‘Hook’ – Marcus von Rittberg

Look Fucker
No Foot Locker 
No blood sucker 
No cock blocker

I'm a sucker for funk 
All the others are drunk 
Am I sober or what? 
I'm high and I'm drunk

Play no junk cover
I play funk brother
Write a hook and a hook 
And a hook and another

Play ‘til monks hover
Drunks recover
Write a hook, hook, hook, hook 
And another

I am bud-blazing
I am bud-wising
Write a hook and a hook 
and a hook ‘til sun rising

dB low, then high
BPM slow, then fast 
Write a hook in the future 
In the present, in the past

Smoke signals
Look at the horizon 
Write a hook and a hook 
The sun is rising

Hook, hook, hook, hook 
And another
Write a hook
Hook, hook and another.

Hook

‘Q Train’ – Marcus von Rittberg

On the Q, heading home to Brooklyn
Union square, people squeezing through doors 
I-pod plays, foot taps to the mixtape
Baby smiles, grandma ’cross is waving

Business Men going over details 
Hipster girl with shades
Liquor River, rolling bottle
She got fired, she needs a drink

Frees his seat, woman with a stroller 
Homeless guy, asking for a quarter 
She’s alone, son seeks her attention 
She gets loud, mind is on her lost love

Nurse is tired, all day standing 
Yet she can’t find a seat
The same paper being read by 
More than two eyes

She’s asleep, head falls against a stranger 
He’s too kind, doesn’t want to wake her 
Busking men, gospel in four voices
Pass their hat, wonders if they’ll wake her

Guy with glasses hopes he'll finish 
With the book before his stop 
Gorgeous lady in black dress 
Braided hair, she’ confident

Many men trying to get a quick glimpse 
Some are bold, smiling while their eyes meet 
Some are shy, too shy to make contact 
Watching her image in the window

Wrinkled hands wrapped ‘round warm coffee 
Tired eyes, tired back
Look is wondering form a cellphone
To the ads above

Couples kiss, smiling while their hands hug 
People look, some of who seem jealous 
Hip-hop beat draws the travelers’ interest 
Breakers break, boom box wakes the baby

Shopping bags packed full of groceries 
She’s hungry and he’s alone
Glimpses over at her food choice
Tired of cooking for himself

Q Train

‘Crazy’ – Marcus von Rittberg 

Crazy, you think I'm going crazy
Maybe, but mostly cause of you
Crazy, why don't you just go crazy?
Lately, I'm in love with you

Crazy

‘Der Spiegel’ – Marcus von Rittberg


Verse 1

My meal is pretty tasty
Yet it's hard to swallow food
That feature on a tortured man
Really killed my mood
The war against terror
Civilians die in fight
My salads looking fresh
But where's my appetite?
Families are on the flight
Threat of rape and pillage
My home is safe, my home is comfy
Rebels burnt down your whole village
Peaceful monks thrown into prison
The story being told
Force myself to read it
My pizza is getting cold

Chorus

Dinner in my kitchen
I wish I had TV
I'd better read some fiction
Bon Appetit! 

Verse 2

Tiny kids with nothing
I see hunger in their eyes
Could you please stop looking?
It's hard to swallow guys
Immigrants in a container
Suffocated to death
I really hate this magazine
Hand me some yellow press
Mothers praying for their children
Wounded in their arms
Smoke and fire and ruins
Ruins my appetite
Skip the page, a new header
A catastrophic drought
I breathe in, I breathe out
I'm thankful I'm alive

Chorus 

Dinner in my kitchen
I wish I had TV
I'd better read some fiction
Bon Appetit!

Der Spiegel

‘Growing Younger’ – Marcus von Rittberg

Verse 1

Butterfly that dances
You made my day
I'm the praying mantis
I forgot to pray
I’m content and blissful
In my own cocoon
“But you’re sad and lonely”
Say the stars and moon
Feeling calm and peaceful
Keep my inner smile
“You are anxious and fearful
Live in your own exile”

Chorus 

Lights growing colder
Walls reflecting older 
Your being glowing gold 
You and I are loners 
I'm a rock 
You're a roller
Rhythm, heart and soul  
Courage growing bolder
Scolding hot
Freezing, colder
We're growing younger
Everybody's getting older

