Here's a quick photoblog of the opening parade for Oktoberfest 2011. This was held Saturday, 17th of September 2011, starting around 10:45am. It lasted about an hour.
Before the parade started, one of the marching groups stepped forward to entertain the waiting crowd. They perform traditional "whip cracking" (I don't know the official name!) -- here's a short video:
Finally the parade got underway. Horse-mounted police lead the way:
I'm thinking it's a plum assignment to lead the Oktoberfest parade!
Here is the very start -- the first marching band with the Münchener Kindl following (next photo too):
The "Münchener Kindl" (Munich's child) on horseback. Her stein has labels of all major Munich breweries.
Then the Oberburgermeister (the mayor) in prime position, giving a hearty wave:
Spaten was the first brewery house to appear (you see their symbol on both wagons):
They have a separate wagon/float for their Schottenhamel tent:
Next came Käfer - this is a premium food/wine store in Munich. The tent has great food. It's not a brewery, of course... but from the light blue on the steins it looks like they serve Löwenbräu:
Käfer means ladybug... see the painting on the side of the float?
Löwenbräu was next - those glass steins are looking half drunk already (first 50m of the parade!):
Parade participants are already working on their pre-fest mass here too:
The keg-wagon followed the float -- they all have large and colorful flower arrangements:
Something different followed - the Wine Tent (Weinzelt)!
The Wine Tent is sponsored by Nymphenburg sekt (champagne):
Back to beer - he comes Paulaner around the corner (like Löwenbräu, it's Bavarian blue & white):
Followed by a different Löwenbräu tent:
This huge keg is completely draped over with hops:
Yet more Löwenbräu kegs passed by:
Everyone seems really happy except the two drivers on the front...
... and this kid not sure what to do!
At this point the procession paused a bit - typical parade "traffic jam". So these older Bavarians just danced!
When things got moving again, Hacker-Pschorr was next in line:
They did it the other way -- keg wagon first (above) and then the party float (below):
OK, so Hacker-Pschorr had another keg wagon...
... and another fun float, with more decorative hops vines.
Finally, Augustine makes their first appearance. The Munich favorite.
Remember the video of the whip-cracking early in this post? The driver of the Augustiner Festhalle horse wagon put on a single-man display in front of the grandstand. Everyone loved it!
And here is a photo of the same wagon after it went by:
The Augustiner ladies are surrounded with huge arches of hops!
And then the favorite of tourists, Hofbräu!
The float is pretty mild-mannered compared to the Haus itself...
Then the HB keg wagon with a big golden crown:
Back to Spaten, again, for the Ochsenbraterei Tent (Ox Roast). Yup, a whole one every day (at least).
One lady is halfway through her mass and is showing us how happy she is!
Back to Munich royalty, Augustiner.
I don't know what the Es and Ms mean on the kegs below... anyone?
Finally, the ultimate party tent, the Hippodrom:
This kid was peeking out the side from between a lot of dirndls!
The police bookended the parade - the show is over. At the Weisn the mayor needs to tap the first keg...
German efficiency - the street cleaners follow up immediately (lots of horse poop to sweep):
Plus, they were prepared with a vet who wpecializes in horses... just in case. Nice.
Other police opened the ropes - many people followed the parade to the Wiesn, to start celebrating!
So, it’s Oktoberfest time again, and we are excited!!
Not so much for the crowds and beer drinking (we could do without hordes of drunk tourists and we can drink even better German beer any day of the year).
For those of you planning to visit Oktoberfest this year, we’ve prepared a short introduction to some of the most common Oktoberfest songs. While there are a couple that are specific to Oktoberfest, you’ll likely hear these at many festivals (e.g., Starkbierfest and Dachauer Folksfest), at après ski, and at many parties.
It’s just more fun when you know what people are singing, and many have motions or some sort of audience participation.
Let’s start with the most fun category - Wies’n Hits. Though it will seem the entire tent knows these, the songs are not very old. Songs from before the 90s will be in the Classics/Traditional (wow, I’m starting to feel old…)
They’ve become popular in the last 10 years, but are incredibly well-known in the Munich area (and Austrian ski resorts and German beach resorts in Spain, if we’re being honest). The truth is that many Bavarian traditions have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the last 10 years or so. While visitors to Munich in the summer will likely see plenty of people dressed in tracht, this is a more recent development. It’s fun, it’s cool, and many young people enjoy the traditions today.
In no particular order, but starting with a crowd favourite –
Fliegerlied:
What I love about this one are the silly motions and the catchy tune. It began as a children’s song but has become a favourite of beer festivals, après ski, and anywhere that involves a band and drinks. This one came to Oktoberfest 4 or 5 years ago from the children’s band Donikkl und die Weißwürschtl but was popularized by Tim Toupet’s top 10 cover version.
