Chokmah (Hebrew: חכמה for "wisdom", also transliterated as chokma, chokhmah or hokhmah) is a studio album of German pop singer Nena, released in 2001.[1] It received mixed reviews, the majority being positive. It spawned one successful single, "Carpe diem",[2] and foreshadowed the comeback Nena achieved with her next album, Nena feat. Nena.
During the 1990s Nena had released four rock and pop studio albums which had failed to bring her anything approaching the commercial success she had enjoyed in the 1980s.[3] Nena had written several songs between 1999 and 2001 and originally planned to record them for her upcoming album. However, Florian Sitzmann convinced her to start composing new songs with him, which resulted in an album that was quite different from her past material.[4] In the end, two songs from Nena's original plan ("Ich hör mir zu" and "Dafür ist das Leben zu kurz") were recorded for the album and two further songs ("Kann schon sein" and "Silbermond") were newly composed with lyrics from her original plan.[1] The change which was the album Chokmah is symbolised by its cover: the smiling bouncy Nena of her 1990s album covers replaced by someone altogether more sultry and static.[5] More significantly Chokmah replaces (mainly cheerful) rock and pop with (mainly sombre) technopop and a dash of reggae.
Chokmah entered the German album chart promisingly at No.18 but then descended rapidly, spending only four weeks on the charts.[3] The sole single released from the album ("Carpe diem", jointly written by Nena and her partner Philipp Palm[2]) only managed No.66 in the German charts.[3]
Title trackedit
At her official website, Nena recollects:
Florian [Sitzmann] has been sitting in the studio and creating this track. There was only one line for this song for days: "That shocked my system" ("Das schockt mein System"). Therein the word Chokmah is somehow contained. Chokmah comes from Hebrew and is one of the forms of energy on the [kabbalistic] Tree of Life. This energy form stands for change and reprogramming. But the word Chokmah also stands for allowing this change. That way the word gets an incredibly beautiful and exciting sound and expression. Chokmah stands by itself, let it affect you.
Original text (in German)
Florian hat im Studio gesessen und an diesem Song gebastelt. Es gab tagelang nur eine Zeile zu diesem Lied: “Das schockt mein System”. Darin ist das Wort CHOKMAH irgendwie enthalten. CHOKMAH kommt aus dem hebräischen und ist eine Energieform aus dem Lebensbaum. Diese Energieform steht für Veränderung und Neuprogrammierung. Aber das Wort CHOKMAH steht auch dafür, dass man diese Veränderung zulässt. Dadurch bekommt dieses Wort einen für mich unheimlich schönen und spannenden Klang und Ausdruck. CHOKMAH steht für sich, lass es auf dich wirken.
— Nena, on the title track of the Chokmah album[1]
Chokmah's significance in Nena's careeredit
As Nena said at the time of its release,[4]Chokmah did not mark a permanent change in direction but its technopop style has intermittently recurred in her work ever since. Most immediately came the reworking of "Ich häng immer noch an dir" in the following studio album Nena feat. Nena and most recently the title track of her 2012 album Du bist gut. Nena has also periodically collaborated with technopop and reggae artists such as WestBam, the Sam Ragga band, Die Atzen (on the single "Strobo Pop"), and TokTok.
The ongoing afterlife of Chokmah has continued most directly in the reappearances of some of its tracks. This stands in stark contrast to the fate of virtually all her 1990s output, which has been almost totally absent from both her live concerts and the various reworkings of older material which have been a feature of Nena's work in the 21st century. Only one year after Chokmah's release two tracks were selected for the follow-up album Nena feat. Nena; another ("Lass die Leinen los") appeared on Made in Germany Live and most recently "Ich hör mir zu" was the only reworking in the standard edition of her 2012 album Du bist gut. And when in 2010 Nena finally got to release a compilation album of songs which she, as opposed to her record company, had selected, the Chokmah track "Silbermond" appeared.[6]
Perhaps most tellingly, however, Chokmah's fleeting but relatively high entry in the German album charts (the highest place Nena had attained in either singles or albums chart since the end of her heyday, 16 years earlier[3]) suggests that there may have been a renewed appetite for Nena's music albeit perhaps for material not as unexpected as Chokmah. If this were the message, then Nena acted upon it perfectly. For her follow-up album she deployed the much less adventurous tactic of re-recording her best known 1980s songs and the resultant album Nena feat. Nena spectacularly relaunched her career in the German-speaking countries.
