The hallmark of the Comedian Harmonists was its members' ability to blend their voices together so that the individual singers could appear and disappear back into the vocal texture and were noted for using their voices to imitate musical instruments. Their repertoire was wide, ranging from the folk and classical songs arranged by Frommermann to the more appealing and witty popular songs of the day by writers such as Peter Igelhoff, Werner Heymann and Paul Abraham.
In 1927, actor Harry Frommermann was inspired by The Revelers, a United States jazz-influenced popular vocal group, to create a German group of the same format. After some initial failures, the Harmonists soon found success, becoming popular throughout Europe, touring the United States, and appearing in 21 movies.
The group's success continued into the early 1930s, but eventually ran into trouble with the Nazi regime: three of the group members - Frommermann, Collin, and Cycowski - were either Jewish or of Jewish descent, and Bootz had married a Jewish woman. The Nazis progressively made the group's professional life more difficult, initially banning pieces by Jewish composers, and finally prohibiting them from performing in public. The group's last concert was in Munich on March 25, 1934.
Alí Baba
Comedian Harmonists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, les femmes ont le coeur qui bat quand il les regarde en marchant comme ça.
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, porte-bonheur car il a été pour cela (béni) par Allah.
On a dit qu'au Nouveau Sahel, le sultan de Buna Vallée fit venir du Sénégal des gars géants de chacun un mètre quatre-vingts.
Il lâcha son arme aussitôt. Il marcha parmi les costauds. Mais c'est lui qui donna les coups en haut, en bas, Ali-baba, ça, n'en doutez pas.
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, porte-bonheur car il été pour cela béni par Allah.
The Comedian Harmonists' song "Ali Baba" is a fun and catchy tune that celebrates the mythical soldier Ali Baba, who is believed to be the most handsome soldier from Madagascar to Batualla. The lyrics describe how women's hearts skip a beat when he walks by and how he is blessed by Allah, making him a lucky charm. The song goes on to tell a story about how the Sultan of Buna Vallée brought in giant men from Senegal, each measuring 1.80 meters, to compete against Ali Baba. Despite facing stronger opponents, Ali Baba emerged victorious, showing off his skills by giving punches both up and down.
One could interpret "Ali Baba" as a nod to the romanticized idea of soldiers being the epitome of masculinity and bravery. The lyrics seem to suggest that Ali Baba's attractiveness and charm come from his status as a warrior, making him irresistible to women. Additionally, the line "porte-bonheur car il a été pour cela béni par Allah" could be seen as a superstitious belief that being blessed by Allah grants individuals with good fortune, in this case, Ali Baba's good luck as a soldier.
However, the song's playful tone and catchy melody are what makes it stand out. It's a song that can be enjoyed purely for its whimsical nature and fun chorus, even if the subject matter is a bit dated. Overall, "Ali Baba" is a lighthearted and joyful song that celebrates the joy of music and storytelling.
Line by Line Meaning
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-baba is the handsomest soldier in Madagascar at Batualla.
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, les femmes ont le coeur qui bat quand il les regarde en marchant comme ça.
Women's hearts skip a beat when Ali-baba walks and looks at them.
Ali-baba, Ali-baba, porte-bonheur car il a été pour cela (béni) par Allah.
Ali-baba is considered a good luck charm because he has been blessed by Allah.
On a dit qu'au Nouveau Sahel, le sultan de Buna Vallée fit venir du Sénégal des gars géants de chacun un mètre quatre-vingts.
It is said that in the New Sahel, the Sultan of Buna Valley brought in giant guys from Senegal, each measuring one meter eighty.
Il lâcha son arme aussitôt. Il marcha parmi les costauds. Mais c'est lui qui donna les coups en haut, en bas, Ali-baba, ça, n'en doutez pas.
He dropped his weapon immediately and walked among the strong men, but he was the one who delivered the blows up and down. Ali-baba, there's no doubt about it.
Writer(s): Ernesto Lecuona, Sonny Miller Eng Lyric
Contributed by Aria M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
M
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, les femmes ont le coeur qui bat quand il les regarde en marchant comme ça.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, porte-bonheur car il a été pour cela (béni) par Allah.
On a dit qu'au Nouveau Sahel, le sultan de Buna Vallée fit venir du Sénégal des gars géants de chacun un mètre quatre-vingts.
Il lâcha son arme aussitôt. Il marcha parmi les costauds. Mais c'est lui qui donna les coups en haut, en bas, Ali-Baba, ça, n'en doutez pas.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, porte-bonheur car il été pour cela béni par Allah.
Gevan Poold
Correction des paroles:
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, les femmes ont le coeur qui bat quand il les regarde en marchant comme ça.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali -Baba porte bonheur, car il a été pour cela béni par Allah.
Pour garder son immense palais , le sultan de Bulabalé,
Fit venir des Sénégalais mesurant chacun une mètre quatre-vingt.
Et les courtisanes aussitôt
Firent leur choix parmi les costauds
Mais celui qu'elles trouvèrent plus beau fut Ali Baba , car n'en doutez pas
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, les femmes ont le coeur qui bat quand il les regarde en marchant comme ça.
Ali-Baba, Ali-Baba, c'est lui le plus beau soldat de Madagascar à Batualla etc...
Father McGree
DANKE, Ari Leschnikow, Robert Biberti, Erich A. Collin, Roman Cycowski, Harry Frommermann und Erwin Bootz für eure Musik! Man sollte diese großartigen Künstler auch mal bei ihren Namen nennen, denn jeder einzelne von ihnen hat diese großartige "erste boygroup" ausgemacht!
irishmary24
It's difficult to think of them as a "boy group" but I suppose they were in their time! I love it! Thanks for posting!
anna35677
Sie sind einfach genial, ich werde sie nie vergessen !!! <3
Blanche Neige
Merveilleux groupe allemand d'avant-guerre qui a été dissout pendant la guerre. Ils chantaient souvent en français.
Paix à leur âme.
Jovolution
und diese raffinierten einfallsreichen Arrangements sind ebenso fantastisch wie die Stimmen und Instrumentalimitationen
proximace
Kann man 100 mal hören und wird nie langweilig!!!
Philippe Yared
Beautiful! A time when humans were ... the same but when idiotic music had not been invented yet.
unfaehikus
It was their last gig in Germany, the last one was in early 1935 in Norway. Greetings!
Blanche Neige
J'adore toujours autant!
Frank Haser
Genial und ihrer Zeit weit voraus.