SUBJECT: Lili Marlene
From: rmura@world.std.com (Ron Mura) 1 Jul 1991
To add a bit to our discussion a while back of "Famous Blue Raincoat"
and the reference to Lili Marlene:
At the 1980 Amsterdam show, Cohen introduces "Chelsea Hotel #2" with
his fairly standard line about Janis Joplin telling him that she
was "looking for Chris Kristofferson." This time, however, he adds:
"I wasn't looking for her either; I was looking for Lili Marlene."
SUBJECT: Lili Marlene
From: rmura@world.std.com (Ron Mura) 11 Oct 1993
Lili Marlene and Cohen's reference in "Famous Blue Raincoat" were recently
mentioned in alt.sex.movies:
*****************************************************************************
>From mednick@ahlp.win.net Fri Oct 8 15:43:52 1993
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>From: mednick@ahlp.win.net (David L. Mednick)
>Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1993 01:01:39 GMT
>SUBJECT: lily marlene
>
>
>Lily Marlene, that's her name...
>
>I saw her onec in a video a long time ago called "The
>Bigger The Better" (with a very unappealing Kay Parker)
>where she takes John Holmes from behind, the does an
>incredable facial.
>
>It's pretty old, but it was pretty hot. She really seemed
>to enjoy her craft. Does anyone have a bio on her? what has
>ever become of her?
>
>
>From ah657@Freenet.carleton.ca Fri Oct 8 15:44:06 1993
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>From: ah657@Freenet.carleton.ca (Michael Whiten)
>SUBJECT: Re: lily marlene
>Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1993 09:53:52 GMT
>
>
>In a previous article, mednick@ahlp.win.net (David L. Mednick) says:
>
>>
>>Lily Marlene, that's her name...
>>
>
>Is the same woman from the Leonard Cohen song 'Famous Blue Raincoat'?
>
>Now I'm *really* confused by that song?
>--
>
>From an23818@anon.penet.fi Fri Oct 8 15:44:21 1993
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>From: an23818@anon.penet.fi (Plucky Squirrel)
>Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1993 02:58:39 UTC
>SUBJECT: Re: lily marlene
>
>>>Lily Marlene, that's her name...
>>
>>Is the same woman from the Leonard Cohen song 'Famous Blue Raincoat'?
>>Now I'm *really* confused by that song?
>
>Whoa! How many people remember that song? Chalk one up for yourself
>as another who appreciates the poetry of misery!
>
>I thought the name "Lily Marlene" was/is the name of some character in some
>sort of poetic lore, as is "Marie Claire" (ten points if you can name a song
>(or the writer) that contains this name, from about the same time frame
>as `Raincoat). Poetic mention of Lily Marlene always conjured up images of the
>Marlene Dietrich character in "Blue Angel," though I don't remember the name
>of her character in that flick.
>
>If anyone out there knows the source of either of these names, please post.
>(come on, you euro-lit majors!)
>
>Plucky Squirrel
>
>
>From consid@access.digex.net Fri Oct 8 15:56:11 1993
>From: consid@access.digex.net (consid)
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>SUBJECT: Re: lily marlene
>Date: 5 Oct 1993 10:02:58 -0400
>
>In article <030307Z04101993@anon.penet.fi>,
>Plucky Squirrel wrote:
>>>>Lily Marlene, that's her name...
>>>
>>>Is the same woman from the Leonard Cohen song 'Famous Blue Raincoat'?
> "Famous Blue Raincoat" dates back to the late '60s -- Cohen first
>recorded it in 1970 -- so draw your own conclusions.
>
>>>Now I'm *really* confused by that song?
>>
>>Whoa! How many people remember that song? Chalk one up for yourself
>>as another who appreciates the poetry of misery!
>>
>>I thought the name "Lily Marlene" was/is the name of some character in some
>>sort of poetic lore....
>
> Poetic lore? Not hardly. "Lili Marlene" was a big hit back during
>WWII -- in fact, it was the only song of the era that went over as well
>with Axis troops as it did with the Allies. (It was especially popular in
>the North African theater).