The full lyrics are below, but most important are the motions to the chorus. Watch the crowd and singer in the video for examples, but we’ve listed them here next to the chorus:
Und ich flieg, flieg, flieg wie ein Flieger (fly your arms like a bird or airplane) Bin so stark, stark, stark wie ein Tiger (make a muscle to show your strength) Und so groß, groß, groß wie 'ne Giraffe (pump your arms to the ceiling to show being tall) So hoch oh, oh, oh (wave your hands up high) Und ich spring, spring, spring immer wieder (hold your hands in front and jump like a kangaroo) Und ich schwimm, schwimm, schwimm zu dir über (swim your hands in front of you) Und ich nehm, nehm, nehm dich bei der Hand, (shake hands) Weil ich dich mag, Und ich sag Heut ist so ein schöner Tag La-la-la-la-la (wave your hands and dance)
Fliegerlied
Ich lieg gern im Gras Und schau zum Himmel rauf Schauen die ganzen Wolken Nicht lustig aus? Und fliegt en Flieger vorbei Dann wink ich zu ihm rauf "Hallo Flieger!" Und bist du auch noch dabei Dann bin ich super drauf
[Chorus] Und ich flieg, flieg, flieg wie ein Flieger Bin so stark, stark, stark wie ein Tiger Und so groß, groß, groß wie 'ne Giraffe So hoch oh, oh, oh Und ich spring, spring, spring immer wieder Und ich schwimm, schwimm, schwimm zu dir über Und ich nehm, nehm, nehm dich bei der Hand, Weil ich dich mag Und ich sag Heut ist so ein schöner Tag La-la-la-la-la Heut ist so ein schöner Tag La-la-la-la-la Heut ist so ein schöner Tag
[Chorus 2x, then 1x slow]
Flying Song
I like lying in the grass And looking up into the sky Don't all these clouds Look funny? And a plane flies past Then I wave up to him “Hello flyer!“ And if you're there, too Then I have the time of my life
[Chorus] And I fly, fly, fly like a flyer I'm so strong, strong, strong like a tiger And so big, big, big like a giraffe So tall, oh, oh, oh And I jump, jump, jump again and again And I swim, swim, swim over to you
And I take, take, take you by the hand, 'cause I like you And I say Today is such a beautiful day La-la-la-la-la Today is such a beautiful day La-la-la-la-la Today is such a beautiful day
[Chorus 2x, then 1x slow]
Here is the best video tutorial about how to sync the movements with the song:
Here is what it's like in a festzelt at Oktoberfest. The motions aren't so disciplined, but awesome ENERGY!
Viva Colonia:
The truth is that very few people know all the words to this song. It’s from Köln, not Bavaria, and is totally unrelated to Oktoberfest. But still all the bands play it and everyone stumbles along until the chorus of “Viva Colonia” comes and they reach the two words they know. Don’t feel bad, just go with the flow and learn the tune and the two most important words.
This one is fairly new, too, recorded in 2003 by De Höhner. It was meant to sound like a song in the Cologne dialect (Kölsch), but to be able to be understood by most Germans. (…still pretty tough for non-native speakers like us!) You’ll hear it often at Karneval or Köln area sporting events, but somehow it made it to Oktoberfest. At Oktoberfest, you might hear a slightly altered version, replacing “Viva Colonia” with “Viva Bavaria.”
I’m just giving you the chorus, but if you really want the rest of the lyrics, you can find them online.
Viva Colonia (Chorus)
Da simmer dabei! Dat is prima! VIVA COLONIA! Wir lieben das Leben, die Liebe und die Lust Wir glauben an den lieben Gott und ham noch immer Durst
Viva Colonia (Chorus)
Count us in! That's great! Long live Cologne! We love life, love, and fun We believe in the dear Lord God and are always up for a drink
I chose this particular video because it’s bizarrely funny – someone laid the sound track over a video of German heavy metal band Rammstein.
Cowboy und Indianer:
Also a song that has its own dance, the Lasso Dance (Lasso-Tanz), this song first came out in 2000, but became a hit several years later after the dance was popularized. It almost cracked the German Top 5 (peaked at #6) in 2007.
During the chorus (which is sung a record FIVE times!!), follow the dance steps shown in the video. A quick intro:
Komm hol das Lasso raus (motion like you’re twirling a lasso) wir spielen Cowboy (point a gun with your finger) und Indianer (put a couple fingers behind your head to simulate feathers)... wir reiten um die Wette (put hands at waist like riding with reins) ohne Rast und ohne Ziel (shield your eyes with your hand, looking at the horizon) hast du mich umzingelt werd ich mich ergeben (put your hands up to surrender) stell mich an den Marterpfahl (put your hands like they’re tied behind your back) komm hol das Lasso raus, (twirl the lasso again) so wie beim ersten Mal...
Cowboy und Indianer
[Chorus] Komm hol das Lasso raus wir spielen Cowboy und Indianer... wir reiten um die Wette ohne Rast und ohne Ziel hast du mich umzingelt werd ich mich ergeben stell ich an den Marterpfahl komm hol das Lasso raus, so wie beim ersten Mal...
So wie ein Cowboy in der Einsamkeit auf seiner Suche nach Geborgenheit reite ich immer weiter gegen den Wind so lange bis ich endlich bei dir bin Für dich ist mir kein Weg zu weit Das bei dir vergesse ich die Zeit nun bin ich da und ich hör nur wie du sagst...
[Repeat Chorus]
So wie ein Cowboy in der fremden Stadt in der die Angst, noch einen Namen hat bin wie besessen auf der suche nach dir jede Gefahr nehme ich ins Visier. Für dich ist mir kein Weg zu weit Das bei dir vergesse ich die Zeit nun bin ich da und ich hör nur wie du sagst...
[Repeat Chorus 3x]
Cowboy and Indians
[Chorus] Come get out the lasso, we’ll play cowboys and Indians ... We ride against each other without rest or aim Have you surrounded me, I'll surrender myself, put me on the stake Come, take out the lasso, like the first time
Like a cowboy alone in his quest for comfort I ride on against the wind until I’m finally with you For you no way is too far With you I lose track of time Now I'm here and I just listen as you say ...
[Repeat Chorus]
Like a cowboy in a foreign town where fear still has a name I'm obsessed with searching for you I face every danger in my sight For you no way is too far With you I lose track of time Now I'm here and I just listen as you say ...
