Opel-Gang is the debut album of the German punk band Die Toten Hosen. The title is a reference to an article in a Düsseldorf newspaper, where a gang of small-time thieves, who drove self-tuned Opels, were named Opel-Gang, even though the band wasn't initially into car modding. The album took under 10 days to record.

This article does not cite any sources. (April 2019)

Opel-Gang
Studio album by Die Toten Hosen
Released	1983 2007 (jubilee edition)
Genre	Punk rock
Length	36:21 79:43 (re-release)
Label	Totenkopf EMI
Producer	Jon Caffery
Die Toten Hosen chronology
Opel-Gang (1983) Unter falscher Flagge (1984)

As the band is from Düsseldorf, several songs on this album are centered on this city. "Modestadt Düsseldorf" is a nod to their home town; the title and the theme, although not the exact lyrics of "Opel-Gang" are based on the article mentioned above; in "Hofgarten", the Düsseldorf court garden is meant.

"Reisefieber" was released as a single and a video was made for it. "Opel-Gang" and "Bis zum bitteren Ende" have become live favourites and defining songs for Die Toten Hosen; the band sometimes refers to itself as "the original Opel gang" and "bis zum bitteren Ende" has become somewhat a slogan for the band, also it was used as the title of their first live album.

Track listing

1. "Tote Hose" (Nothing going on, lit. Dead trousers [in singular]) − 1:24
2. "Allein vor deinem Haus o. dein Vater der Boxer" (Alone in front of your house or your father the boxer) (von Holst, Frege/Frege, Meurer, Trimpop) − 2:18
3. "Modestadt Düsseldorf" (Fashion city Düsseldorf) (Die Toten Hosen/Frege) − 2:16
4. "Reisefieber" (Travel nerves, lit. Travel fever) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) − 3:46
5. "Kontakthof" (von Holst/Frege) − 2:38
6. "Opel-Gang" (von Holst, Frege/Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop) − 1:47
7. "Willi muß ins Heim" (Willi has to go to an approved school) (von Holst/Trimpop, Frege, Meurer) − 2:17
8. "Wehende Fahnen" (roughly Waving flags [from to go down with flying colours]) (von Holst, Frege/Trimpop, Frege) − 3:08
9. "Schwarzer Mann" (Black man or Man in black) (Die Toten Hosen/Frege) − 2:20
10. "Geld" (Money) (Frege, von Holst/Meurer, Trimpop, Frege) − 2:13
11. "Ülüsü" (Meurer, von Holst, Frege/Frege) − 2:33
12. "Es ist nichts gewesen" (Nothing has happened) (von Holst/Frege) − 2:38
13. "Sommernachtstraum" (Summer night dream) (von Holst/Trimpop, Meurer, Frege) − 1:37
14. "Hofgarten" (Court garden) (von Holst, Meurer, Breitkopf/von Holst) − 3:07
15. "Bis zum bitteren Ende" (Until the bitter end) (Frege/Frege) − 2:19

2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks

16. "Jürgen Englers Party" (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 1:26 (from "Wir sind bereit")
17. "Niemandsland" (No man's land) (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 2:41 (from "Reisefieber")
18. "Armee der Verlierer" (Army of losers) (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 4:23 (from "Bommerlunder/Opel Gang")
19. "Opel-Gang" – 1:59 (from "Bommerlunder/Opel Gang")
20. "Schöne Bescherung" (roughly Happy holidays; lit. Nice gift-giving, also Nice mess) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) – 3:02 (from "Schöne Bescherung")
21. "Willi's weiße Weihnacht" (Willi's white christmas) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) – 2:35 (from "Schöne Bescherung")
22. "Knecht Ruprechts letzte Fahrt" (Knecht Ruprecht's last ride) (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Frege) – 3:46 (from "Schöne Bescherung")
23. "Kriminaltango" (Criminal tango) (Trombetto/Feltz) – 3:32 (from "Kriminaltango")
24. "Allein vor deinem Haus o. dein Vater der Boxer" – 2:26 (from "Kriminaltango")
25. "Es ist vorbei" (It's over) (Frege, von Holst/Frege, Meurer, Trimpop) – 3:09 (from "Kriminaltango")
26. "Die Abenteuer des kleinen Haevelmann" (The adventures of the little Haevelmann) (von Holst/Frege) – 2:29 (as Tangobrüder, from the compilation Ein Vollrausch in Stereo - 20 schäumende Stimmungshits)
27. "Frühstückskorn" (Korn for breakfast) (von Holst/Frege) – 1:57 (as Tangobrüder, from the compilation Ein Vollrausch in Stereo)
28. "Bis zum bitteren Ende" – 3:08 (as Tangobrüder, from the compilation Ein Vollrausch in Stereo)
29. "Wir sind bereit" (We are ready) (Frege, von Holst/Frege) – 1:59 (live in „S0 36“ in Berlin, 30.04.1982)
30. "Hip Hop Bommi Bop" (Breitkopf, Frege, von Holst, Meurer, Trimpop/Meurer, Trimpop) – 4:34 (from "Hip Hop Bommi Bop")

Singles

• 1982: "Reisefieber"

Personnel

• Campino - vocals
• Andreas von Holst - guitar
• Michael Breitkopf - guitar
• Andreas Meurer - bass
• Trini Trimpop - drums

References

На других языках

[es] Opel-Gang