In the summer of 2021, I had the pleasure of attending a hybrid congress in Berlin: Die Grünen were kicking off their election campaign. The
It’s the end of summer, we’re back home from long days in the sun and on the water, and it’s back to classes and many
Managing your hybrid course with Cornelsen’s Basis for Business Summary This 30-minute talk aimed to give Business English trainers an overview of lessons learned in
Last Friday on the train in Erfurt there was a very ugly case of xenophobia and racism directed against a young Syrian. A German man
Saturday Night Live has picked up on current political events in the USA. The comedy series opens this week’s episode with a fictional Minnesota morning
OK, so it’s still cold out, but spring is here. Along with blackest humor. “Taubenvergiften im Park” was written by Georg Kreisler, “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” was penned by Tom Lehrer. So: Did Lehrer steal the song from Kreisler, or was it the other way around? Lehrer had more chutzpah, and thanked Kreissler for “popularizing his songs in German”. Kreissler was sehr böse darüber.
5 Responses
Thanks Anne,
I’ve just spent 30 minutes of enjoyment with Tom Lehrer on Youtube.
I knew of him vaguely but now I’m all well up. His life story, which I found on on Wikipaedia, is also very interesting.
It’s nice to listen to the pidgeon song in both languages – his version does sound more humourous, though, I’d say.
Anyhow, thanks again – are you still working on that keyboard?
You have a great voice.
Have agreat weekend,
Joan
Nice voice, yourself Joan! It’s more about enjoying singing together, though, isn’t it? I’ve neglected the keyboard totally for almost a year now, just going back to it from time to time. Can’t even remember where all the notes are. But less work, more keyboard. The recession has to be good for something, right? 🙂
Guess who first introduced me to Lehrer? Jo! He turned 80 last year on 9 April, and is still going strong.
Yes, he’s exactly one year to the day younger than Randy’s mum, so since I’m a birthday freak I’d noticed that.
So, your work situation must be positive since the keyboard’s being neglected, right?
Mine’s been a struggle but now I’ve been to the highways and the byways and I’m busy even if the money’s not as good as I’d like it to be.
You have a great Sunday,
Joan
forgot to mention, we were at the Hannes Wader concert in Gasteig last night.
He’s fantastic – what a talent, and not so well-known I think.
Joan
Oh, yes, he’s one of the greatest!! This one is for you, because “The changes are all that remain” 🙂
Heute hier, morgen dort / Day to day
Day to day, town to town
Sing my songs, travel on
It’s a choice that I made long ago
Yesterday or tomorrow
My time’s mine to borrow
Or share, till again I must go
But sometimes, when my dreams
Start to haunt me, it seems
I should try settling down
For a change, in some town
But the years and the days
Pass me by, go their ways
And the changes are all that remain
Though the folk I have met
(Ah, how soon!) they forget
When I’ve moved on to some other place
There may be one or two
When I’ve played and passed through
Who’ll remember my song or my face
But sometimes, when my dreams
Start to haunt me, it seems
I should try settling down
For a change, in some town
But the years and the days
Pass me by, go their ways
And the changes are all that remain
Please don’t ask me to say
Why I’ve chosen this way:
It’s just too hard for me to explain
For the places I’ve been
And the changes I’ve seen
Tell me nothing I know stays the same