No songs have shaped German-language rock music as much as those of Rio Reiser's band Ton Steine Scherben and his later solo career. The fascination for his timeless texts and songs is unbroken, as evidenced by the ongoing reception in documentaries, podcasts and exhibitions. So it is hard to believe that there has not yet been a cross-career volume with Reiser's lyrics - a gap that is now finally being closed. >>Ich will ich sein<< contains over 100 song lyrics, both from his time with Ton Steine Scherben and his solo years. The lyrics are commented on by numerous musical companions and well-known fans - from the Scherben founding members Kai Sichtermann, Wolfgang Seidel and R. P. S. Lanrue to family members and artists such as Frank Spilker, Reinhard Mey, Thees Uhlmann, Schorsch Kamerun or Desiree Klauekens. The various annotations complement the song lyrics with tributes, declarations of love, anecdotes, reflections and crazy stories. >>I want to be me<< conveys a comprehensive picture of the work of the poet Reiser, but also deep insights into Rio Reiser as a person. Rio Reiser was a hero and an anti-hero, he was a giant and will remain so.