> The lyrics were written at the end of WWI by a German soldier named
>Hans Leip; Norbert Schultze (another German) set them to music in 1938,
>whereupon they immediately ... flopped. Then a version of the song was
>broadcast to the Afrika Korps, and "Lili Marlene" caught on with both
>sides. Ann Shelton had the big British hit; Perry Como cracked the U.S.
>charts with the song.
> So where's the sex connection? In the lyrics, which seemed to some
>listeners to suggest that Lili was a lady of the evening. Leip, for what
>it's worth, always denied that such was the case; he insisted the song
>was inspired by two girls he knew, one named Lili, the other Marlene.
>(Both are rumored to have done porn with Marina Sitris, btw.)
>
> --jdconsidine
>
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> There's nothing as frustrating as trying to write.
> There's nothing more fulfilling as having written. -B.J.
>* * * * * * * * * * consid@access.digex.net * * * * * * * * * *
>
>From k@hprnd.rose.hp.com Fri Oct 8 15:56:26 1993
>From: k@hprnd.rose.hp.com (Steve Kao)
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>SUBJECT: Re: lily marlene
>Date: 5 Oct 1993 15:53:13 GMT
>consid (consid@access.digex.net) wrote:
>> The lyrics were written at the end of WWI by a German soldier named
>> Hans Leip; Norbert Schultze (another German) set them to music in 1938,
>> whereupon they immediately ... flopped. Then a version of the song was
>> broadcast to the Afrika Korps, and "Lili Marlene" caught on with both
>> sides. Ann Shelton had the big British hit; Perry Como cracked the U.S.
>> charts with the song.
>
>I thought that Marlene Dietrich had the biggest hit singing the song.
>She was German, but sang the lyrics in English. She was a popular
>actress in both Germany and the US/England. I could be wrong, though.
>
>- Steve Kao
>
>From consid@access.digex.net Fri Oct 8 15:56:35 1993
>From: consid@access.digex.net (consid)
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>SUBJECT: Re: lily marlene
>Date: 5 Oct 1993 20:47:54 -0400
>
>In article <28s599$989@hpchase.rose.hp.com>,
>Steve Kao wrote:
>>consid (consid@access.digex.net) wrote:
>>> Then a version of the song was
>>> broadcast to the Afrika Korps, and "Lili Marlene" caught on with both
>>> sides. Ann Shelton had the big British hit; Perry Como cracked the U.S.
>>> charts with the song.
>>
>>I thought that Marlene Dietrich had the biggest hit singing the song.
>>She was German, but sang the lyrics in English. She was a popular
>>actress in both Germany and the US/England. I could be wrong, though.
>>
> Dietrich sang "Lili Marlene" in her act, but it was neither a big hit
>nor as closely identified with her as "Falling In Love Again" (which, by
>the way, was her big "The Blue Angel" number).
>
> --jdconsidine
>
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> There's nothing as frustrating as trying to write.
> There's nothing more fulfilling as having written. -B.J.
>* * * * * * * * * * consid@access.digex.net * * * * * * * * * *
>
>From an23818@anon.penet.fi Fri Oct 8 15:57:04 1993
>Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
>From: an23818@anon.penet.fi (Plucky Squirrel)
>Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1993 18:06:34 UTC
>SUBJECT: Re: lily marlene
>
>>>>>Lily Marlene, that's her name...
>>>>
>>>>Is the same woman from the Leonard Cohen song 'Famous Blue Raincoat'?
>>
>>>I thought the name "Lily Marlene" was/is the name of some character in some
>>>sort of poetic lore....
>>
>> Poetic lore? Not hardly. "Lili Marlene" was a big hit back during
>>WWII -- in fact, it was the only song of the era that went over as well
>>with Axis troops as it did with the Allies. (It was especially popular in
>>the North African theater).
>
>Thanks much for this tidbit. By "poetic lore" I meant that it wasn't just
>the name of one of Cohen's old girlfriends.
