PS: No, it's not too late, Fred. Thanks for the story. I'm listening to your linked hymn now.

PS Hope I'm not too late with this comment....

There's a story about Helmut Theilike who was a German pastor and theologian. During the '30s when the Nazis were consolidating their power, they decided to do a full-out Nazi celebration on Reformation Sunday. This is, of course, the high day of the Lutheran church.

The Nazis did everything they could to "encourage" people to show up. They made it clear that the local Nazi event was the place to be on Sunday.

As a result, most churches were empty.

The following Sunday, Helmut Theilike told his congregation to stand. Then he said "I forbid you to sing the following hymn." And he had the organist play "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."

The story says that by the time the song was over people were crying in the aisles and everyone heard of how Theilike "punished" his congregation.


A mighty Fortress is our God,
A Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGdfJoIi5h8&ab_channel=JohannusChurchOrgans

PS: Mr. Hail, I did see that one. "Free Bird", of course!

Actually, back in the day, I would say that were I President I would push for Free Bird to replace the Star-Spangled Banner. OTOH, Free Bird may be just as hard to sing for most [hand raised], but also, who can play the guitar like Steve Gaines, Allen Collins, and (slide guitar) Gary Rossington?

What's your choice?

PS

Oh wow Mr. Ganderson - in one of my all time favorite novels by the (ironic/sarcastic/melancholic (all three!)) title of Rothschilds**, one of the most funny scenes in it is in a Frankfurt Apple-wine-Tavern and things go haywire and the landlord cries - we're closed already! closing time!!, ladies and gentleman! to steer cleasr in a storm of driunken chaos unflding in his little pub - and how do they call their apple wine-ciders there? - "Kramabambuli-Bockfotzelorum!"

**Hermann Peter Piwitt wrote that. - I didn't write about him for a year or so: But this morning it is already the second time - - -a Scottish Nature-writer and photographer (!) lady ca. 70 or so told me it came to her as a mild shock to hear that she stylistically has a nature-writing predecessor in Piwitt - - - I'll look him up right away she wrote me back - - - - then silence - - - hehe! - Maybe the Rothschilds did that - they yield enormous power over the bodies and souls of all living beings on God's wide earth - - - (if I go on like that, I'll overcome the - law - isn't that a law, really, that you can't make yourself laugh, heheh!

PS

@Mr Ganderson, I’ll drink to that! That’s a dog that hunts.

🕉🛸😊

PS: "Sorry for the double post!" It didn't come in any clearer to me the 2nd time. ;-}

PS

Sorry for the double post!

PS.

Dieter-wann ich in High School war, habe ich Deutsch studiert.

For his sins, Herr Sawatsky, who was a good guy, taught me all four years. Occasionally when we were uninterested in grammar exercises and such we would pound on our desks and chant „Singen! Singen! Wir wollen singen!“
We’d sing old chestnuts like “Die Lorelei”, “In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus “ and my favorite, “Krambambuli”!:

Krambambuli, das ist der Titel
des Tranks der sich bei uns bewährt.
Er ist ein ganz probates Mittel,
wenn uns was Böses widerfährt.
Des Abends spät, des Morgens früh
trink' ich ein Glas Krambambuli,
Krambimbambambuli, Krambambuli.

Bin ich im Wirtshaus abgestiegen,
gleich einem großen Kavalier,
dann laß ich Brot und Braten liegen
und greife nach dem Pfropfenziehr;
dann bläßt der Schwager tantari
zu einem Glas Krambambuli
Krambimbambambuli, Krambambuli.

Reißt mich's im Kopf, reißt mich's im Magen,
hab ich zum Essen keine Lust;
wenn mich die bösen Schnupfen plagen,
hab ich Katarrh auf meiner Brust:
was kümmern mich die Medici?
Ich trink ein Glas Krambambuli.
Krambimbambambuli, Krambambuli

PS.

Dieter-wann ich in High School war, habe ich Deutsch studiert.

For his sins, Herr Sawatsky, who was a good guy, taught me all four years. Occasionally when we were uninterested in grammar exercises and such we would pound on our desks and chant „Singen! Singen! Wir wollen singen!“
We’d sing old chestnuts like “Die Lorelei”, “In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus “ and my favorite, “Krambambuli”!:

Krambambuli, das ist der Titel
des Tranks der sich bei uns bewährt.
Er ist ein ganz probates Mittel,
wenn uns was Böses widerfährt.
Des Abends spät, des Morgens früh
trink' ich ein Glas Krambambuli,
Krambimbambambuli, Krambambuli.

Bin ich im Wirtshaus abgestiegen,
gleich einem großen Kavalier,
dann laß ich Brot und Braten liegen
und greife nach dem Pfropfenziehr;
dann bläßt der Schwager tantari
zu einem Glas Krambambuli
Krambimbambambuli, Krambambuli.

