IV

IV is a double album released by Ton Steine Scherben. Because of the black album cover, it is also referred to as die Schwarze ("the black one"). It is a collection of various influences from folk to punk and marks a departure from the band's earlier work, even though it continues the change that began with the previous album Wenn die Nacht am tiefsten…. Anarchist slogans such as "destroy what destroys you" or "no power for nobody" are no longer prevalent, although some of the songs were political, such as Der Turm stürzt ein ("the tower is collapsing"). Tarot Cards All the songs on the album aside from Morgenlicht were composed with the aid of Tarot cards from the Major Arcana. The so-called "Tarot secret" was not revealed until years after Rio Reiser's death, as it was worried that the magic of the innovative and sometimes very different texts would be lost. Most of the text is composed of images and metaphors; very little is unambiguous. After all the living participants in the process agreed, the following list of tarot cards was offered from the year 1980: January 22 - The Devil: This led to the song Heimweh ("Homesickness"), which was also the working title of the album. Every band member contributed to the text of the song, which was then finished by Hannes Eyber and Rio Reiser. The chords were chosen at random and the rhythm follows a "magical" number series. February 12 - The World: Sumpf Schlock. The text was composed by the group in a similar manner to Heimweh. "Harikafulas" comes from the first two letters of the band members' names (Hannes - Rio - Kai - Funky - Lanrue). The Star: This card led to the song Vorübergehend geschlossen ("Temporarily closed"). Hannes Eyber wrote largely incomprehensible lyrics which were then electronically distorted on the album to the point of incomprehensibility. (In a remixed version released much later the lyrics can be made out.) The music is also written to sound alien. The idea behind it was that nobody can grasp the stars. The Chariot: Kleine Freuden ("Small joys") was composed by the group. March 27 - The Hermit: Wiedersehen - A hermit seeks a way to return to the world.