>
>Plucky Squirrel
SUBJECT: Re: Lili Marlene
From: Acmena Schmid 13 Oct 1993
Hey, glad to read the postings about "Lili Marlene". I've been wondering
for a while who she was and what the connection might be. She crops up in
another place as well--a song by Patricia Kaas; "D'Allemagne".
"Auf wiedersen Lili Marlene
Reparlez-moi des roses de Gottingen
..."
SUBJECT: Lili Marlene
From: rmura@world.std.com (Ron Mura) 19 May 1994
Here's an article from rec.music.folk that talks about Lili Marlene.
> From bradley@adx.adelphi.edu Thu May 19 09:04:00 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob Bradley)
> Subject: Re: WWII in 60s & 70s
> Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 16:31:22 GMT
>
> In article <2qu0au$su0@jethro.corp.sun.com>, Mike Shames wrote:
>> In article Rob Bradley writes:
>>> I'm looking for songs which could be loosely labelled folk songs
>>> concerning WWII that were either written in or popular during the
>>> 60s and 70s. The ones I've been able to come up with so far: Pete
>>> and the two songs "Farewell to Sicily" and "D Day Dodgers" by the
>>
>> d day dodgers was written during the war by the british troops in
>> sicily.
>> sung to the tune of "lili marlene"
>
> Mike (fuzzy?) is absolutely right about this. My confusion came from
> the careless reading of a Sing Out! reprint. In 1962 SO published
> the song with a long introduction (including photo) by Hamish Henderson
> (see p. 242 in the Collected Reprints, 1959-1964). I thought they were
> claiming he wrote the words (the tune is acknowledged to be `Lili
> Marlene'), but upon closer inspection, what they wrote was: "below is
> Henderson'a re-write of a song widely sung in Italy during WWII."
>
> BTW, the song spread more widely than this. It was certainly sung by
> my father and his mates, who were Canadian infantrymen that landed
> in Normandy in the weeks following D-Day. He says the song was most
> certainly sung in Italy by Canadian as well as British troops, and
> spread to the troops of the 2nd Division in France.
>
> Another thing my Dad tells me is that, by and large, Canadian and
> American troops didn't sing `folk songs' in WWII. They listened to
> American popular music of the time (Big Bands, Pointer Sisters and
> the like) on the radio and in live performances and these were the
> songs that were popular among them.
>
> Finally, thanks to Mike for clearing up the `Big Muddy' foufurrah.
> One thing I've found in preparing this show is that people who lived
> through the anti-war movement think of every anti-war song sung between
> '63 and '72 as an anti-Veitnam-war song. "Last Night I Had the Stangest
> Dream" dates from 1950, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" is from 1961,
> "Big Muddy" recounts an incident in 1942, and "The Cruel War is Raging"
> is the result of centuries of folk process in England and America.
> The fact that these songs resonated with anti-Vietnam sentiment
> without being about the war _per_se_ speaks to the universality of
> folk music.
> --
> Rob Bradley --> bradley@adx.adelphi.edu <-- "For a quart of ale
> Dept of Math & Computer Science (516)877-4496 is a dish for a king."
> Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530 William Shakespeare
SUBJECT: Lili Marlene
From: rmura@world.std.com (Ron Mura) 24 Jun 1994
Here's another discussion about "Lili Marlene":
> From bradley@adx.adelphi.edu Tue Jun 14 11:49:55 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob Bradley)
> Subject: Lili Marlene
> Date: Tue, 7 Jun 1994 20:07:26 GMT
>
> This song surely counts as a folk song, at least by Pete Seeger's
> definition, but it's not in any of my books. NPR used a classic
> recording (Marlene Dietrich's, I think) of the English version as
> closing music for their piece on D-Day last Saturday morning. The
> lyrics from the portions they excerpted:
>
> Give me a rose to show how much you care
> Tie to the stem a lock of golden hair
> Surely tomorrow you'll feel blue
> But then will come a love that's new
> For you, Lili Marlene, for you, Lili Marlene
>
> [ 2 missing
> lines]
> My love for you restores my might
> I'm warm again, my pack is light
> It's you, Lili Marlene, it's you, Lili Marlene
>
> Can anybody supply the two missing lines? Are there other verses?
