recording session played by candlelight on a number of monochords in a kitchen.

Original tracks used in this version:
Christopher - monochord
Henry - clarinet
Guest: Klaus Wagner - monochord

Recorded by Klaus Wagner in his studio kitchen.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
none

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop and Klaus Wagner

ATCHAFALAYA was written in Hotel Cazan, Mamou (Louisiana). We had just come back from a twilight swamp cruise, where we had been shown a crocodile lying on a tree stump. A red moon had risen. The crocodile was dead. The overdubs for the tune took two days to complete because we kept asking our drummer, Knut, to play louder and louder. We called his beat the crocodile beat.

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - tenor sax
Christopher - acoustic guitar, bass, ukulele
Dirk - acoustic guitar, lead vocals
Elmar - trumpet
Uwe Langer - trombone
Henry - clarinet

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Band & Scheiben Studio.
Horns recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - bass harmonica
Daniel - mandolins
Danda - backing vocals, bass
Kiki - backing vocals
Knut - drums
Paul - trumpet solo

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.
Paul recorded his trumpet at home.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Roter Mond – die Sonne wirft den Abend
über unsere Köpfe weit hinab.
Da sitzten wir nun, rastlos wie die Raben …
Roter Mond – am Ende vom Tag.

Stolz versinkt die Stadt in tiefes Schweigen.
Ziellos treiben wir umher.
Dann geh’n die Lichter aus am Atchafalaya,
roter Mond – die Strassen sind leer.

Am Atchafalaya …
der rote Mond und wir
warten hier auf den Morgen.

Hinter weissen Türen tausend Blicke,
sehen aus den Fenstern nur die Nacht.
Prophet im eigenen Land
sind meist doch nur die anderen.
Die von hier verlaufen sich im Sand.

Am Atchafalaya …
dann geh’n die Lichter aus am Atchafalaya,
roter Mond – die Strassen sind leer.

Ich bin nur ein Zaungast eurer Träume,
gehe nur vorbei und nirgends ‘rein.
Die Azaleen leuchten gelb, als wollten sie beweisen:
Was schön ist, bleibt nicht für Ewigkeit.

Am Atchafalaya …

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/atchafalaya

IFNI was written in 2003 in a hotel on a clifftop in Sidi Ifni (Morocco), using part of an oud melody Carsten had recorded and given to Christopher on a cassette for his birthday. We recorded a first version in French for HARDCORE TROBADORS in 2004 with Les Hurlements d’Léo, and a second, German version, that same year for our IFNI album. This is an updated version of that recording.

Original tracks used in this version:
Carsten - jews harp, oud
Christopher - guitar
Lüül - banjo
Kruisko - accordion

Recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - bass, backing vocals, electric guitars, oud
Danda - bass, backing vocals
Kiki - lead vocal, choir
Roland Satterwhite - violins
Uli Moritz - pandero

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Pandero recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop and Carsten Wegener
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Es ist so still,
als wäre sie allein.
Sie schläft nicht ein,
noch ist sie wach.

Ihr Puls vibriert …
sie träumt was sie nicht will

Dalila, sagt Vater ihr und
schaut sie an, verliert den Halt …
Dalila! Geh' zu ihm,
du brauchst was er dir gibt.
Er greift nach ihrer Hand.

Ifni... touchez-la…
Ma smala attend de moi ce que vous lui faites ce soir.

Es ist so ... still. Sie zählt die Zeit.

Ihr Puls vibriert,
sie sieht nicht ... viel.
Dalila, Dalila
sie schläft nicht ein,
verliert den Halt.

Dunst steigt auf,
die Nacht wird wach,
Hände zucken noch,
sie weiß nicht mehr was war.

Ifni... touchez-moi…
Ma smala attend de moi ce que vous me faites ce soir.

Tout le monde attend de moi ce que vous me faites…
Pourquoi ?

