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.
Der Onkel Bumba aus Kalumba tanzt nur Rumba
Comedian Harmonists Lyrics
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diese Stadt gibts irgendwo.
Er ist Gelehrter und hat mit einem langen Bart sogar Familie, Fa-mi-li-e und langen Boart.
Trotz dieser Dinge schwärmt für Fraun, wo er kann.
Er tut als ginge seine Frau ihn gar nichts an.
Und nach Hause kommt er täglich, erst des morgens, ist es möglich?
Ja warum? Was macht er bloß?
Der Onkel Bumba aus Kalumba tanzt nur Rumba.
Sogar der Oberbürgermeister von Kalumba Tanzt jetzt leidenschaftlich Rumba,
Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, ... Rum-ba.
Was ist denn los in ganz Kalumba mit dem Rumba - Rumba?
Die Politik ist ganz vergessen in Kalumba.
Man ist von Rumba ganz besessen in Kalumba.
Man steht am Morgen auf und legt sich abends schlafen in Kalumba mit dem Rumba,
Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, ... Rum-ba
Was ist den los in ganz Kolumba mit dem Rumba?
Die ganze Sorge, was dabei vorgeht
selbst die Gelehrten, sie sind perplex, die sind perplex, die sind perplex, die sind perplex.
Der Onkel Bumba aus Kalumba tanzt nur Rumba.
Die kleinen Babys in Kalumba tanzen Rumba.
Ja selbst die Sonne und der Mond und auch die Sterne in Kalumba tanzen Rumba,
Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba.
Was ist denn los in ganz Kalumba mit der Rumba?
The song "Der Onkel Bumba Aus Kalumba Tanzt Nur Rumba" by Comedian Harmonists tells the story of an uncle named Bumba who lives in the mysterious city of Kalumba. Despite being a scholar with a large family and long beard, he seems to have a particular affinity for women and pays no heed to his own wife. However, the real intrigue comes when he is found to be dancing the Rumba, a popular dance in Kalumba, late into the night. The citizens of Kalumba are enraptured with the Rumba dance, so much so that even the mayor and babies are dancing it.
This song can be interpreted as social commentary on the power and influence of popular culture. The citizens' obsession with Rumba has completely taken over their lives and left them ignoring politics and their everyday responsibilities. The mention of a scholarly uncle who indulges in casual dalliances with women serves as a contrast to the communal behavior exhibited by the masses.
Overall, "Der Onkel Bumba Aus Kalumba Tanzt Nur Rumba" is a playful yet thought-provoking commentary on the dangers of following trends blindly, and the extent to which popular culture can infiltrate and control society.
Line by Line Meaning
Mein Onkel Bumba, ohne Sorgen, frisch und froh, lebt in Kalumba, diese Stadt gibts irgendwo.
My carefree and happy uncle Bumba lives in Kalumba, a city that exists somewhere.
Er ist Gelehrter und hat mit einem langen Bart sogar Familie, Fa-mi-li-e und langen Boart.
He is an educated man and even has a family with a long beard.
Trotz dieser Dinge schwärmt für Fraun, wo er kann.
Despite these things, he flirts with women wherever he can.
Er tut als ginge seine Frau ihn gar nichts an.
He acts as if his wife doesn't matter to him at all.
Und nach Hause kommt er täglich, erst des morgens, ist es möglich? Ja warum? Was macht er bloß?
And he comes home everyday, even in the morning. Is it possible? Why? What is he doing?
Der Onkel Bumba aus Kalumba tanzt nur Rumba.
Uncle Bumba from Kalumba only dances Rumba.
Die große Mode in Kalumba ist jetzt Rumba.
The big trend in Kalumba is now Rumba.
Sogar der Oberbürgermeister von Kalumba Tanzt jetzt leidenschaftlich Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, ... Rum-ba.
Even the mayor of Kalumba now dances passionately Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, ... Rum-ba.
Was ist denn los in ganz Kalumba mit dem Rumba - Rumba?
What is going on in all of Kalumba with the Rumba - Rumba?
Die Politik ist ganz vergessen in Kalumba. Man ist von Rumba ganz besessen in Kalumba. Man steht am Morgen auf und legt sich abends schlafen in Kalumba mit dem Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, ... Rum-ba. Was ist den los in ganz Kolumba mit dem Rumba?
Politics is completely forgotten in Kalumba. People are obsessed with Rumba in Kalumba. They wake up in the morning and go to bed at night with Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, ... Rum-ba. What is going on in all of Kalumba with the Rumba?
Die ganze Sorge, was dabei vorgeht selbst die Gelehrten, sie sind perplex, die sind perplex, die sind perplex, die sind perplex.
Everyone is worried about what is going on, even the educated are perplexed, they are perplexed, they are perplexed, they are perplexed.
Die kleinen Babys in Kalumba tanzen Rumba. Ja selbst die Sonne und der Mond und auch die Sterne in Kalumba tanzen Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba.
Even the little babies in Kalumba dance Rumba. Yes even the sun, moon, and stars in Kalumba dance Rumba, Rumba, Rumba, Rumba.
Contributed by Harper S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.