> I know the song was originally written in German. Does anybody have
> a reference to the composer(s)? The English translator? Was it
> translated into other languages and sung by other troops in WWII?
>
> Merci,
> --
> Rob Bradley --> bradley@adx.adelphi.edu <-- "For a quart of ale
> Dept of Math & Computer Science (516)877-4496 is a dish for a king."
> Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530 William Shakespeare
>
> From jcf@world.std.com Tue Jun 14 11:50:06 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: jcf@world.std.com (Joseph C Fineman)
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: Tue, 7 Jun 1994 22:09:22 GMT
>
> bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob Bradley) writes:
>
>> [ 2 missing
>> lines]
>
> When we are marching in the mud and cold
> And my pack's weight seems more than I can hold,
>
>> My love for you restores my might
>> I'm warm again, my pack is light
>> It's you, Lili Marlene, it's you, Lili Marlene
>
>> Are there other verses?
>
> Yes. They are on Marlene Dietrich at the Cafe de Paris (Columbia ML
> 4975 -- I have an ancient copy, but it is still in print, and I think
> also available now on CD).
>
> To the best of my recollection, tho, that is not the English version
> that she sang during the war, which began "Underneath the lamppost, by
> the barrack gate". Perhaps there were copyright difficulties.
>
>> I know the song was originally written in German. Does anybody have
>> a reference to the composer(s)?
>
> The words were written by Hans Leip -- the first four stanzas in 1914,
> while he was in the German army, and the last one in 1937. He
> survived both wars, and died in 1983 at the age of 89. The tune was
> written by Norbert Schulze in 1937. He too survived both wars.
>
> The song has the curious distinction of being enormously popular on
> both sides in W.W. II, being sung by Lale Andersen in Germany and, of
> course, Marlene Dietrich in the U.S.
>
>> The English translator? Was it translated into other languages and sung by
>> other troops in WWII?
>
> The first English translator (maybe not responsible for the one you
> quote -- see above) was an Englishman named Tommy Connor. There are
> translations into about 50 other languages.
>
> I have the German words, if anyone is interested. I don't know much
> German, but it seems to me that they are poetically superior to the
> English ones. The translation you quote is a rather loose one; there
> is no counterpart in the original to the stanza I completed above.
>
> The history of the song is given with Teutonic thoroughness in _Der
> Spiegel_, 19 Jan. 1981. I have wished for a long time to read it with
> the help of someone who knows German.
> --
> Joe Fineman jcf@world.std.com
> 239 Clinton Road (617) 731-9190
> Brookline, MA 02146
>
> From reid@ucs.indiana.edu Tue Jun 14 11:50:14 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: reid@ucs.indiana.edu (Frank Reid)
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 04:05:01 GMT
>
> In article bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob
Bradley) writes:
>> This song surely counts as a folk song, at least by Pete Seeger's
>> definition, but it's not in any of my books. NPR used a classic
>> recording (Marlene Dietrich's, I think) of the English version as
>> closing music for their piece on D-Day last Saturday morning...
>
> Remember the tv show "Combat" of the '60s? Does anyone besides me think its
> theme music was a variation on Lili Marlene?
>
> --
> Frank reid@ucs.indiana.edu
>
>
> From aschwart@acs.ucalgary.ca Tue Jun 14 11:50:19 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: aschwart@acs.ucalgary.ca (Arthur Schwartz)
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 18:28:51 GMT
>
> In article
> bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob Bradley) asks, about "Lili Marlene":
>
>> Was it translated into other languages and sung by other troops in WWII?
>
> Not merely the words have been translated, but the tune has been
> used in the military context for other than lover-far-away songs.