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/ifni

AJSINO ORO is a traditional tune from the Balkans, probably Albania. For our 2014 BIESTER album, we invited a different percussionist for each track. We also wanted the various styles and sounds of the players to clash. After watching Aly Keita play in Berlin, we asked him if he was up for a jam. To our surprise he was, and gave us one of our most memorable recording sessions of all time. He came to our practice space and needed only five minutes to set up. Without discussing the music we began to play and let the ideas flow!

Original tracks used in this version:
Christopher - conducting
Danda - bass
Daniel - violin
Henry - clarinet
Kerstin - viola
Kiki - flute
Kruisko - accordion, sounds
Lüül - banjo
Romain Vicente - drums
Guest: Aly Keita - balaphone

Recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Roland Satterwhite - violins
Paul Brody - trumpet

Roland was recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Paul recorded his trumpet at home.

Music - Traditional

ACROSS WATERS was originally recorded for the PHANTOM SONGS album in 2011, and as with Singapore, we hadn’t finished recording the string section. This version also captures our current live sound with drums and upright bass.

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - tenor sax
Christopher - guitars, mandolin, ukulele
Daniel - violin
Elmar - trumpet
Kerstin - viola
Kruisko - accordion
Guest: Klaus Wagner (guitars, marimba, percussion, tubular bells)

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Burning Toast Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Danda - bass, backing vocals
Héloise Lefèbre - violins, violin solo, viola
Knut - drums
Liron Yariv - cello
Paul Brody - trumpet

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Strings arranged and recorded by Héloise Lefèbre at Das Büro.
Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.

Music and Lyrics by Christopher Blenkinsop

Come in son, take off them boots,
hang up your coat,
pull up that chair to the stove, where it’s warm.
Will you have coffee or tea
on this grey November morning ...?

Thank you for asking, I guess I’m ok,
last night I woke up
with a dream that’s been haunting me ...
Over and over again I see faces
turning away from the fire ...

... that’s burning the house
that my father was born in.
Down by the river,
now covered in ice
that people are trying to cross,
frantically hoping to save what is left
of their lives.

Across the waters.
Across the cold dark waters.

Then all of a sudden the images change,
far away hills roll away in the sun.
I feel the longing of spring ...
there’s me as a child.

Happily laughing goodbye to my father
who is leaving to fight in some war
and the house seems to whisper: leave ...

Across the waters ...

So thank you for asking,
yes I’m ok, this fire has burnt down low
but don’t worry.
It has ceased to remind me
of my home by the river ...
I’m ready to leave.

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/across-waters

DREH DICH NICHT UM is a song that was written in 2005, while on tour in France. When friends from Vienna asked us whether we’d be interested in collaborating on a tune, we rearranged the song to fit a keyboard lick our friends had sent us. The result was LAUTLOS, a track released by Deladap in 2006. Digging through our archives for tunes to release in 9.000 NÄCHTE, we found our original demo and decided to finish the original track.

Original tracks used in this version:
Carsten - jews harp, singing saw, slide guitar, zoura
Christopher - backing vocals, bass, oud, ukulele, tampura
Kiki - lead vocals
Kruisko - accordion
Uwe Langer - trombone
Guest: Klaus Wagner (loads of percussion and sound loops)

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Band & Scheiben Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - bass
Danda - bass

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Fais attention à toi,
tu es belle !
Du gehst zu weit,
wenn kein Horizont dich hält.

Tu sais bien, love
Sehnsucht ist,
was sich nicht gern verliert.

Dreh' dich nicht um,
sieh' mich an.
Wir sehen uns,
nur die Frage bleibt noch wann

Tu sais bien,
Sehnsucht „is the hope
of lonesome nights“

Jolie belle, liebst du mich,
rien me gêne.
Nur der Horizont,
sieh wie er fast brennt
Du kannst gehen, bleiben, sterben.
But don't make me sad.

Lautlos ...

Tu es beau, love, tu me fais du bien !