Track listingedit
All lyrics are written by Nena, except where noted
No.
Title
Music
Title translation
Length
1.
"Chokmah"
Florian Sitzmann
Hebrew: "Wisdom"
4:27
2.
"Heute hab ich die Sonne mit dem Mond verwechselt"
Sitzmann, Nena
"Today I've Confused the Sun with the Moon"
4:10
3.
"Carpe diem" (Lyrics by: Sitzmann, Nena, Philipp Palm)
chokmah, album, chokmah, hebrew, חכמה, wisdom, also, transliterated, chokma, chokhmah, hokhmah, studio, album, german, singer, nena, released, 2001, received, mixed, reviews, majority, being, positive, spawned, successful, single, carpe, diem, foreshadowed, co. Chokmah Hebrew חכמה for wisdom also transliterated as chokma chokhmah or hokhmah is a studio album of German pop singer Nena released in 2001 1 It received mixed reviews the majority being positive It spawned one successful single Carpe diem 2 and foreshadowed the comeback Nena achieved with her next album Nena feat Nena ChokmahStudio album by NenaReleased29 October 2001 2001 10 29 GenrePop rock popLength1 20 52LanguageGermanLabelEastwestProducerFlorian SitzmannNena chronologyNena Live 1998 Chokmah 2001 Nena feat Nena 2002 Singles from Chokmah Carpe diem Released 15 October 2001 Contents 1 Background 2 Title track 3 Chokmah s significance in Nena s career 4 Track listing 5 Charts 6 References 7 External linksBackground editDuring the 1990s Nena had released four rock and pop studio albums which had failed to bring her anything approaching the commercial success she had enjoyed in the 1980s 3 Nena had written several songs between 1999 and 2001 and originally planned to record them for her upcoming album However Florian Sitzmann convinced her to start composing new songs with him which resulted in an album that was quite different from her past material 4 In the end two songs from Nena s original plan Ich hor mir zu and Dafur ist das Leben zu kurz were recorded for the album and two further songs Kann schon sein and Silbermond were newly composed with lyrics from her original plan 1 The change which was the album Chokmah is symbolised by its cover the smiling bouncy Nena of her 1990s album covers replaced by someone altogether more sultry and static 5 More significantly Chokmah replaces mainly cheerful rock and pop with mainly sombre technopop and a dash of reggae Chokmah entered the German album chart promisingly at No 18 but then descended rapidly spending only four weeks on the charts 3 The sole single released from the album Carpe diem jointly written by Nena and her partner Philipp Palm 2 only managed No 66 in the German charts 3 Title track editAt her official website Nena recollects Florian Sitzmann has been sitting in the studio and creating this track There was only one line for this song for days That shocked my system Das schockt mein System Therein the word Chokmah is somehow contained Chokmah comes from Hebrew and is one of the forms of energy on the kabbalistic Tree of Life This energy form stands for change and reprogramming But the word Chokmah also stands for allowing this change That way the word gets an incredibly beautiful and exciting sound and expression Chokmah stands by itself let it affect you Original text in German Florian hat im Studio gesessen und an diesem Song gebastelt Es gab tagelang nur eine Zeile zu diesem Lied Das schockt mein System Darin ist das Wort CHOKMAH irgendwie enthalten CHOKMAH kommt aus dem hebraischen und ist eine Energieform aus dem Lebensbaum Diese Energieform steht fur Veranderung und Neuprogrammierung Aber das Wort CHOKMAH steht auch dafur dass man diese Veranderung zulasst Dadurch bekommt dieses Wort einen fur mich unheimlich schonen und spannenden Klang und Ausdruck CHOKMAH steht fur sich lass es auf dich wirken Nena on the title track of the Chokmah album 1 Chokmah s significance in Nena s career editAs Nena said at the time of its release 4 Chokmah did not mark