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Mensch (album)

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Mensch

| type = Studio album

| artist = Herbert Grönemeyer

| cover = Mensch cover.jpg

| alt =

| released = 30 August 2002

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio = {{hlist|Abbey Road (London)|Mayfair (London)|RAK (London)}}

| genre = {{Flatlist|

}}

| length = 48:32

| label = {{Flatlist|

}}

| producer = Alex Silva, Herbert Grönemeyer

| prev_title = Stand der Dinge

| prev_year = 2000

| next_title = 12

| next_year = 2007

}}__NOTOC__

Mensch, released in August 2002, is the 20th studio album by German rock/pop artist Herbert Grönemeyer. Mensch ("Human") is Grönemeyer's 11th full-length album of original compositions. It is the most successful German-language album to date.

Background

The title track "Mensch" became Grönemeyer's first number-one single in Germany. The mood of the album reflects the then recent death of his wife, Anna Henkel, and Wilhelm, one of his older brothers, both of cancer, within a week, and is rich with poetic imagery. The songs range from rock to ballads. The richness of the imagery and language, as well as the use of creative word play, can make the lyrics difficult to understand and interpret by listeners who are not fluent in German. In Mensch Grönemeyer reflects on his own humanity as it relates to feeling loss. The song "Der Weg" in particular focuses on memories of his wife and the love they shared, while the song "Unbewohnt" is dealing with the loneliness and depression he felt after his wife's death.

The full-length album was released in three versions:

The compact disc and the Super Audio CD (CD layer and high-resolution SACD stereo sections) contain a hidden track after about fifteen minutes of silence at the end of the last song. The album is entirely in German.

Mensch was a huge success in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and sold nearly 4 million copies, making it the best-selling German-language record of all time, also being certified with 21 x Gold in Germany.{{cite web|url=http://www.musikindustrie.de/fileadmin/piclib/presse/Dokumente_zum_Download/Gold_Platin_Hoechstverleihungen_Stand_100621.pdf |title=Highest Gold Platinum certifications |accessdate=24 July 2010 |publisher=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104050205/http://www.musikindustrie.de/fileadmin/piclib/presse/Dokumente_zum_Download/Gold_Platin_Hoechstverleihungen_Stand_100621.pdf |archivedate=4 January 2011 }}

Track listing

{{Track listing

|all_lyrics = Herbert Grönemeyer

|all_music = Herbert Grönemeyer, except for "Viertel Vor" by Grönemeyer and Alex Silva

|title1 = Mensch

|length1 = 4:28

|title2 = Neuland

|length2 = 3:42

|title3 = Der Weg

|length3 = 4:18

|title4 = Viertel Vor

|note4 =

|length4 = 4:23

|title5 = Lache, wenn es nicht zum Weinen reicht

|length5 = 4:42

|title6 = Unbewohnt

|length6 = 5:04

|title7 = Dort und hier

|length7 = 2:32

|note7 =

|title8 = Blick zurück

|length8 = 5:54

|title9 = Kein Pokal

|length9 = 4:33

|title10 = Zum Meer

|length10 = 5:38

|title11 = Demo (Letzter Tag)

|length11 = 3:27

|note11 = Contains hidden track after minutes of silence

}}

Charts and certifications

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Chart positions=

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mensch-mw0000465427|title=AllMusic Review|author=Andrew Leahey|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=16 September 2022}}

|rev2 = Laut.de

|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.laut.de/Herbert-Groenemeyer/Alben/Mensch-408|title="Mensch" von Herbert Grönemeyer|author=Nathalie Fritz|work=laut.de|language=de|accessdate=16 September 2022}}

|rev3 = Rolling Stone

|rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Willander |first=Arne|publication-date=19 September 2002 |title=Herbert Grönemeyer - Mensch|language=de|magazine=Rolling Stone Deutschland |publisher=Axel Springer Young Mediahouse GmbH |page=93 |volume= 09/2002 |issue= }}