> The British "D-Day Dodgers" is one of the few that are (at least
> in part) suitable for polite company.
> --
> |Art Schwartz aschwart@acs.ucalgary.ca|
> |Educational Policy & Admin. Studies (403) 220-5697 |
> |The University of Calgary FAX: (403) 282-3005 |
>
> From nishii@world.std.com Tue Jun 14 11:50:36 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: nishii@world.std.com (Naka J Ishii)
> Subject: Lili Marlene
> Date: Tue, 7 Jun 1994 22:54:22 GMT
>
> Dolores Keane does Lili Marlene on her eponymous album, and these are
> the lyrics she provides:
>
> Underneath the lantern by the barrack gate
> Darling I remember the way you used to wait
> T'was there tthat you whispered tenderly
> That you lov'd me, you'd always be
> My Lili of the lamp-light
> My own Lili Marlene.
>
> Time would come for roll-call, time for us to part
> Darling I'd caress you and press you to my heart
> And there 'neath that far-off lantern light
> I'd hold you tight, we'd kiss good-night
> My Lili of the lamp-light
> My own Lili Marlene.
>
> Orders came for sailing, somewhere over there
> All confined to barracks, was more than I could bear
> I knew you were waiting in the street
> I heard your feet, but could not meet
> My Lili of the lamp-light
> My own Lili Marlene.
>
> Resting in a billet just behind the line
> Even tho' we're parted your lips are close to mine
> You wait where the lantern softly gleams
> Your sweet facin it haunts my dreams
> My Lili of the lamp-light
> My own Lili Marlene.
>
> ______________
>
> The word "facin" seems to be a *Gaelic* word -- she pronounces it "fay-sheen"
> and it has an accent on the "i" (as far as I can determine in the eensy-
beensy
> print on the CD). I presume it means "face", but I don't know.
>
> Naka
> nishii@world.std.com
>
> From kirk@neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov Tue Jun 14 11:51:05 1994
> From: kirk@neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov (Robert Kirk)
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: 8 Jun 1994 00:18:07 GMT
> In article bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob
Bradley) writes:
>> This song surely counts as a folk song, at least by Pete Seeger's
>> definition, but it's not in any of my books. NPR used a classic
>> recording (Marlene Dietrich's, I think) of the English version as
>> closing music for their piece on D-Day last Saturday morning. The
>> lyrics from the portions they excerpted:
>>
>> Give me a rose to show how much you care
>> Tie to the stem a lock of golden hair
>> Surely tomorrow you'll feel blue
>> But then will come a love that's new
>> For you, Lili Marlene, for you, Lili Marlene
>>
>> [ 2 missing
>> lines]
>
> Bugler tonight don't play the call to arms
> I want another evening with her charms
> We will create a world for two
> I'll wait for you the whole night through
>
>
> When we are marching in the mud and cold
> and when my pack is more than I can hold
>
>> My love for you restores my might
>> I'm warm again, my pack is light
>> It's you, Lili Marlene, it's you, Lili Marlene
>>
>> Can anybody supply the two missing lines? Are there other verses?
>> I know the song was originally written in German. Does anybody have
>> a reference to the composer(s)? The English translator? Was it
>> translated into other languages and sung by other troops in WWII?
>>
>> Merci,
>> --
>> Rob Bradley --> bradley@adx.adelphi.edu <-- "For a quart of ale
>> Dept of Math & Computer Science (516)877-4496 is a dish for a king."
>> Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530 William Shakespeare
>
> From jcf@world.std.com Fri Jun 17 12:53:23 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: jcf@world.std.com (Joseph C Fineman)
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: Thu, 9 Jun 1994 22:28:40 GMT
>
> aschwart@acs.ucalgary.ca (Arthur Schwartz) writes:
>
>> Not merely the words have been translated, but the tune has been
>> used in the military context for other than lover-far-away songs.
>> The British "D-Day Dodgers" is one of the few that are (at least
>> in part) suitable for polite company.
