Conchita’s ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen‘ is rich, earnest, touching and lovely
Rarely does Austrian singer Conchita sing in her native language of German. But when she does, it is usually one of those goosebump moments.
Take ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen‘, Conchita’s just released new single from her upcoming album with the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra) — From Vienna With Love.
‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ was originally released by German singer Hildegard Knef back in 1968.
An optimistic song about how life will be wonderful for her. (According to Conchita herself, the German title roughly translates to “I deserve everything — like red roses raining on me” — although, sorry love, I prefer my translation — “It should rain red roses for me” — it’s a bit more romantic!).
Regardless of the translation, however, Conchita’s interpretation of Knef’s ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ is lovely.
Because she has done with the song what any great artist does.
She has kept the bits that work for her — in this case that gorgeous old-fashioned sound that many of us secretly love, even if we won’t always admit it in public — and yet she has made the song her own by giving it just a hint of wistfulness and sadness.
Besides, while Conchita doesn’t have Hildegard Knef’s husky voice (and interestingly, even as a man, she/he cannot sing the song in as low of a register as Knef), what she does have is an incredibly rich voice she has worked damn hard to get since her Eurovision win.
(Just listen to her older music, and compare it with what she can do with that astounding voice nowadays — there really is little comparison).
It’s the richness!
Conchita’s is also a voice that, due to its richness, is able to wrap itself around ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ completely where, to some extent, Knef’s sat virtually on top.
Giving the song a different sound than Knef gave it all those years ago.
Because, while Knef’s interpretation of the song was quite light, cheeky and matter of fact, even if it was sung in that gorgeously deep and husky voice, Conchita’s ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ is more earnest, touching and hopeful.
Earnest that she damn well wants everything. Touching that she’s gone through so much shit in her still relatively young life, and still came out smelling like a rose at the end of it (yeah, I had to go there!), and hopeful that she is right and, yes, roses will always rain down on her.
Which altogether gives Conchita’s ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ a sweetness and a slight sadness Hildegard Knef’s, with its almost right of ownership, just didn’t have.
And therein lies Conchita’s best weapon. Because that sadness, which shows up in some form or another in almost every song, is the bit that, like an arrow, always hits your heart.
I think it’s lovely.
Particularly as it is accompanied by the phenomenal Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the magnificence of their gorgeous sound.
You can pick up Conchita’s ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ from today on all the usual digital music platforms.
You can also pre-order her upcoming new collaboration album — From Vienna With Love — with the wonderful Wiener Symphoniker at the same places. (Do! It’s worth it just for her surprising but truly gorgeous ‘The Sound of Music‘).
And I would say you should buy tickets to her special concert with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra on October 20th in Vienna, as that concert will debut most songs from this collaborative album live.
But…sadly for you at least, the concert has already sold out. (You can, however, still grab tickets to her so weit so gut tour of Germany and Austria kicking off next month).
Now listen to Conchita’s ‘Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen’ in the Spotify widget below.
And remember, ‘she’ is a 29-year-old Austrian man who, even with her nowadays hairy chest, bulging crotch and bovver boots, can still persuade you she is the biggest and most talented diva you are ever going to see. Both in beautiful recordings like this, and live on a stage.
Because her stunning voice really is that good.
Related — Why Conchita is a ‘mind f*ck’, and why I would have it no other way