That Little German Band
Al Jolson Lyrics


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Beneath my window every morn
I can hear a great big horn
Oom pah-pah, oom pah-pah
In the backyard playing they are
I give them money when they play
I give them more to go away
They all stand in a ring
They play the same old thing
And when the leader pulls a string
They drop their horns and sing

La, La, La, La, La
Such a pretty melody
La, La, La, La, La
Like the birdies in the tree
La, La, La, La, La
Everybody sing with me

Oh that music is so grand
From the little German Band
Toot Toot Toot, Toot Toot Toot
The bass horn fella is the best
Now he can almost drown the rest
They don't play something new
They blow until they're blue
And when you think there through
They'll sing a line or two

La, La, La, La, La
Such a pretty melody
La, La, La, La, La
Like the birdies in the tree
La, La, La, La, La




Everybody sing with us
La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La La, La

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Al Jolson's "That Little German Band" describe the singer's love for a group of musicians who play outside his window. The sound of the horns and the melody of their music is so enchanting that the singer gives them money to continue playing. However, when he becomes tired of hearing the same tune over and over again, he gives them even more to go away. The band is described as playing until they turn blue and when they think their performance is over, they surprise the audience with a final line or two of singing. Throughout the song, the band's music is compared to the beauty of nature, specifically the birdies in the tree.


The song is a celebration of live music and the joy it brings. Despite the repetition of the music, the singer cannot help but be charmed by the band's performance. The use of the word "oom-pah-pah" imitates the sound of the bass and other brass instruments commonly used in German brass bands. The song evokes feelings of nostalgia and a simpler time when music was a communal event shared by all.


Line by Line Meaning

Beneath my window every morn
Each morning, I hear a loud horn outside my window.


I can hear a great big horn
The horn that I hear is quite large and echoes through the streets.


Oom pah-pah, oom pah-pah
The sound of the horn is characterized by a distinctive oom pah-pah rhythm.


In the backyard playing they are
The players of the horn are in my backyard making music.


I give them money when they play
I reward the players with currency as they perform their music.


I give them more to go away
To cease the music, I offer them even more compensation.


They all stand in a ring
The musicians form a circle as they play their instruments.


They play the same old thing
Their repertoire consists of only a few selections, which they play regularly.


And when the leader pulls a string
The conductor of the band cues the other musicians by pulling a string.


They drop their horns and sing
When the conductor signals the end of the music, the band members put down their instruments and begin to sing.


La, La, La, La, La
The lyrics of the song are made up of the repeated phrase 'La, La, La, La, La'.


Such a pretty melody
Despite its simplicity, the melody is quite appealing.


Like the birdies in the tree
The tune is reminiscent of the chirping of birds in the trees.


Everybody sing with me
The song invites everyone to join in and sing along.


Oh that music is so grand
The singer regards the music with great enthusiasm and admiration.


From the little German Band
The musical group that is performing is small and comprised of German musicians.


Toot Toot Toot, Toot Toot Toot
The music is punctuated by the sound of the horn, which is tooted frequently.


The bass horn fella is the best
The singer particularly enjoys the sound of the bass horn, and regards the player as the most skilled musician in the group.


Now he can almost drown the rest
The sound of the bass horn is so powerful that it almost drowns out the other instruments in the band.


They don't play something new
The band does not change their music from performance to performance.


They blow until they're blue
The musicians play their horns until they are physically exhausted, and may even turn blue in the face as they do so.


And when you think they're through
The music may seem as though it has ended, but the band will often continue playing after a brief pause.


They'll sing a line or two
Following the end of the instrumental music, the band will often break into song and sing a few lines of a popular tune.


Everybody sing with us
As with the instrumental music, the singers invite the audience to join in and sing along.


La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La La, La
The final lyrics of the song echo the earlier repeated phrase 'La, La, La, La, La'.




Writer(s): Fred Fisher, Joseph Mccarthy

Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Sawyer Born

Do you have Google hangouts for discord that I can chat with

A Trip Down Memory Lane

No unfortunately I don't. I have a group on facebook if you are interested to join that group.

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