>
> The magazine article I mentioned in my previous posting contains a
> number of verses made up by German soldiers during the war. Some of
> them are unprintable, but _Der Spiegel_ printed them. %^)
>
> The Americans weighed in with
>
> Down by the Bahnhof, American Soldat,
> Ich habe Zigaretten, und beaucoup Chocolat.
> Dass ist prima, dass is gut,
> A zwanzig Mark fur fumpf minut.
> Wieviel, Lili Marleen....?
>--
> Joe Fineman jcf@world.std.com
> 239 Clinton Road (617) 731-9190
> Brookline, MA 02146
>
> From lesley@mks.com Fri Jun 17 12:57:12 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: lesley@mks.com (Lesley Fitzpatrick)
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: Fri, 10 Jun 1994 18:52:41 GMT
>
> In article ,
> Rob Bradley wrote:
>> This song surely counts as a folk song, at least by Pete Seeger's
>> definition, but it's not in any of my books. NPR used a classic
>> recording (Marlene Dietrich's, I think) of the English version as
>> closing music for their piece on D-Day last Saturday morning. The
>> lyrics from the portions they excerpted:
>>
>> Give me a rose to show how much you care
>> Tie to the stem a lock of golden hair
>> Surely tomorrow you'll feel blue
>> But then will come a love that's new
>> For you, Lili Marlene, for you, Lili Marlene
>>
>> [ 2 missing
>> lines]
>> My love for you restores my might
>> I'm warm again, my pack is light
>> It's you, Lili Marlene, it's you, Lili Marlene
>>
>> Can anybody supply the two missing lines? Are there other verses?
>> I know the song was originally written in German. Does anybody have
>> a reference to the composer(s)? The English translator? Was it
>> translated into other languages and sung by other troops in WWII?
> Hi,
> The only version that I have ever heard of Lili Marlene was completely
> different.
> ie. My lili of the lamplight,
> My own Lili marlene ..
>
> I also learned it in Grade 12 German class as a German folk song,
> and was under the impression that it was originally German
>
> ie. Auld der keserne
> Stande nacht da vor
> stande eine lanterne
> steht sie nacht da vor
> blah blah blah
>
> Twas there that you whispered tenderly
> that you loved me
> My lili of the lamplight
> Wie eintz Lili Marlene
>
> Excuse the mix of German/English, German spelling and
> General mess, but we also did a play in high school called
> _the War Show_, and sang this song in it and I believe it
> changed back and forth from German to English.
>
> Anyway just my $0.02 ($0.013 US Funds)
> Lesley
> SCA Sindan Kara Khitai
>
> tw
>
> --
> ****************************************************************
> If at first you don't succeed...Ultralight flying is not for you!
> ****************************************************************
>
> From carln@netcom.com Fri Jun 17 12:57:21 1994
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> From: carln@netcom.com (Carl D. Neiburger)
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: Sun, 12 Jun 1994 05:19:35 GMT
>
> Lesley Fitzpatrick writes of Lili Marlene:
>
>> I also learned it in Grade 12 German class as a German folk song,
>> and was under the impression that it was originally German
>
> Yes. It's one of those remarkable songs that become popular with troops
> on both sides of a war and are translated into all languages.
>
> The Fireside Book of Folk Songs (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1947) gives
> this introduction:
>
> "The music of 'Lili Marlene,' composed in Berlin in 1938, is credited to
> Norbert Schultze. The words were written in 1923 in Hamburg by the poet
> Hans Leip. The song, perhaps the most popular song of any time in German
> history, was 'captured' by the British Eighth Army when they annihilated
> the German African Corps in the Libyan campaign, and through them
> presented to the outside world."
>
> -- Carl Neiburger ( carln@netcom.com )
>
> From wisanr@newton.hartwick.edu Fri Jun 17 13:01:55 1994
> From: wisanr@newton.hartwick.edu (Dick Wisan)
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> Subject: Re: Lili Marlene
> Date: 12 Jun 94 12:37:31 -0500
>
> In article , bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob
Bradley) writes:
>
>> Are there other verses?
