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Do you know the Elefantfahrstuhlführeraufzugsleiter yet?

Written on 07 November 2016. | Posted in Musik / Music

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Elefantfahrstuhlführeraufzugsleiter Do you know him yet? The Elefantfahrstuhlführeraufzugsleiter? If not, it's high time you did! And you can learn some German with a song so easy, so fun, and with characters you'll recognize? Not only does it have a catchy tune, but it'll probably put a swing in your step, too!

Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to German Sesame Street: Sesamstraße.

This apparently was originally named the "I'm the Elephant Elevator Operator" so you get the gist of this video. Let's break down the name from German, though, so you get a real feel for it!

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der Herbst

Written on 23 October 2014. | Posted in Musik / Music

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Here's a funny little ditty to spice up your autumnal celebrations! A song sung by tenor Boris Pohlmann (proud to say we sang together back in the day), accompanied by Peter Dicke.

It's an unusual song, as it's minimalistic--there is only minimal piano, minimal text, minimal singing. And it's a spoof on a song by German comedian Hape Kerkeling entitled "Hurz"!

so first, here is "Hurz"

der Wolf ... das Lamm ... HURZ!

The song from Boris and Herr Dicke is entitled "Frei nach Hape Kerkeling." "Frei nach" means they've re-created the song according to the original song by Hape Kerkeling. Also hier das Video von Boris und Herrn Dicke, "Herbst."

http://youtu.be/gJZTSINMQR4

(Sorry it can't be imbedded, you'll have to watch it on YouTube.)

der Wind ... das Laub ... an den dürren Aesten ...

Boris' diction is fantastic--can you figure out the rest of the words? Comment below with your guess!

Viel Spaß dabei!

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Elif - 200 Tage Sommer

Written on 24 June 2014. | Posted in Musik / Music

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Here's a pretty standard German pop song "200 Tage Sommer," from the singer Elif.

A few words to help you understand it:

kriegen = to get (slang)

Ich kriege dich nicht aus meinem Kopf = I can't get you out of my head.

Du machst mein Leben etwas leichter = You make my life a bit lighter.

wiedersehen = to see each other again

So here's a mini German music lesson for you:

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Typisch Deutsch: Schlager!!

Written on 10 June 2014. | Posted in Musik / Music

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Typisch Deutsch Schlager Schlager is a form of music unique to German--it's its own genre. Comprised mainly of catchy tunes (that lead to ear worms), straight-forward forms and uncomplicated texts, you can hear Schlager at Oktoberfest, pretty much any Karneval celebration anywhere in Germany, and of course on German television.

You can easily dance to it and it's a good bet that you can dance with your kids to it and not worry about the texts.

A lot of Schlager shows are shown on TV in the evenings and are recorded performances in front of live studio audiences; and frequently, the singing is not live, it's lip-synced in-studio. I don't know why this is, but it happens all the time--even Nelly Furtado lip-synced one of her songs live on a German show.

Here's a great example of Schlager from Roberto Blanco, one of Germany's most well-known Schlager singers. "Wenn der Sommer erwacht" (When summer wakes up) from 2013:

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