Verse 2

When the fire is burning 
In this lover’s game
If there's love I'm thankful
When there's none, the same
When you move, it's gracious
When you speak, with pride
I forgot how loving
Makes us feel inside
If we had just one song
What would I sing to you?
If we had just one laugh
And you smile, me too

Chorus 

Lights growing colder
Walls reflecting older 
Your being glowing gold 
You and I are loners 
I'm a rock You're a roller
Rhythm, heart and soul  
Courage growing bolder
Scolding hot
Freezing, colder
We're growing younger
Everybody's getting older

Growing Younger

'The Ship' - Marcus von Rittberg

Verse 1

She could read my mind
I would come to find            
Deep and hungry eyes
Beauty and black lies         
Planting seeds of fear
My mind's the ship you steer    
Shadows of deceit
Heart just skipped a beat

Pre-Chorus

She denies my jealous accusations 
Calming my mind with her sensual sedation
 
Chorus
 
You never meant to love me
But now I'm out the door
I didn't believe you
I hated you and adored

You said you felt indifferent
You said you felt betrayed
I started to feel washed up
By this jaded masquerade

I never meant to love you
You're fun but not my type
Now that I lost you
I think you might be right

You answers were deceptive
They kept me at bay
I kept on asking questions
‘Til I finally went astray

Verse 2

Intimate as twins 
Distant with a grin          
Precious queen or bitch
Knower, serpent, witch   
Please corrupt my mind 
For now I will be blind       
Sex and drugs and wine
This is our last time         

Pre-Chorus

She denies my jealous accusations 
Calming my mind with her sensual sedation
 
Chorus
 
You never meant to love me
But now I'm out the door
I didn't believe you
I hated you and adored

You said you felt indifferent
You said you felt betrayed
I started to feel washed up
By this jaded masquerade

I never meant to love you
You're fun but not my type
Now that I lost you
I think you might be right

You answers were deceptive
They kept me at bay
I kept on asking questions
‘Til I finally went astray

The Ship

"Rock Warrior" - Marcus von Rittberg 

Verse 1

Up the wall
Hundreds of feet 
Steeper than steep
Like spiders that creep
Wind is cold
Hands are hurt
She knows it is real
If there's blood and there's dirt
Warrior's soul  
She quiets her mind
Battle withinA seeker will find”
We'll conquer the world
Climb every mountain”
He smiles, holds her tight
Dream the same dream at night
When they sleepUnder the sky  
See them waving It's time for good bye

Chorus

I saw a warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly
A warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly

Where do we go from here?
Where did we come from? 
For a blink of an eye
Was wondering why

Where do we go from here?
Where did we come from? 
For a blink of an eye
We thought we knew why

I saw a warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly
A warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly

Verse 2

The sun is hot
So's the stone
Her smile is cool
Torn muscles, broken bones
She's climbing, she's dancing 
He follows, he leads
The wall and each other
All that they need
The stars are hers
Reaching higher and higher
She keeps at bay
Her never-ending fire
World's turning fast
So is her heart
Her spirit is free 
Her life is her art
The smell of earth
She's coming home
Her heart is warm
Her fire tells the poem

Chorus

I saw a warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly
A warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly

Where do we go from here?
Where did we come from? 
For a blink of an eye
Was wondering why

Where do we go from here?
Where did we come from? 
For a blink of an eye
We thought we knew why

I saw a warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly
A warrior in the sky
For a moment, I thought I could fly

Rock Warrior

‘Lucid Dream’ – Marcus von Rittberg

Verse 1

We're low, we're high
We fall, we fly

A girl, a guy
New York, Shanghai

Far way, near by
Real bold, bit shy

We laugh, we cry 
We live, we die

Where, when, what, why?
Hello! Good Bye!