>> I know the song was originally written in German. Does anybody have
>> a reference to the composer(s)? The English translator? Was it
>> translated into other languages and sung by other troops in WWII?
>
> I have some recollection of the German words, but too shaky to post, &
> I'd appreciate it if someone posts the orignal (a la Lale Andersen(?))
> words. I do remember very clearly the words I learned as a wet-behind-
> the-ears freshman the year the vets came back:
>
> Vor der Kaserne, Amerikan Soldat,
> Mit viele Cigaretten und beaucoup Chocolat.
> Alles is prima; Alles is gut.
> Nur zwanzig Marks fur ein' Minute.
>
> Noch einst, Lili Marlene,
> Noch einst, Lili Marlene.
>
> If your barracks German-French-English is up to it, I was assured it
> catches the spirit of the era, which is V.E. day and a little bit after.
>
> I expect there were (are?) a lot of verses of this kind.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> R. N. (Dick) Wisan - Email: internet WISANR@hartwick.edu
> - Snail: 37 Clinton Street, Oneonta NY 13820, U.S.A.
> - Just your opinion, please, ma'am: No fax.
>
> From nijhof@th.rug.nl Mon Jun 20 15:43:22 1994
> From: nijhof@th.rug.nl (Jeroen Nijhof)
> Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
> Subject: Lili Marlene: (proper) Lyrics
> Date: 20 Jun 1994 15:34:30 GMT
> bradley@adx.adelphi.edu (Rob Bradley) asked about Lili Marleen.
>> From `Liederstern' (Bund Verlag, 1991):
>
> In 1915 `Gardefuesilier' (some kind of military person with fire arms?)
> Hans Leip wrote a farewell poem for his two girl friends Lili and Marleen.
> Shortly before WWII it was set to music by Norbert Schulze. De singer
> Lale Andersen sang this song with her [??], somewhat smoky voice --
> even though it should have been sung by a man -- on a record, that didn't
> sell well in the beginning. Only as the Belgrade military broadcasting
> service (can't think of the better translation now) started broadcasting
> this song every evening, it became a hit record. In the `Grossdeutschen
> Reich' (Great German Reich?) it soon got forbidden because of the
> `unheilvollen' (unhealthy?) character -- this didn't stop its spreading.
>
> Lili Marleen was one of the most popular hits in the WWII era. It
> is said to have been translated in 48 languages.
>
> And now the original German lyrics:
>
>
> Vor der Kaserne vor dem grossen Tor
> stand eine Laterne, und steht noch davor,
> so wolln wir uns da wiedersehn,
> bei der Laterne wolln wir stehn,
> wie einst Lili Marleen, wie einst Lili Marleen.
>
> Unsre beide Schatten sahn wie einer aus.
> Dass wir so lieb uns hatten, das sah man gleich daraus
> Un alle Leute solln es sehn,
> wenn wir bei der Laterne stehn,
> wie einst Lili Marleen, wie einst Lili Marleen.
>
> Schon rief der Posten: Sie blasen Zapfenstreich,
> es kann drei Tage kosten! Kam'rad, ich komm ja gleich.
> Da sagten wir auf Wiedersehn.
> Wie gerne wollt ich mit dir gehn,
> mit dir Lili Marleen, mit dir Lili Marleen.
>
> Deine Schritte kennt sie, deinen zieren Gang,
> alle Abend brennt sie, mich vergass sie lang.
> Und sollte mir ein Leids geschehn,
> wer wird bei der Laterne stehn,
> mit dir Lili Marleen, mit dir Lili Marleen?
>
> Aus dem stillen Raume, aus der Erde Grund
> hebt mich wie im Traume dein verliebter Mund.
> Wenn sich die spaeten Nebel drehn,
> werd' ich bei der Laterne stehn
> wie einst Lili Marleen, wie einst Lili Marleen.
>
> -----
>
> Jeroen nijhof@th.rug.nl