Music Album#1.

Lale Andersen - (1905-1972)

Lale Andersen, German chanson singer-songwriter was born in Bremerhaven, Germany.

She studied acting in Berlin, and in 1931 began appearing on stage at various cabarets in Berlin. In 1939, she met Norbert Schultze, who had just written the music for "Lili Marleen". She is best known for her interpretation of the song "Lili Marleen".

"Lili Marleen" was immensely popular with German soldiers, and was received all over Europe anhd the Mediterranean. It was also popular with Allied troops. However, Nazi officials did not like the sad song about parted lovers and prohibited its being played on the radio. Lale was not allowed to perform publicly for nine months.

She retired to Langeoog, a small island off the North Sea coast of Germany. In 1952 she made a comeback with the song "Die blaue Nacht am Hafen", which she had written the lyrics for herself. In 1959 she had another hit "Ein Schiff wird kommen..." (a version of 'Never on Sunday'). Both songs won her a gold album each in Germany.

Throughout the 1960s, she toured extensively through Europe, the United States and Canada, until her farewell tour "Goodbye Memories" in 1967. She published her autobiography "Der Himmel hat viele Farben" (The Sky has many colors). Lale Anderson died of a heart attack in Vienna, Austria at the age of 67.

"Lili Marleen"

This poem was originally titled "Das Madchen unter der Laterne" (German for "The girl under the lantern") - It became famous as "Lili Marleen" -- A German love song, first recorded by Lale Anderson in 1939 and became popular during World War II.

The Original German Lyrics:

Vor der Kaserne,
vor dem grossen Tor,
stand eine Laterne
und steht sie noch davor,
so wollen wir uns da wiedersehen,
wenn wir bei der Laterne stehen,
wie einst, Lili Marleen,
wie einst, Lili Marleen.

Unsere beide Schatten
sahen wie einer aus,
dass wir so lieb uns hatten,
dass sah man gleich daraus.
Und alle Leute sollen es sehen,
wenn wir bei der Laterne stehen,
wie einst, Lili Marleen,
wie einst, Lili Marleen.

Schon rief der Posten,
“Sie blasen Zapfenstreich.
Das kann drei Tage kosten.”
“Kamerad, ich komm sogleich.”
Da sagten wir, “Auf Wiedersehen”,
wie gerne wollt ich mit dir gehen,
mit Dir Lili Marleen,
mit Dir Lili Marleen.

Deine Schritte kennt sie,
Deinen zieren Gang.
Alle Abend brennt Sie,
Doch mich vergass Sie lang,
Und sollte mir ein Leids geschehen,
wer wird by der Laterne stehen,
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 späten Nebel drehen,
werde ich bei der Laterne stehen,
wie einst, Lili Marleen,
wie einst, Lili Marleen.