WORKSONG is our a cover of Bill Laswell’s classic tune from his album 1983 album Baselines. We released our first version on our Biester album in 2014. The 9.000 Nächte version has added drums.

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - tenor sax
Christopher - conductor
Danda - bass
Elmar - trumpet
Kiki - accordion
Kruisko - accordion
Lüül - banjo
Uwe Langer - trombone
Guests: Jens Domberg - trombone, Katja Braun - viola, Orlando Broeykens - sousaphone, Silke Volland - violin, Liron Yariv - cello

Recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Knut Hagedorn - drums

Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.

Music by Bill Laswell

BLUMEN IM GLAS was the first song we recorded for our 2021 PHANTOM SONGS album. After our second concert tour in China we had acquired a fascinating for Chinese instruments. We were looking for a sound for the opening of the song. Our studio wizard, Klaus Wagner, who had just recorded some licks on an erhu played us what he had recorded. One phrase fit perfectly, and the song developed from there. For 9.000 NÄCHTE we added some subtle drums and additional overdubs.

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - clarinet
Christopher - acoustic guitar, bass, ukulele
Danda - bass
Elmar - flugelhorn
Kerstin - singing saw, violine
Kiki - vocals
Kruisko - accordion
Lüül - banjo
Uwe Langer - trumpet
Guests: Gregor Fuhrmann - cello, Klaus Wagner - keys, recording of an Erhu, Liron Yariv - cello

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Burning Toast Studio.
Horns recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - electric guitars
Eldar Tsalikov - clarinet solo
Knut - drums
Paul Brody - trumpet

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.
Paul recorded his trumpet at home.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Er bietet ihr Tee an.
Sie bietet ihm mehr.
Schritte im weißen Flur.
Blicke auf’s Meer.

Das alles ist Zwischenzeit,
Hall und Gelächter.
Alles, was glänzt,
ist gekauft ... und so leer.

Ich hol’ dir heran, was zählt.
Und dann sagst du leis’:

Das können nur wir beide versteh’n,
wir beide versteh’n.
Ich glaub’s kaum,
doch wie in einem Film kann ich’s sehn.

Sie greift sich ins Haar,
fällt in den Tag,
sie geht und kommt wieder,
hält, was sie versprach.

Er sagt nichts und schaut nur
vom Fenster ins Licht,
und wie sich der Abend
so zart ... in ihr bricht.

Ich hol’ dir heran, was zählt.
Und dann sagst du leis’ ...

Das können nur wir beide versteh’n …

Er bietet ihr Tee an.
Sie bietet ihm mehr.
Schritte im weißen Flur.
Blicke aufs Meer.

Auf dem Tisch Kopf zur Wand
steh’n Blumen im Glas.
Und wie ich sie kenn’
steh’n sie auch morgen noch da.

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/blumen-im-glas

The first version of TESCHKO was originally intended to be part of the film soundtrack for HALBE TREPPE. The track wasn’t finished in time. Director, Andreas Dresen, thought this was one of our finest melodies. He encouraged us to finish the recording anyway. The track was released in 2007 on our HEIMLICH album. For 9.000 NÄCHTE we found a percussionist to put finishing touches on the recording. By the way, we think that Henry’s solo in the middle of the track is one of his finest.

Original tracks used in this version:
Carsten - bass, cello
Christopher - acoustic guitar, ukulele
Elmar - trumpet
Henry - clarinet solo
Kiki - accordion
Kruisko - accordion
Lüül - banjo

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Burning Toast Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Eldar Tsalikov - clarinet solo
Uli Moritz - bell, giant drum, udu

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.

Music - Traditional

The original tapes of MAD BAD CAT, the first song we wrote and recorded for the 2002 movie, HALBE TREPPE, were hidden on a couple of DVDs stashed away in our office. As we had taped the tune on an old PC version of the recording software, we had to buy an old computer to transfer the data to a Mac version. This version then needed a second oldish computer to update the recording to a contemporary computer. We then found a couple of tracks that we had used for the film version of the song. So for the first time, a choir we had recorded, a clarinet, a horn theme, and some never heard backing vocals came together!