[Repeat Chorus 3x]
Here is another great video tutorial about how to perform the movements with the song:
Living Next Door to Alice:
This is one of those songs that most English speakers will hear in Germany and then think to themselves “Wait, did I understand that correctly?” The answer is yes, you did. This one is an English-language Wies’n hit, where the crowd shouts the chorus, “Alice, Who the f--- is Alice?”
The song originally was an early 70s song Living Next Door to Alice by the Australian group New World. It was remade a few times, with the English band Smokie’s version topping the charts in the German-speaking region. Finally the Dutch band Gompie released the more risqué version with the current title and chorus. While it only made it to #2 on the German charts, it secured a place in the Oktoberfest and après ski repertoires.
Though it’s only one word, probably not safe to play loudly at work…
Living Next Door to Alice
Sally called when she got the word, She said: "I suppose you've heard - About Alice".
Well I rushed to the window, And I looked outside, But I could hardly believe my eyes - As a big limousine rolled slowly Into Alice's drive...
[Chorus] Oh, I don't know why she's leaving, Or where she's gonna go, I guess she's got her reasons, But I just don't want to know, 'Cos for twenty-four years I've been living next door to Alice. Alice, who the f-- is Alice
Twenty-four years just waiting for a chance, To tell her how I'm feeling, maybe get a second glance, Now I've got to get used to not living next door to Alice... Alice, who the f-- is Alice
Grew up together, Two kids in the park, Carved our initials, Deep in the bark, Me and Alice. Now she walks through the door, With her head held high, Just for a moment, I caught her eye, As a big limousine pulled slowly Out of Alice's drive.
[Chorus]
Sally called back, asked how I felt, She said: "I know how to help - Get over Alice". She said: "Now Alice is gone, But I'm still here, You know I've been waiting For twenty-four years..." And the big limousine disappeared...
[Chorus]
Now I'll never get used to not living next door to Alice...
Hände zum Himmel:
We included this in our classic Schlager list, but it’s big at Oktoberfest, too.
Wenn du heut' nicht in der Stimmung bist Lass doch alles so sein, wie es ist Wir wollen trinken, noch einen trinken Weil man die Sorgen dann vergisst
Fühltst Du dich manchmal auch so allein Glaub mir das brauchte gar nicht zu sein Denn heute abend, gehn wir feiern Die ganze Welt ist ein Verein
[Chorus]Und dann die Hände zum Himmel Komm lasst uns fröhlich sein Wir klatschen zusammen und keiner ist allein Und dann die Hände zum Himmel Komm lasst uns fröhlich sein Wir klatschen zusammen und keiner ist allein
Wir tun nur noch das was uns gefällt Tanzen, singen im Saal oder Zelt Nicht alleine denn das will keiner Uns gehört die ganze Welt
Und an morgen wird heut nicht gedacht Wir feiern weiter - die ganze Nacht Lasst uns heben, einmal schweben und dabei wird nur gelacht
[Chorus 2x]
Wir klatschen zusammen und keiner ist allein
Hands to Heaven
If today you aren’t in the mood Let everything be as it will be We want to drink, even one drink To forget our worries
You feel so alone sometimes Believe me that doesn’t have to be So tonight, let's go celebrate The whole world is a club
[Chorus] And then put your hands up to heaven Come let us be merry We clap together and no one is alone And then hands up to heaven Come let us be merry We clap together and no one is alone
We do only what we like Dance, sing in the hall or tent Not alone – no one wants that We own the whole world
And today we don’t think of tomorrow We celebrate more - the whole night Let us lift, float once and just laughing
[Chorus 2x]
We clap along and no one is alone
Joana (Du geile Sau):
Peter Wackel’s party version of an old song by Roland Kaiser became a big hit in 2006 (especially in Mallorca) and is now a top Wies’n hit.
Not the best recording in the world, but you get an idea of the crowd reaction and where to sing along. Like Wahnsinn, there are expected crown refrains in bracketed italics. This one is a tougher one to translate, as the crowd refrains are all slang and depending on the translation could range from playful to downright vulgar. I went with the more playful translation, and since you’ll be singing along with the crowd, there is nothing to worry about. But I’d be careful about calling someone a “geile Sau...”
There’s a better version here, but it’s blocked in the US. Perhaps it will work for our European friends…
Joana
Joana, geboren um Liebe zu geben Verbotene Träume erleben Ohne Fragen an den Morgen
Wie ein Stich ins Herz traf mich dein Blick Und ich sah, für mich gab's kein zurück Und Dein Wunsch flog mir entgegen Doch er machte mich verlegen Ein Gefühl, das längst verloren schien
[Chorus] Joana, [du geile Sau] geboren um Liebe zu geben [du Luder] Verbotene Träume erleben [du Drecksau] Ohne Fragen an den Morgen danach aha aha Oh Joana, [du geile Sau] Dein Lächeln ist fordernd und flehend [du Luder] Mit mir all die Wege zu gehen [du Drecksau] Die ein Mensch allein nicht findet
'Ich wohn' in der Stadt nicht weit von hier' Sagtest Du wie nebenbei zu mir Und ich sah in Deinen Augen Die zur Schüchternheit nicht taugen Dass Du halten wirst was Du versprichst aha aha
[Chorus 2x]
Joana
Joana, born to give love To experience forbidden dreams Without questions in the morning
Like a stab in the heart I met your gaze And I saw there was no turning back And I flew to your wish And was embarrassed by A feeling that seemed long-lost
[Chorus] Joana, [you dirty sow] to give birth to love [you hussy] Forbidden Dreams do [you swine] without questions in the morning after aha aha Oh Joana, [you dirty sow] Your smile is demanding and pleading [du hussy] To go all the way with me[you swine] So a person is not alone
“I live in the city not far from here,” You said casually to me And I saw in your eyes That shyness doesn’t suit you That you keep your promises aha aha
[Chorus 2x]
'54, '74, '90, 2006:
This one really is a World Cup song, but everyone liked it so much that it’s played at Oktoberfest and après ski. If you plan to be in Germany for long (or during World Cup or Euro Cup), you should learn this one.