Pre-Chorus

Strange and odd but so familiar 
Dormant yet alive

All our souls are sleeping beauties
Waiting to arise 

Chorus

Woke up today
Remember this vivid dream
Humans were trapped
Trapped in their little schemes

People got tired
Tired of their heady lies
Started to open
Open their sleepy eyes

Then they got still
Let go of obsessive thoughts
Now there was room
Space in their tender hearts

Verse 2

We hate, we're kind
Aware and blind

Too fast, too slow
We're dark, we glow

Destroy, rebuild
We're bored, we're thrilled

We seek, we find
We calm our mind

A part, the whole
The path, our goal

Pre-Chorus

Strange and odd but so familiar 
Dormant yet alive

All our souls are sleeping beauties
Waiting to arise 

Chorus

Woke up today
Remember this vivid dream
Humans were trapped
Trapped in their little schemes

People got tired
Tired of their heady lies
Started to open
Open their sleepy eyes

Then they got still
Let go of obsessive thoughts
Now there was room
Space in their tender hearts

Lucid Dream

‘Thrill Me, Fool Me’ – Marcus von Rittberg 

Verse 1

Lonely, I have been so damn lonely
Music keeps me driving to nowhere, lonely
Fountain, my pen is crying a fountain
Theme song of my heartache and sadness, heartbreak

Pre-chorus

You, you are so lovely
You shine like the stars above me 
Earth carries your feet
Smiles when you dance
I blush when I'm around you
You flush my love down the gutter
A river of guys who have fought Just like me

Chorus

Love me, join me, thrill me
Fool me, hurt me, loose me 
Kiss me, leave me, hate me 
Burn me, sting me, bite me 
Blame me, hold me, stab me 
Wrong me, doubt me, touch me 
Feel me, love me, find me 
Keep me wondering

Verse 2

Wineglass and my piano console me
Climbing, melodies keep on falling, rising
Hopeful, now you're here I am hopeful
Touching, let me know my tunes touch you, move you

Pre-Chorus

Grace and beauty of nighttime 
Your soul is painted in sunshine 
Hair weaved in braids
Sent of love
I try to tell you I mean it
You say ‘Just wait for a minute’ 
Your phone pukes up a message 
From a guy just like me

Chorus

Love me, join me, thrill me
Fool me, hurt me, loose me 
Kiss me, leave me, hate me 
Burn me, sting me, bite me 
Blame me, hold me, stab me 
Wrong me, doubt me, touch me 
Feel me, love me, find me 
Keep me wondering

Thrill Me Fool Me

‘Warmth’ - Marcus von Rittberg

Verse 1

I'm a loser
You don't like that
I'm bizarre
You're not

My mind plagues me
You are carefree
I'm neurotic
You're not

You are lovely
I'm not ugly
Train keeps going
Too fast

Pre-Chorus

Beautiful face and mind
What's missing is some heart
Just a little warmth

Chorus

Beautiful face and mind
What's missing is some heart
Just a little warmth
A little bit of warmth

Verse 2

You eat breakfast
I drink coffee
You like tea
I smoke

You are rising
I keep falling
You take risks
I don't

You know people
I'm a loner
I'm a dreamer
You're not

Pre-Chorus

Beautiful face and mind
What's missing is some heart
Just a little warmth

Chorus

Beautiful face and mind
What's missing is some heart
Just a little warmth
A little bit of warmth

Warmth

Marcus von Rittberg was born in Spain and grew up in Germany where he began studying piano at a young age. His passion for composition and production brought him to the US where he earned his degree in 'Music Production & Audio Engineering' at the 'Institute of Production & Recording' in Minneapolis. 
​
In 2007 Marcus moved to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. He got heavily involved in teaching piano and music classes in the local community, focusing on those families, schools and kindergartens that struggled to allocate funds for the arts. Most of his engineering clients were local hip-hop artists. In 2009, Marcus self-released the concept albums 'Lyrical Pieces', 'A Night Out' and 'Revolution of Love' under the pseudonym 'Master of Con?usion', leading to various licensing opportunities.
 
During the following years he started performing in NYC while continuously writing and recording new material. In 2015 Marcus released 'Growing Younger', his latest self-produced release and first album using his given name. Shortly after, he relocated to Los Angeles where he continues to perform, compose, produce, engineer and teach.
 
As a singer-songwriter, Marcus draws from many genres. His melodic and harmonic progressions reveal Marcus’ love for jazz, Latin and classical music. The rhythmical elements in his productions expose Marcus’ passion for electronic and hip-hop music. He casually weaves together diverse musical elements, bringing forth a very eclectic yet catchy style of music. As a producer, Marcus paints from a wide palette of acoustic and electronic sounds that complement his heartfelt love songs, observant narratives and satirical social commentaries.

Marcus von Rittberg

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