Reißt mich's im Kopf, reißt mich's im Magen,
hab ich zum Essen keine Lust;
wenn mich die bösen Schnupfen plagen,
hab ich Katarrh auf meiner Brust:
was kümmern mich die Medici?
Ich trink ein Glas Krambambuli.
Krambimbambambuli, Krambambuli

PS

Steve Sailer asks what the U.S. White National Anthem should be, -- any ideas?

PS: 70's Tarheel: I did see Mr. Sailer's post on VDare. I noted that his remark on the cats being cuter was only accurate for his Unz Review post. VDare had a semi-racy picture of two Poly's. That's would have been my comment, but then, yes, Steely Dan too. I like putting in some great tunes. I have no idea how many people listen.

Alarmist, it's assumed to be #1. From the previous post:

"If this were #2 behind Amazing Grace, then #3 would be How Great Thou Art, wouldn't it?" It's a great song, but, as they say in the pop music business, it's been overplayed(?)

PS: You've got an advantage over me, Dieter, in being able to sing. That's a problem in my family. Nature or nurture, I don't know.

I was somewhat of a Springsteen fan back in his time, but I don't know as much of the music (lyrics) as you do - same with Dylan.

Mr. (G)nderson, I liked the cheese jokes. There are many. Yes, Franken (and Franken and Davis) were funny when they were supposed to be. Why do so many of these guys go wrong? Entertainment people are probably not the best crowd to acquire one's political views from.

PS

Tarheel: “Babylon Sisters” is one of my favorite Steely Dan songs.

“So fine so young tell me I’m the only one”…

As far as later Dan is concerned, I really like “What a Shame About Me”. Same plot as Harry Chapin’s ploddingly obvious “Taxi” but oh so much better.

PS

I know it’s cliché, but did I miss Amazing Grace in these posts?

🕉😊🙏✝️

PS
OT, and I know you are on an ISteve fast, but his current polyamory posting is just dying for a Steely Dan reference from you. I'm thinking "Babylon Sisters." (It has one of their best couplets, btw: "Turn that jungle music down. Just until we're out of town.")

PS

Dieter- I was always partial to “Johnny 99”

“Well they closed up the auto plant in Mahwah late last month…”

Ulf Lundell, who some call the Swedish Bruce Springsteen, has an album called “Omaha”.

“Hello Mary Lou “ is a good tune; the New Riders of the Purple Sage used to do it. It was written by Gene Pitney

PS

There used to be (still is? Dunno) a comedy club in Minneapolis called Dudley Riggs’ Brave New Workshop; among the comics they nurtured were Louie Anderson (no relation, every third person in the Twin Cities is named Anderson), Joel Hodgson of Mystery Science Theater fame, and Franken and Davis. Now, while I’d never vote for Al Franken I did find him amusing, and do think (even though I also think he stole the election) he was railroaded out of office.

Anyhoo, they used to have clever names for their reviews one of which was “National Velveeta: or What a Friend We Have in Cheeses.”

PS
I sang The Hymn by Barclay James Harvest this week with a group of utterly divers enthusiasts, let me discribe us this way...(we were not of your regular stock).
Loved it!

(We also sang Hello Marylou and a dozen or so others).


Then there is this - meta-text to the forlorn heap of low life hymn-singers - - it is not cynical (does not look at them as The Deplorables), but harsher than necessary, 'Id say - - I still like it. - - - From the album

Nebraska


Seen a man standing over a dead dog
By a highway in a ditch
He's looking down kinda puzzled
Poking that dog with a stick
Got his car door flung open
He's standing out on Highway 31
Like if he stood there long enough
That dog'd get up and run

[Chorus 1]
Struck me kinda funny
Seemed kinda funny, sir, to me
Still at the end of every hard day
People find some reason to believe

[Verse 2]
Now, Mary Lou loved Johnny
With a love mean and true
She said, "Baby, I'll work for you every day
And bring my money home to you"
One day, he up and left her
And ever since that
She waits down at the end of that dirt road
For young Johnny to come back

You might also like
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
Atlantic City
Bruce Springsteen
My Father’s House
Bruce Springsteen

[Chorus 2]
Struck me kinda funny
Funny, yeah, indeed
How at the end of every hard-earned day
People find some reason to believe

[Verse 3]
Take a baby to the river
Kyle William, they called him
Wash the baby in the water
Take away little Kyle's sin
In a whitewashed shotgun shack
An old man passes away
Take the body to the graveyard
Over him, they pray

[Chorus 3]
Lord, won't you tell us
Tell us, what does it mean?
At the end of every hard-earned day
People find some reason to believe

[Verse 4]
Congregation gathers
Down by the riverside
Preacher stands with a Bible
Groom stands waiting for his bride
Congregation gone
The sun sets behind a weeping willow tree
Groom stands alone and watches the river rush on
So effortlessly


[Chorus 4]
Wondering
Where can his baby be
Still, at the end of every hard-earned day
People find some reason to believe