Written by Sportfreunde Stiller for the 2006 World Cup, it mentions Germany’s championships in 1954, 1974, 1990, and it’s hoped-for 2006 championship. Last summer we heard the updated '54, '74, '90, 2010 version and at this year’s Women’s World Cup '54, '74, '90, 2011… with the 2012 EuropaCup coming soon. Not sure what will happen to they lyrics when Germany next wins….
'54, '74, '90, 2006
[Chorus] (Eins und Zwei und Drei und) Vierundfünfzig , Vierundsiebzig, Neunzig, Zweitausendsechs, Ja so stimmen wir alle ein, Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein Werden wir Weltmeister sein.
Wir haben nicht die höchste Spielkultur, Sind nicht gerade filigran, Doch wir haben Träume und Visionen Und in der Hinterhand nen Masterplan Für unsere langen Wege aus der Krise Und aus der Depression Lautet die Devise: Nichts wie rauf auf den Fußballthron.
[Chorus]
Die ganze Welt greift nach dem goldenen Pokal, Doch nur einer hält ihn fest, so ist das nun einmal. Die ganze Welt spielt sich um den Verstand, Doch der Cup bleibt in unserem Land.
[Chorus]
Beim ersten Mal wars n Wunder, Beim zweiten Mal wars Glück, Beim dritten Mal der verdiente Lohn Und diesmal wirds ne Sensation.
[Chorus]
'54, '74, '90, 2006
[Chorus] (One and Two and Three and) Fifty-four, seventy-four, ninety, two thousand six, Yes we all agree, With the heart in the hand and passion in the leg Will we be world champion.
We don’t have the highest game culture, Are not exactly delicate, But we have dreams and vision And in the hindquarters a Master Plan For our long ways out of crisis And out of depression The motto is: Nothing like being up on the Football throne
[Chorus]
The whole world reaches for the golden cup, But only one holds it, this is the case now The whole world revolves around the tension, But the Cup will remain in our country.
[Chorus]
The first time was a wonder, Second time was luck, The third time the reward And this time a sensation.
[Chorus]
Ab in den Süden:
Another summer hit that became a Wies’n hit. The band and/or the crowd usually will change the words to fit Oktoberfest. This one is a sort of German reggae-hiphop summer anthem, by Buddy and DJ The Wave in 2003.
For the Oktoberfest lyrics, user chickmunks has posted them on Toytown here (middle of the page). “Sommer, sonne, sonnenschein” are replaced with “Hendl, Brezn, und a Bier,” as well as changing many of the lyrics to fit Oktoberfest.
Ab in den Süden
Oh willkommen, willkommen sonnenschein! Wir packen unsere sieben sachen in den flieger rein. Ja wir kommen, wir kommen, wir kommen macht euch bereit, Reif für die insel, sommer, sonne, strand und zärtlichkeit.
[Chorus] Raus aus dem regen, Ins leben, Ab in den süden, Der sonne entgegen, Was erleben, Einen heben, Und dann bikinis erleben. Jetzt kommt es dick mann, Ich rette den tag, Ich sag, ab geht die party, Und die party geht ab.
Und ich sag: Eeeeeeeeey, ab in den süden, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht. Ja ich sag: Eeeeeeeeey, ab in den süden, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht.
Oh wir kommen, wir kommen, wir kommen sonnenschein!!!!! Den ganzen tag am strand ziehn wir uns die melonen rein. Ja tequila, tequila, tequila, wonderbrah, Und heute nacht machen wir noch die ganze insel klar. [Chorus]
[Sing 2x] Eeeeeeeeey, ab in den süden, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht. Ja ich sag: Eeeeeeeeey, ab in den süden, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht, Der sonne hinterher, Ey joh, was geht.
Off to the South
Oh welcome, welcome sunshine! We packed our 7 bags into plane. Yes, we’re coming, we’re coming, get ready
Ready for the island, summer, sun, beach and tenderness.
[Chorus] Out of the rain, Into life, Off to the south, Into the sun, What experience, Lift a cold one, And then experience bikinis. Now man it’s getting late, I'll save the day, I say down, “Party down”, And the party goes off.
And I say: Eeeeeeeeey, off to the south, The sun behind, Ey whatever comes, The sun behind, Ey whatever comes. Yes, I say: Eeeeeeeeey, off to the south, The sun behind, Ey joh what works, The sun behind, Ey joh what goes.
Oh, we’re coming, we’re coming, we’re coming sunshine !!!!! The whole day at the beach the melons pull us in.
Yes, tequila, tequila, tequila, Wonderbra, And tonight we’ll make the whole island clear.
[Chorus]
[Sing 2x] Eeeeeeeeey, off to the south, The sun behind, Ey joh what works, The sun behind, Ey joh what goes. Yes, I say: Eeeeeeeeey, off to the south, The sun behind, Ey joh what works, The sun behind, Ey joh what goes.