}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
Charts
(2002)		Peak
position		Year-end
(2002)		Year-end
(2003)		Year-end
(2004)		Decade-end
(2000–09)		All-time
style="text-align:left;"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)

|1{{cite web | url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Herbert+Gr%F6nemeyer&titel=Mensch&cat=a | title=Austrian weekly albums chart | author=Ö3 Austria Top 40 | language=German | date=9 September 2002 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|2{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/year.asp?id=2002&cat=a |title=Austrian annual albums chart |author=Ö3 Austria Top 40 |language=German |year=2002 |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206170348/http://www.austriancharts.at/year.asp?id=2002&cat=a |archivedate=6 December 2014 }}

|3{{cite web | url=http://austriancharts.at/year.asp?id=2003&cat=a | title=Austrian annual albums chart | author=Ö3 Austria Top 40 | language=German | year=2003 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|69{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/year.asp?id=2004&cat=a |title=Austrian annual albums chart |author=Ö3 Austria Top 40 |language=German |year=2004 |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231022618/http://www.austriancharts.at/year.asp?id=2004&cat=a |archivedate=31 December 2013 }}

|6{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/00er_album.asp |title=Austrian decennially albums chart |author=Ö3 Austria Top 40 |language=German |date=2000–2009 |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906025015/http://www.austriancharts.at/00er_album.asp |archivedate=6 September 2011 }}

|20{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/bestall_a.asp |title=Austrian all-time albums chart |author=Ö3 Austria Top 40 |language=German |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727232343/http://www.austriancharts.at/bestall_a.asp |archivedate=27 July 2014 }}

style="text-align:left;"|Germany (Media Control Charts)

|1{{Cite web | url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Herbert+Gr%25f6nemeyer/9466/?type=longplay | title=Chartverfolgung: Herbert Grönemeyer | author=Media Control Charts | language=German | date=16 September 2002 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|1{{Cite web | url=http://www.officialcharts.de/year.asp?cat=a&country=de&year=2002&x=29&y=7 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140707084955/http://www.officialcharts.de/year.asp?cat=a&country=de&year=2002&x=29&y=7 | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 July 2014 | title=German annual albums chart | author=Media Control Charts | publisher=Charts.de | language=German | year=2002 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|3{{Cite web | url=http://www.officialcharts.de/year.asp?cat=a&country=de&year=2003&x=17&y=16 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140707085003/http://www.officialcharts.de/year.asp?cat=a&country=de&year=2003&x=17&y=16 | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 July 2014 | title=German annual albums chart | author=Media Control Charts | publisher=Charts.de | language=German | year=2003 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|{{emdash}}

|{{emdash}}

|1{{cite web|url=http://www.musikindustrie.de/fileadmin/piclib/presse/Dokumente_zum_Download/Gold_Platin_Hoechstverleihungen_Stand_100621.pdf |title=Best-selling albums of all time in Germany |author=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (Germany) |publisher=Musik Industrie |language=German |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707075739/http://www.musikindustrie.de/fileadmin/piclib/presse/Dokumente_zum_Download/Gold_Platin_Hoechstverleihungen_Stand_100621.pdf |archivedate=7 July 2012 }}

style="text-align:left;"|Netherlands (MegaCharts)

|38{{cite web | url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Herbert+Gr%F6nemeyer&titel=Mensch&cat=a | title=Dutch weekly albums chart | author=MegaCharts | language=Dutch | date=1 February 2003 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|{{emdash}}

|{{emdash}}

|{{emdash}}

|{{emdash}}

|{{emdash}}

style="text-align:left;"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)

|1{{cite web | url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Herbert+Gr%F6nemeyer&titel=Mensch&cat=a | title=Swiss weekly albums chart | author=Schweizer Hitparade | language=German | date=15 September 2002 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

|4{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2002 |title=Swiss annual albums chart |author=Schweizer Hitparade |language=German |year=2002 |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203113011/http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2002 |archivedate=3 December 2013 }}

|47{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2003 |title=Swiss annual albums chart |author=Schweizer Hitparade |language=German |year=2003 |accessdate=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040204154136/http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2003 |archivedate=4 February 2004 }}

|{{emdash}}

|{{emdash}}

|120{{cite web | url=http://hitparade.ch/statistics.asp?view=best_albums&start=1 | title=Swiss all-time albums chart | author=Schweizer Hitparade | language=German | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

