sugarbear

„Vielleicht hilft es ja der Demokratie“

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:28:02 +0000

"Perhaps it will help democracy"

A Bericht der taz vom 1.9.2026 ordnet den Song „Sag mir wo Du stehst (Demokratiesong)“ von sugarbear wie folgt ein.

„Vielleicht ist es die viel beschworene Ironie der Geschichte, dass ausgerechnet dieses Lied, das der DDR-Jugend einst melodiös das Bekenntnis zum Sozialismus abtrotzen sollte, jüngst zum „Demokratiesong“ umgemünzt wurde. Vergangenen Samstag sang der Singer-Songwriter Sugarbear eine Reggae-Variante des Liedes beim CSD in Magdeburg. „Sag mir, wo du stehst und ob du wählen gehst“, heißt es in der Version des Leipzigers, die sich an einem ebenfalls nicht-imperativen Song gegen die politischen Verhältnisse versucht.“

„Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)“ — jetzt auch als Musikvideo

admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:21:13 +0000

„Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)" — now available as a music video

The music video is here. Two and a half minutes long, filmed in a photography studio, featuring the globe balloons from the single cover. They float, jostle, explode — and one of them nudges me, because apparently I needed a nudge.

Why this song has been released before

In 1967, Hartmut König wrote ‘„Sag mir, wo du stehst“, performed by the Oktoberklub. It became the best-known song of the GDR singing movement; almost everyone knew it. And it called for a stance — though there was little doubt as to which one was meant.

My song asks the same question, but means something different. ‘Bekenne dich’ becomes ‘Entscheide dich’. The command becomes an invitation, set to a laid-back reggae beat.

The addition of ‘(Democracy Song)’ to the title stems from an agreement with Hartmut König to distinguish the songs from one another even more clearly.

What this is about — and what it isn’t about

No party, no political camp, no candidate. The song promotes nothing but the act of voting itself.

“One wrong cross and the world is in a right mess” is not a threat, but a reminder: every vote counts. Even those who would rather stay at home. Elections will be held in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September 2026, and the outcome of the election will also influence policy across the Federal Republic.

How the video was made

The shoot took place in a single day against a black background — several takes to the playback, which I was later able to edit as if I’d used multiple cameras.

Camera: Michael Bader from Leipzig. Editing and everything else: me, which took a few more nights than planned.

The balloon sequences were generated by AI using reference images from the portrait shoot with Michael Bader.

It felt like it took me half an eternity to get to the moment when a balloon bumped into me — the models were absolutely determined to let the impact fade away gently, rather than letting it actually happen. In the end, it worked out, and I’ve come to really like those two seconds.

If you like the video: sharing it helps more than anything else. And if you don’t want to miss a thing from sugarbear — the newsletter below always arrives first.

Auftritt beim CSD Magdeburg

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:54:34 +0000

15 minutes on Cathedral Square in front of 1,000 people

Performance at the Magdeburg CSD on August 22, 2026—during the anniversary year, two weeks before the state election.

On Saturday, I was on stage at the Magdeburg CSD. Domplatz, anniversary year: thirty years of CSD in Saxony-Anhalt. A short set, four songs, a good quarter of an hour.

I sang “True Colors,” followed by my own songs, “Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)” and “Frühlingserwachen” and finally, in memory of the victims of the CSD attack in Berlin, “Over the Rainbow.”

The second song was the reason why I was invited at short notice by the CSD team. It takes the 1967 GDR song of the same name and turns it on its head: what was then a declaration of allegiance to a system without freedom of choice becomes an invitation to form one’s own opinion — and now to make responsible use of that freedom of choice. This call takes on particular significance in the run-up to such an important state election.

Being able to sing this song in front of over 1,000 people, and the enthusiastic applause that followed, give me hope that the song’s message has been passed on. Hopefully, this will convince many more undecided people not to let their vote go to waste.
Elections will be held in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on 20 September. The song doesn’t make the decision for anyone.

Sie ist da. „Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)“ — meine Debütsingle.

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:39:10 +0000

It’s here. “Sag mir, wo du stehst (Democracy Song)” — my debut single.

In 1967, the Oktoberklub asked this question to urge people to take a stand. I’m asking it to encourage the opposite: decide for yourself.
A laid-back reggae groove, a Caribbean vibe — steel drums, heavenly backing vocals, rich brass hooks. And yet a clear appeal: exercise your right to vote; don’t give your vote away.
sugarbear.music/links
A Save on Spotify helps the most

For sing-alongs / karaoke, here are the lyrics
and here is the sheet music download on Musescore

Listen now on:

Instrumentalversion „Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)“

admin — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 16:15:00 +0000

Instrumental version of „Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)“

In early August 2026, sugarbear released their first single, “Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)”. With its fresh, summery reggae sound, the song invites listeners to give some thought to democracy and their own voting behaviour, because the next election is sure to come soon...

For sing-alongs / karaoke, here are the lyrics
and here is the sheet music download on Musescore

Listen now on:

Single-Cover „Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)“

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:58:11 +0000

Preview: Single-Cover "Sag mir, wo du stehst (Demokratiesong)"

Official release on 7 August 2026

The cover photo was taken in the studio of Leipzig-based advertising photographer Michael Bader, along with all the brilliant portrait photos by sugarbear.
I think Michael brought my globe-shaped balloon idea to life perfectly.

Do you find yourselves wondering more and more often what sort of world you’d like to live in?