Das geht ab:
This is another one you should know for any football related activity, though its refrain applies to many occasions. It’s a 2009 Top 5 hit collaboration between DJ Manny Marc and the group Frauenarzt.
This is a German rap song, so often you’ll hear just the chorus rather than the entire song. FC Bayern fans love to cheer it at games.
We’ll go with their original video:
Das geht ab
ich hab dieses gefühl ja das wird heut´n riesen ding das ist die party des jahres ja das sagt mir mein instinkt heut´ sind alle dabei es ham sich hier alle com getroffen wir feiern bis zum abwinken hier wird konfetti geschossen hebt die hände in die luft und macht die ganze nacht krach damit auch jeder partymuffel geht weil er abkackt kackst du ab hast du verkackt denn die party geht erst los wenn die bässe richtig pumpen bis in jeden hinterhof das ist atzenmusik bei uns da brennt jeder club es wird gefeiert wie noch nie schmeiß die hände in die luft hey
[Chorus] hey das geht ab! wie feiern die ganze nacht die ganze.. hey das geht ab! wir feiern die ganze nacht die ganze.. hey das geht ab wir feirn die ganze nacht die ganze.. hey das geht ab! wir feiern die ganze nacht die ganze nacht
heute sind wir nicht alleine heute wird nur noch gefeiert alle atzen sind dabei das ist das absolute highlight die löcher fliegen durch den käse blankenese polonaise lass die sau mal richtig raus denn heut´ gibts keine pause deutsche party atzen machen faxen und sind laut wir sind auf jeder party und drehn´ anlagen auf wir ham den mob mitgebracht wir toben mit in der menge wir rasten richtig aus wir schlagen voll über die strenge die fraun´ sind hier sehr freizügig sie zeigen was sie ham wir sind bekannt für wilde partys und das schon seit vielen jahren hey!
[Chorus 2x]
It’s going off (it’s awesome)
I have this feeling Yes, today’s going to be big It’s the party of the year Yes instinct tells me Today everybody will be there All will meet We celebrate until dawn Here we’ll shoot confetti Raise our hands into the air And make noise all night So that every party-pooper leaves Because he sucks If you suck you're a loser Because the party’s just starting When the bass is really pumping Up to every backyard This is homie music We burn every club when we're there We'll celebrate as never before Throw our hands into the air Hey
[Chorus] Hey, that's awesome! We celebrate the whole night The whole ... Hey, that's awesome! We celebrate the whole night The whole ... Hey, that's awesome! We celebrate the whole night The whole ... Hey, that's awesome! We celebrate the whole night The whole night
Today we’re not alone Today we'll just party All our homies are there That's the absolute highlight The holes fly through the cheese Blankenese, Polonaise Let it all hang out Because today there will be no break German party Homies make a ruckus and they're loud We're on every party And put the music louder We've brought the mob with us We rage with them We really freak out We get totally carried away The women here are really generous They show what they've got We are known for wild parties And that already for many years Hey!
[Chorus 2x]
Anton aus Tirol:
This is one of the many hits of DJ Ötzi, king of the après ski and Wies’n…A number one hit in both Austria and Germany in 2000, this one is about Anton, the (annoying) ladies man from Tirol.
I’ll just let the video and lyrics speak for themselves. But if you spend enough time in Munich or skiing, you’ll hear it.
Anton aus Tirol
[Chorus] Ich bin so schön , ich bin so toll. Ich bin der Anton aus Tirol. Meine gigaschlanken Wadln san a Wahnsinn für die Madln. Mei Figur a Wunder dar Natur. I bin so stoak und auch so wild. Ich treib es heiss und eisgekühlt. Wippe ich mit dem Gesäß, schrein die Hasen SOS und wollen den Anton aus Tirol.
Blaue Pille, Sellerie - des braucht so a Anton nie. Koa Tattoo und koane Schmäh, a koa Piercing und koa Juche. Bin koa Softie, bin koa Tiger. Girls, so an Typ wie mi, des gab´s noch nie.
[Chorus]
Abends dann im Discostadl zoag i mi mit 15 Madl, denn gewinnen kann nur i. Ui, so schön woai no nie. Lass alle Buam im Regen stehen. Koana is so urig schön. Ahhh, bin i schön. Ahhhh, is der schön, stoaka Bua, von dir kriag i net gnua. Komm her und mochs mit mia, mein Tiroler Stier.
[Chorus]
Lalalalala.............
Anton from Tirol
[Chorus] I am so beautiful , I am so great, I am Anton from Tirol. My mega-slim calves make all the girls crazy,
My physique, is a wonder of nature. I am so strong, and also so wild, I play it hot, and icy cool. When I wiggle my butt, all bunnies scream SOS and want Anton from Tirol.
Blue pill, ginseng root, Anton never needs those, No tattoo, no shoes, and no piercings, no yahoo!
I’m not a softy, I’m a tiger. Girls… a guy like me, there has never been!
[Chorus]
Evenings then at the village disco, I show up with fifteen babes, because I’m the only winner O yeah, i was never before so beautiful Leave all the other boys out in the rain, Noone is so beautiful, Ahhh I am so beautiful! Ahhhh he’s beautiful, Strong boy, I never get enough of you, Come here and cuddle with me, my Tirolean steer
[Chorus]
Lalalalala……
Ein Stern (der Deinen Namen Trägt):
This is a much better DJ Ötzi one, a 2007 Number One in both Germany and Austria. I like this version he did with Andre Rieu and his orchestra in 2010, though there are many dance and acoustic versions out there. It’s an incredibly popular song here!