a permanent change in direction but its technopop style has intermittently recurred in her work ever since Most immediately came the reworking of Ich hang immer noch an dir in the following studio album Nena feat Nena and most recently the title track of her 2012 album Du bist gut Nena has also periodically collaborated with technopop and reggae artists such as WestBam the Sam Ragga band Die Atzen on the single Strobo Pop and TokTok The ongoing afterlife of Chokmah has continued most directly in the reappearances of some of its tracks This stands in stark contrast to the fate of virtually all her 1990s output which has been almost totally absent from both her live concerts and the various reworkings of older material which have been a feature of Nena s work in the 21st century Only one year after Chokmah s release two tracks were selected for the follow up album Nena feat Nena another Lass die Leinen los appeared on Made in Germany Live and most recently Ich hor mir zu was the only reworking in the standard edition of her 2012 album Du bist gut And when in 2010 Nena finally got to release a compilation album of songs which she as opposed to her record company had selected the Chokmah track Silbermond appeared 6 Perhaps most tellingly however Chokmah s fleeting but relatively high entry in the German album charts the highest place Nena had attained in either singles or albums chart since the end of her heyday 16 years earlier 3 suggests that there may have been a renewed appetite for Nena s music albeit perhaps for material not as unexpected as Chokmah If this were the message then Nena acted upon it perfectly For her follow up album she deployed the much less adventurous tactic of re recording her best known 1980s songs and the resultant album Nena feat Nena spectacularly relaunched her career in the German speaking countries Track listing editAll lyrics are written by Nena except where notedNo TitleMusicTitle translationLength1 Chokmah Florian SitzmannHebrew Wisdom 4 272 Heute hab ich die Sonne mit dem Mond verwechselt Sitzmann Nena Today I ve Confused the Sun with the Moon 4 103 Carpe diem Lyrics by Sitzmann Nena Philipp Palm Sitzmann NenaLatin Seize the Day 4 414 Lass die Leinen los Sitzmann Nena Ralf Gustke Let the Cast Off 5 195 Ich hor mir zu Nena I Listen to Myself 3 586 Lichtarbeiter Sitzmann Lightworker 4 497 Rede lieber nicht zu viel Lyrics by Herbert Schwamborn Nena Sitzmann Better Don t Talk Too Much 4 498 Kann schon sein Sitzmann That Could Be 4 029 Silbermond Lyrics by Daniel Biscan Nena Sitzmann Silvermoon 5 3910 Club der Leisen Sitzmann Jorg Dudys Robbee Mariano Van Romaine Club of the Quiet 6 0811 Du gibst Tino Oac You Give 4 1612 Leuchtturm 2001 Uwe Fahrenkrog Nena Lighthouse 3 2913 Dafur ist das Leben zu kurz Nena Life Is Too Short for That 5 4814 Carpe diem Sohne Mannheims Dancehall Mix Sitzmann NenaLatin Seize the Day 3 4015 Ich hab s geahnt Hidden track I Have Suspected 4 04Charts editChart 2001 03 Peakposition Austrian Albums O3 Austria 7 67 German Albums Offizielle Top 100 8 18References edit a b c Chokmah at the official Nena website Nena de Retrieved 29 October 2016 a b Carpe diem single Nena de Retrieved 29 October 2016 a b c d Official German charts Charts de Gfk Entertainment Archived from the original on 3 November 2014 Retrieved 3 November 2014 a b Allmusic review of Chokmah Allmusic com Retrieved 3 November 2014 Nena discography Nena de Retrieved 3 November 2014 Best of Nena 2010 album Nena de Retrieved 29 October 2016 Austriancharts at Nena Chokmah in German Hung Medien Retrieved 2017 06 04 Offiziellecharts de Nena Chokmah in German GfK Entertainment Charts Retrieved 2017 06 04 External links editNena de official site Chokmah at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chokmah album amp oldid 1060654074, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