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - clarinet
Carsten - bass
Christopher - ukulele
Dirk - acoustic guitar
Elmar - trumpet
Frank - balalaika
Guido - acoustic guitar
Henry - clarinet
Jakob - mandolin
Meduli - violin
Kiki - accordion
Kruisko - accordion
Rike - cello
Uwe - trombone

Tracks unheard until now:
Anna Katharina Kaufmann - violin
Alexander Roesler - viola
Bernhard Kruppke - violin
Christopher - choir
Dirk - choir
Frank “El” Schneider - backing vocals, choir
Guido Kensbock - backing vocals, choir
Uwe - horn
Rike - cello

Recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - electric guitar

Music and Lyrics by Christopher Blenkinsop

Baby's got a brand-new car,
drives it everywhere and far
Wherever she goes, boy, she smiles...

She got herself a fulltime boy,
the cutest automatic toy.
Wherever she goes, he goes too,
riding in her brand-new car.

So if you think you’ll hitch a ride, better be careful.
If you think you can do it boy, go ahead and try.

Bad cat.

Baby's got a brand-new car,
drives it everywhere and far.

Wherever she goes, boy, she smiles
and I'm not sure if I like that smile...

Bad cat.

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/mad-bad-cat

SOLITAIRE is a tune we first recorded for our 2009 album, EL DORADO. A second recording features German actress, Corinna Harfouch, for the 2012 film, “Ihr Brief zur Hochzeit”. This short a capella version was arranged by Henri Jackson for 9.000 NÄCHTE.

The singers are:
Christopher - tenor
Daniel - high tenor
Danda - baritone
Kiki - lead vocal
Kruisko - low tenor
Speedy - bass

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Elle joue sa solitaire,
valet de pique sur dame de cœur.
Réussite de son affaire,
carte blanche, triomphe, levée.

C’est bien l’heure dans l’hémisphère
mais elle traine, veut pas s’en faire.
Sur terre et dans la guerre,
plus rien pour s’en sortir.

‘T’as qu’à voir’ elle me confie
aux moments de sa folie…
que demain il reviendra !
Es-tu sûr qu’il pense à moi ?

Elle l’attend devant sa porte,
fume inquiète une herbe morte.
Wo sind deine schönen Worte
et ta patrie sans son agonie ?

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/solitaire

This version of HAND VORM GESICHT was recorded in 2013 as a demo for the song we then recorded in a different key a year later for our BIESTER album. Looking through our archives for 9.000 NÄCHTE, we felt it a great track to start working on for the app version of the album. We first recorded a trombone solo. With added distortion, this is what you hear instead of Elyas Khan’s voice solo on the film music remix. Only on the app you’ll also hear the original pilot vocals. This tune is a good example of what the technology behind the app has in store for us!

Original tracks used in this version:
Christopher - acoustic guitar, lap steel, synth bass, vocals
Guest: Klaus Wagner - keys, percussion, sounds & loops

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at the Star Treck Revival Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Elyas Khan - vocal solo
Kiki - lead vocals
Uwe - trombone

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop
Lyrics by Kristin “Kiki” Sauer

Wenn ich hier lieg’
Und mich nicht rühr’,
sich alles bewegt,
nur in mir nichts regt.

Dann weiß ich, wo ich bin.
Ich weiß genau, wo ich bin –
es führt nur kein Weg hierhin.

Draußen stürmt, kalt,
es tobt mein Herz vor Raserei.
Im tiefen Wald fliegt ein Kuckuck vorbei …

Doch ich lieg’ auf dem Rücken,
die Hand vorm Gesicht,
alles bewegt sich,
nur ich tu’ es nicht.