Ein Stern
[Chorus] Einen Stern der Deinen Namen trägt Hoch am Himmelszelt Den schenk ich Dir heut Nacht Einen Stern der Deinen Namen trägt Alle Zeiten überlebt Und über unsere Liebe wacht
Seit Jahren schon leb ich mit Dir Und ich danke Gott dafür Dass er mir Dich gegeben hat Als Erinnerung an unser Leben möchte ich Dir heut' etwas geben Ein Geschenk für alle Ewigkeit
[Chorus]
Irgendwann ist es vorbei Und im Himmel wird Platz für uns zwei Doch Dein Stern bleibt oben für immer und ewig stehn Und auch noch in 1000 Jahren wird er Deinen Namen tragen Und immer noch der schönste von allen sein
[Chorus 2x]
A Star
[Chorus] A star which bears your name High on the firmament That one I give to you tonight A star which bears your name Survives all time And watches over our love
For years I have been with you And I thank God for this That he gave you to me As a memory of our life, I want to give you something today A gift for eternity
[Chorus]
Someday it will be over And in heaven there’ll be a place for us two But your star remains above For ever and ever And even in a 1000 years It will bear your name And forever It will be the most beautiful of them all
[Chorus 2x]
The last few of this group are recent official Wies’n Hits and contenders, so may not be as widely played as the old favorites. There definitely seems to be a trend toward making them sound more Bavarian (whether it’s accurate or not, I’m no judge!). I wouldn’t worry about learning the words, but here are the videos:
Wies’n Hit 2010: Fassl voll Bier
This was the official Wies’n hit for 2010, by the band HoAß, appropriately about a keg of beer and some fun after the guy’s girlfriend goes out.
Wies’n Hit 2009 Runner-up: 10 Meter geh’
This song by Chris Böttcher mocks Top Model and and superstars with a catchy tune to be elected the 2009 Wies’n Hit. It’s pretty catchy but an odd, funny video.
Before those were Fliegerlied (2008), Ein Stern (2007), and 54, 74, 90, 2006 (2006), which have all stood the test of a few years.
What will be selected as 2011’s Wies’n Hit? Most people's money is on Austrian Andreas Gabalier’s song:
I sing a Lied für di
This one has become popular in the Austrian summer festivals, “I sing a song for you.”
Other contenders include:
I am from Bavaria:
Amusing and full of stereotypes (and in English):
Kuh Yvonne:
I think this one is probably trying too hard with silly animal theme, motions, and traditional sound mixed with pop. But, it’s out there….
By the way, for those of you who haven’t heard of her, Yvonne is the fugitive cow (kuh) who escaped the slaughterhouse.
Scharfe Möpse:
As Herr J mentioned earlier, this one is a play on words. Möpse is both the plural of pug (the dog) and boobs, which are often accentuated by the dirndls at Oktoberfest.
And finally we end with a little fun. Not going to be a Wies’n Hit, but still catchy and cute: (and the guy scuba diving in the beer mug is cute)
For the other two groups, head to our later posts:
One of my favorite aspects of living in Germany is the numerous festivals. We're trying to visit as many as we can, but just the ones in the Munich area keep us quite busy. We haven't begun to explore those in the Stuttgart and Rhine Valley area!
Munich has beer festivals, dancing festivals, streetlife festivals, and many others. One of the oldest festivals, Auer Dult (there are 3 per year) are more about handicrafts, though they also come with the standard carnival rides and food stalls and games. This fair dates back to the early 1300s!
The name Dult refers to old traditional church festivals that were held as part of religious observances and the Auer refers to the location, at Mariahilfsplatz in the Au district. As with the old Dults, this one is set up around a church, the Mariahilfskirche.
Around the church they've set up a small midway, flea market, and of course food stalls. While there are a couple of places to buy beer, this isn't a beer festival. It's mostly about the 300 or so vendors selling their wares.
In the early days, when trade was difficult, slow, and dangerous, this was a market showcasing imports such as pots, porcelain, spices, silverware, and even snake oil type "remedies". Today it's known still as one of the biggest crockery markets in Europe.
And while you're browsing the stalls, there are fun rides, shooting galleries, and food and drink to entertain the whole family.
While there are plenty of fun games and rides and tasty treats, what sets the Auer Dult apart are the stalls selling crafts, kitchen wares, antiques, and random trash and treasure (depending on your perspective). I especially liked this vendor, with the boar's head!
Next year I need to stop in the ribbon stand and stock up on dirndl trimmings!
It's usually sunny and hot during the summer Jacobi Dult, so Herr J cools off with a slushie.
We'll have to do a post one day of all the funny decorative statues at the various fairs. I liked this guy at the french fry stand:
And no festival (or beer garden) is complete without Steckerlfisch!
As the Auer Dult is held in Spring, Summer, and Fall, we'll soon have another chance to visit in mid October. The "Kirchweihdult" is held from 15-23 October. Next year's spring "Maidult" will be from 28 April to 6 May and the summer "Jacobidult" will run from 27 July to 3 August. You can find the schedule online at the Auerdult site.
The Auer Dult in Munich is not the only Dult in Germany. Many towns large and small across southern Germany have them at least once or twice per year. Hop on over to the Regensblog to see Cliff and Sarah's visits to the semi-annual Dult in Regensberg. Or check out Servus München for some great pictures from the other Munich Dults.
We've felt a little lost without a beer tournament, so we decided to test out the radlers, including the radler-style flavored beers.
For the first competition, we tried four of Warsteiner's radlers: Radler, Grapefruit Radler, Lemon, and Orange.
