The purpose of the band was to stir pro-Nazi sympathy, draw attention to World War II Allied losses, and carry Adolf Hitler's messages in an entertaining form. The songs stressed how badly the war was going for the target audience, and how it was only going to be a matter of time before they would be beaten.
Led by German accented front man Karl Schwedler ("Charlie"), conducted by Lutz Templin, and paced by drummer Fritz "Freddie" Brocksieper, the band included Kurt Abraham on reeds and Willy Berking on trombone. The group formed in 1940, making over 90 recordings between March 1941 and February 1943. Arrangements were by Templin, Willy Berking, and Franz Mück, with lyrics written by the Propagandaministerium. Schwedler was allowed permission to travel to neutral and occupied countries to collect jazz and dance music, which helped the band and propaganda ministry to craft more recordings.
Popular American swing songs - and popular British tunes/songs - were initially performed true to the original, until about the second or third verse which were replaced by pro-German lyrics and monologues. For example, in the tune You're Driving Me Crazy, Schwedler croons about the confusion of new love, and in the third verse continues: Here is Winston Churchill's latest tear-jerker: Yes, the Germans are driving me crazy / I thought I had brains / But they shot down my planes..." Later, the entire lyric would be modified, clearly based on the original. The band even recorded some "cover versions" of the originals, unaltered.
Indeed, anecdotal accounts indicate that Winston Churchill enjoyed the broadcasts, finding the lyrics hilarious.
Many of the members of Charlie and his Orchestra went on to successful careers in music after the war.
Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
Charlie and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until I first met you I was lonesome
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
And this old world seemed new to me
You're really swell, I have to admit you
Deserve expressions that really fit you
And so I've racked my brain hoping to explain
Bei mir bist du schön, please let me explain
"Bei mir bist du schön" means you're grand
Bei mir bist du schön, again I'll explain
It means you're the fairest in the land
I could say "bella, bella" even "sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are
I've tried to explain, "Bei mir bist du schön"
So kiss me and say you understand
Bei mir bist du schön
You've heard it all before but let me try to explain
"Bei mir bist du schön" means that you're grand
'Bei mir bist du schön,' it's such an old refrain
And yet I should explain, it means I am begging for your hand
I could say "bella, bella" even "sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are
I could say "bella, bella" even "sehr wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are
I've tried to explain "Bei mir bist du schön"
So kiss me and say that you will understand!
The lyrics of Charlie and His Orchestra's song, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen," is all about expressing admiration for a person who has brought light into the singer's life. The opening lines of the song indicate that before meeting the person being addressed in the song, the singer was lonely, but the moment they entered his/her life, everything changed. The singer goes on to express their admiration for this person, stating that they are "really swell" and deserve "expressions that really fit you." The singer has tried to come up with the perfect wording to describe their emotions, but ultimately is reduced to begging the person to kiss them and understand how they feel.
The lyrics also contain a recurring phrase that appears to be the title of the song, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen." The singer explains multiple times throughout the song that this phrase means "you're grand" and "you're the fairest in the land." This repetition of the phrase not only helps to emphasize the incredible nature of the person being addressed, but also reveals the multicultural nature of the song's origins. Indeed, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" is a Yiddish phrase that means "to me, you're beautiful." The song was originally written in Yiddish in 1932 by Sholom Secunda and Jacob Jacobs and later translated into English by Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin.
Line by Line Meaning
Of all the boys I've known and I've known some
In all my experience with boys, I have met many.
Until I first met you I was lonesome
Before I met you, I was alone and unhappy.
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
When I saw you, I felt happy and relieved.
And this old world seemed new to me
The world around me became brighter and more exciting.
You're really swell, I have to admit you
You are fantastic, I must acknowledge this.
Deserve expressions that really fit you
You deserve words that accurately describe how amazing you are.
And so I've racked my brain hoping to explain
I've thought hard to properly convey my feelings towards you.
All the things that you do to me
All the ways in which you impact my life.
Bei mir bist du schön, please let me explain
Please let me clarify the meaning of 'Bei mir bist du schön'.
"Bei mir bist du schön" means you're grand
'Bei mir bist du schön' means that you are magnificent.
Bei mir bist du schön, again I'll explain
I will restate that 'Bei mir bist du schön' means something special.
It means you're the fairest in the land
It means that you are the most beautiful of them all.
I could say "bella, bella" even "sehr wunderbar"
I could say 'beautiful, beautiful' or 'very wonderful'.
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are
Any language can be used to express how magnificent you are.
So kiss me and say you understand
Please kiss me and tell me that you comprehend my feelings.
You've heard it all before, but let me try to explain
You may have heard this before, but I will try to clarify.
"Bei mir bist du schön" means that you're grand
'Bei mir bist du schön' means that you are magnificent.
'Bei mir bist du schön,' it's such an old refrain
'Bei mir bist du schön' is a well-known phrase.
And yet I should explain, it means I am begging for your hand
However, I must emphasize that it also signifies my desire to be with you.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Jacob Jacobs, Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin, Shalom Secunda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ryan Murphy
on Dinah
Thanks for these lyrics. Fine music.