Dreh’ ich mich um
und schau’ auf die Uhr.
Zähl ich bis drei,
denn auch endlos geht vorbei.

Ich stehe vor dir
meine Hand dein Gesicht,
alles bewegt sich
um dich und um mich.

Alles bewegt - sich,
nur ich tu’ es nicht.

LA ZONA DROM II was first recorded for a 2007 circus project. We recorded bits and pieces for various trapeze acts. Then we put together a version for our 2009 EL DORADO album. This is a raw version of how we originally played the tune.

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - tenor sax
Carsten - zoura
Christopher - acoustic guitar, drum, electric bass, bouzouki, monochord, singing
Daniel - violin
Elmar - trumpet
Henry - clarinet
Kerstin - violin
Kruisko - accordion
Lüül - banjo
Rike - cello
Uwe - trombone
Guest: Klaus Wagner - monochord

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Band & Scheiben Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
none

Music by Christopher Blenkinsop and Carsten Wegener

BOUND FOR MORNING was recorded as the final track for our 2009, EL DORADO album. We had just played a few gigs with Boom Pam from Tel Aviv. We asked their guitarist, Uzi Feinermann, to write an arrangement for us. Unfortunately, it was too difficult for us to play. Most of the string parts were left unfinished. Héloise Lefèbre picked up from there, using some of Uzi’s ideas to finish the string arrangement.

Original tracks used in this version:
Christopher - acoustic guitar, vocals
Jürgen “Speedy” Schäfer - bass
Guest: Klaus Wagner - kalimba

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Band & Scheiben Studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Christopher - keys
Daniel - mandolin
Eldar Tsalikov - clarinet
Héloise Lefèbre - violins, violin solo, viola
Liron Yariv - cello
Paul Brody - trumpet

Recorded by Christopher at Das Büro.
Paul recorded his trumpet at home.

Music and Lyrics by Christopher Blenkinsop

She was standing at the bus-stop in the rain,
when he stumbled she didn’t laugh.
And as he picked himself up their eyes met and she smiled
and then … she turned away, got on the bus in the rain,
leaving him standing there bound for morning.
What’s to say? She just was on her way.

He never found his way home.
What he found was what he had to follow… forgetting time.
Never turning away, he just stood everyday,
waiting for her to get off that next bus, that pulled up to the curb,
taking him to what’s left of tomorrow.

And I forgot when they came to take him away.
And I forgot all about him, ’till I realised you’re leaving today.
Never turning away he just stood there, no time left to borrow.
She never came and her smile faded away.

I forgot when they came to take him away.
I forgot all about him ’till I realised you’re leaving today.

As I see you standing at the bus stop in the rain,
I’ll stumble and you won’t laugh.
And I’ll pick myself up, our eyes’ll meet and you’ll smile …
And then you’ll turn away, get on the bus,
in the rain, leaving me standing here bound for morning.

Yes you’ll turn away, get on that bus,
in the rain, leaving me …

Bound for morning …

Translation: 17hippies.de/text/bound-morning

KAUKAPOL was originally two tunes produced in 2008. One is a traditional southern Balkan melody we learned to know as Poloxia, the other was a tune Lüül had written called Kaukasus. Both tunes were woven both together for our EL DORADO album. Here’s a version with added drums and another great solo by Paul.

Original tracks used in this version:
Antje - tenor sax
Christopher - acoustic guitar, oud
Daniel - violin
Elmar - trumpet
Henry - clarinet
Kerstin - violin
Kruisko - accordion
Lüül - banjo
Rike - cello
Uwe - Euphonium

Recorded by Klaus Wagner at Band & Scheiben Studio.
Horns recorded by Volker Greve at his studio.

Overdubs for 9.000 NÄCHTE:
Knut - drums
Paul - trumpet solo

Drums recorded by Chris Lastelle at Das Büro.
Paul recorded his trumpet at home.

Music by Lutz “Lüül” Ulbrich (using a traditional tune)