Since the Lemon and the Radler seemed closest, we matched them up for the first competition.
We expected they would be quite similar, but were surprised with the outcome. The Radler, not surprisingly, has the classic radler taste of light, sweet, crisp, and with hints of beer and lemon-soda. The Lemon Warsteiner, on the other hand, tasted more like lemon flavor (rather than like Sprite), though it was not bitter. It was not sweet, though, and we barely tasted the beer.
We unanimously chose the Radler, since it was crisper and still maintained a little beer taste.
Next up were the Grapefruit Radler and the Orange. We really had no idea what to expect. I was somehow surprised, though, to find that the Grapefruit had actual grapefruit taste, rather than some artificial flavor that was called "grapefruit." I love grapefruit juice and will eat them plain, but the grapefruit in my beer was just a little odd. But, big points for authentic taste...it tastes exactly as described!
The Orange, on the other hand, had an orange taste that was closer to a sweet creamsicle-y orange rather than a citrus fruit. It was light and refreshing, and clean and sweet with the orange taste coming as a very light taste at the end.
We wouldn't say the Grapefruit Radler is bad, but the Orange is much better and refreshing.
So, then we have a final taste-off for the first spot in the Radler Final Four (yes, this really is an abbreviated tournament!): Warsteiner Radler vs Warsteiner Orange.
It was a really close call - both the Radler and the Orange tasted very similar at the beginning of each sip. They were crisp, light, and refreshing. But at the end of the sip, the tastes diverged. The Radler had the classic Sprite taste and the Orange had a light creamsicle taste. I just found the Orange to be more enjoyable tasting, but Herr J voted for it because he could still taste a little bit of beer in there. And even though it is a flavored summer beer, he still wanted it to be a beer.
Next up, we'll taste some of Beck's many offerings and some classic Munich radlers. We'll also compare bottled radlers to home-made.
Though the article is in German, luckily Marty maintains an English version of his columns online (and also writes the wonderful blog Deutschland Über Elvis, a name we wish we could have invented)
In this column, he covers the many similarities in size, religious influence, dialect, patriotism, and folk fashion (boots and hats and trachten). But he brings up one very important factor we had overlooked - vast riches. Texas benefits from black gold (oil); Bavaria benefitted from white gold (the salt trade).
As we thought more about the Texas - Bavaria connection, we realized that there are further economic similarities. One of the popular debates in the US is the Texas vs California model, i.e., why is California insolvent and Texas booming?
Driven by Munich, Bavaria similarly is bucking the overall economic and demographic trends. Despite relatively strong growth nationally, Germany has great regional disparity and is facing major population shifts. Germany as a whole is shrinking (but that's a story for another day) and there's a major population shift from rural to urban areas.
This Der Spiegel chart shows Munich as the one area with significant positive growth. And we often see the newstand headlines proclaiming record high rents on apartments and job growth. We're seeing Help Wanted signs on many store windows in Munich, and Bavaria's unemployment rate in April was and incredible 3.9%!! Versus Germany's overall (and relatively low) 7.3% rate.
While we think some of this disparity is that it's just too expensive to live in Munich unless you have a good job, the bottom line is that there is job growth here and the jobs and the lifestyle are attracting people to move here. Texas has different factors at work (including low cost of living), but it's in a similar economic position relative to the rest of its nation.
I, together with my program team, had to move to a different office space recently. Due to recent business changes, Siemens Real Estate was shuffling spaces in some buildings at the Neuperlach Süd complex.
In theory, the move would be easy: we would stay in the same building, just going from the thrid floor to the sixth. We would pack and label our things on Thursday, and Friday morning would find them in the new place, ready to be unpacked so we could get back to work quickly.
I was in for quite a shock that Friday morning. First, I noticed that they put me in an old printer room! You can see the sticker on my bright yellow door (upper right), although it's somewhat overshadowed by the huge NO SMOKING sticker right in the middle!
Looks inviting, huh? Could be mistaken for a broom closet. One colleague asked if it was the bathroom...
So, with my new key, I would just unlock the door and get started. But... the lock was bolted over!
As it turns out, it is permanently UN-locked, so I could enter my new digs. (Makes sense, I suppose, since a shared printer used to sit in here.) Of course, that means I cannot lock my office! This goes against security regulations, and I'm surprised nobody has filed something somewhere about it.
Unfortunately the inside failed safety regulations. Let me explain.
Being now on the sixth floor, the first though was: how's the view? Yes, I CAN see the outline of the Alps if it'S not too hazy. nice! However, when looking down at the floor under the window, it looked a little like this...
Look at the corner/floor. Is that... a pigeon feather... and pigeon sh*t? Must make a closer inspection:
Yup. That is definitely a pigeon feather and considerable bird droppings. The room gets a lot of sun, and used to have big electronics in it. So I'm guessing that people left the windows WIDE open rather than cracked. Then the pigeons found a vacation house.
Cultural note -- for those not familiar with the German windows, here's the deal: - Handle vertical, facing down: window closed and locked - Handle 90 degrees (horizontal): can swing the window open fully (hinge on the side of the window engaged) - Handle vertical, facing up: can crack window open from top (hinge on the bottom engaged)
This is important, because most buildings do not have air conditioning, so sun blinds and a breeze are your primary means of climate control. Here is (dark, sorry) a photo to illustrate, with one window in each position:
I'm surprised that it is acceptable in Germany to have me sit in an uncleaned office with pigeon sh*t lying around. (Does Siemens Real Estate not include cleaning in the move service?) Given that the U.S. government tells us about diseases associated with pigeon droppings, I'm pretty sure German health standards would not allow this.