=Certifications=

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry| region=Austria | title=Mensch | artist=Herbert Grönemeyer | type=album | award=Platinum | number=8 | relyear=2002 | relmonth=8| access-date=5 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=Germany | title=Mensch | artist=Herbert Grönemeyer | type=album | award=Gold | number=21 | relyear=2002 | relmonth=8 |certyear=2005| access-date=5 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=Switzerland | title=Mensch | artist=Herbert| type=album | award=Platinum | number=5 | relyear=2002 | access-date=5 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=Europe | title=Mensch | artist=Herbert Grönemeyer | type=album | award=Platinum | number=3 | certyear=2003 | access-date=5 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

=Singles=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"| Title

! colspan="3"| Chart positions

! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"| Certifications

width="60"|AT

!width="60"|CH

!width="60"|DE
{{Cite web | url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Herbert+Gr%25f6nemeyer/9466/?type=single | title=Chartverfolgung: Herbert Grönemeyer | author=Media Control Charts | language=German | accessdate=5 October 2012}}

rowspan="2"|2002

| align="left"|"Mensch"

| 1

| 2

| 1

| align="left"|

  • BVMI: Platinum{{cite web | url=http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Mensch&strInterpret=Herbert+Gr%C3%B6nemeyer&strTtArt=alben&strAwards=checked | title= German certification | author=Bundesverband Musikindustrie | language=German | year=2002 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}
  • IFPI CH: Gold{{cite web | url=http://www.swisscharts.com/search_certifications.asp?search=Herbert+Gr%F6nemeyer | title=Swiss certification | author=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (Switzerland) | language=German | year=2002 | accessdate=5 October 2012}}
align="left"|"Der Weg"

| 14

| 35

| 12

| align="left"|

rowspan="2"|2003

| align="left"|"Demo (Letzter Tag)"

| 53

| —

| 36

| align="left"|

align="left"|"Zum Meer"

| —

| —

| 81

| align="left"|

{{col-end}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2

| refs =

{{cite news

| last = Küchemann

| first = Fridtjof

| url = https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/popmusik-es-tut-gleichmaessig-weh-herbert-groenemeyer-singt-wieder-171444.html

| title = "Es tut gleichmäßig weh" - Herbert Grönemeyer singt wieder

| newspaper = FAZ

| date = 28 May 2002

| language = de

| accessdate = 28 February 2020

}}

{{cite news

| last1 = Michaelsen

| first1 = Sven

| last2 = Ross

| first2 = Hannes

| url = https://www.stern.de/kultur/musik/herbert-groenemeyer--man-ist-mensch-und-macht-vieles-falsch--3637938.html

| title = Herbert Grönemeyer: "Man ist Mensch und macht vieles falsch"

| newspaper = Stern

| date = 28 May 2002

| language = de

| accessdate = 28 February 2020

}}

{{cite web

| last = Reul

| first = Hans

| url = https://brf.be/kultur/musik/981283/

| title = "Es tut gleichmäßig weh" - Herbert Grönemeyer singt wieder

| website = brf.be

| date = 11 April 2016

| language = de

| accessdate = 28 February 2020

}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ksta.de/herbert-groenemeyer-ist-wieder-da-13794830

| title = Herbert Grönemeyer ist wieder da

| newspaper = Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger

| date = 29 August 2002

| language = de

| accessdate = 28 February 2020

}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.udiscover-music.de/popkultur/der-mensch-heist-mensch-gronemeyers-erfolgsalbum

| title = Der Mensch heißt Mensch: Grönemeyers Erfolgsalbum

| website = udiscover-music.de

| date = 22 September 2014

| language = de

| accessdate = 28 February 2020

}}

}}

External links

  • [https://www.discogs.com/Herbert-Gr%C3%B6nemeyer-Mensch/master/92785 Mensch] on Discogs
  • [https://www.rezensator.de/groenemeyer_mensch.htm CD-Kritik: Herbert Grönemeyer - Mensch] rezensator.de

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mensch (Album)}}

Category:2002 albums

Category:2000s German-language albums

Category:EMI Records albums

Category:Herbert Grönemeyer albums

Category:Albums produced by Alex Silva