Hopefully my German health insurance covers histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis!
There is a fourth window to the left that you can't see. This does not have window shades. Ironically, I *know* that this is not allowed by regulation here. You must be able to shield the sun to both control temperature and to reduce glare and prevent eye damage. Right now, I'm baking!
But at least I'm alive. The pigeon feather wasn't sitting all alone on the floor. It had the company of two huge dead insects:
The second photo is even more interesting due to the tiny shell lying next to the bee. Huh? I did not move or pose any of these things -- it's exactly how I found them.
They did leave a large, double size bookcase in the room for me. Unfortunately, it had not been dusted since Helmut Kohl was German Chancellor. It made a good blackboard though:
As it turns out, facilities maintenance sent cleaners a day or so later. So the pigeon crap was mostly removed (although there are some remnants that I will have to clean myself).
The doorlock is still, well, locked -- so I can't secure my room. Not the most productive environment. However... the view is good (see below).
Hope you're having a better day at the office than I am. Thanks for nothing, Siemens Real Estate.
In August, construction workers start erecting the huge tents and rides on Munich's "Wiesn" -- the first reminder that Oktoberfest is coming soon! However, before late September gets here, Dachau holds its traditional Volksfest. Some people say it's a mid-August warm-up for the big event a month later...
Dachau lies just to Munich's northwest. I've added some recent Schnitzelbahn destinations for reference:
Dachau sits at the end of the S2 (commuter train) line, an easy 30 minute ride from the center of Munich.
Most visitors think of the concentration camp and museum when they hear the word "Dachau" -- but it also has a charming old town & church, castle, and lots of green spaces. Last year we saw a classical concert in the castle.
The Volksfest is basically like a smaller, less hectic Oktoberfest. It's a great way to spend a summer afternoon or evening eating, drinking, riding rides, and playing games (plus it's another excuse to wear your trachten). Here's some views from the top of the ferris wheel. First, looking down at a beer tent, town in the background:
And the "Octopus" ride (second photo above) - a classic spinning carnival ride. Great techno music pumping too.
You see everyone below in their dirndl's & lederhosen (except the far right - Americans? White tennis shoes...).
There are two main tents plus a few smaller "gardens" serving weißbier, cocktails, and of course festbier. The festival's 350 year history is older than Oktoberfest (sorry, link in German but video is fun). The festbier comes from a local brewer (not one of Munich's big 6) and costs 4.90, whereas a mass at Oktoberfest will run 9 euros!
One of the smaller "tents" (pictured below) has a specific niche - strudl! (We didn't have a chance to try it.)
The larger bier tents are decorated much like the ones at Oktoberfest. the blue & white pattern come from the Bavarian crest /and flag), and the green wreaths are also traditional and a common color for trachten.
The outside of the large tents are also decorated in a manner like the tents at Oktoberfest (photo below).
Due to the fantastic weather, the smaller biergartens were the most crowded. The cold festbier was good.
The tent's band warms up to begin the entertainment, after fueling up with some beer themselves.
It was VERY hot that afternoon -- finally, Germany gets some of the Summer heat that the U.S. experienced. To stay cool, we decided to take the classic "log ride" and saw this furry fellow at the entrance. Frau A said hello:
This dog was in the perfect place to stay cool. The woman in the ticket booth would throw water at him and he would try to catch it. Otherwise he would just hang out and greet riders. (Why the "Welcome" in English?)
I think it's great, but for whatever reasons (legal?) could never see this happening in the U.S..
Also: how about Frau A's awesone dirndl!!!
The festival has the requisite kiddie rides too (colorful and cute)...
...plus carnival games. Below, Frau A is throwing a ball to try and knock down a stack of cans. Classic!
I took my turn as well, sporting short lederhosen and a country-style shirt (rather than blue & white):
Almost! I don't think I've even done this to 100%. Next time...
And this classic roll-a-ball-into-holes game pictured below. I'm terrible at it. Frau gave it a try though.
No luck, despite the good roll in the above photo. Someone else just had the magic touch that time.
The ol' balloon/darts game had some odd prizes....a stuffed Meerkat in heart boxer shorts???
My favorite? The shooting gallery. No prizes, just a jaeger's (hunter -- yes, like Jaegermeister) satisfaction of knocking over bottles, starting the player piano, spraying water, or making odd taxidermied animals dance. It's a staple at all Munich-area fairs, just like the U.S..
Naturally the sledgehammer/strongman game was here too. Very popular with guys especially after a few beers:
And no festival would be complete without big food.
There's the spit-roasted ox ("ochs") on a bun, a speciality we saw at one of the large beer tents:
Frau A skipped the Ox and had Wiener schnitzel in another beer tent (she loved the seasoned fries they served):
I tried something new, Ludwig-Thoma-Braten, which is thick chunks of ham (with sauerkraut and knödel).
It must be repeated: the festbeer was quite good, and an unbelievable €4.90 per maß (roughly 1 liter). That's the same price as 2010! For about half the price of Oktoberfest, it's a dark malty steal.
Outside of the tents are lots of other stalls, selling greek food, döner, and the usual carnival snacks. We had to try a nutella crepe, of course. Want to help support them vs. the stupid lawsuit.
Overall, Dachauer Volksfest is a great prelude to Oktoberfest, and fun in it's own right. It's cheaper, less crazy, with a small-town feel. We're definitely planning to go again next year... let us know if you want to join!
Monday, September 19, 2011 at 8:00 
;)
;)
