Marie Magdelene Dietrich von Losch (aka Marlene) was born in Schöneberg bei… Read Full Bio ↴Marie Magdelene Dietrich von Losch (aka Marlene) was born in Schöneberg bei Berlin, Germany on December 27, 1901. Her father was an army officer who had served in the Franco-Prussian War. Because of his constant absences due to his army duties, Marlene and the family had to rely on themselves. After he died, while she was 11, Marlene's mother married Eduard von Losch and he adopted the Dietrich children.

Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.

Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.

She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.

The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.

During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).

Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.

Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.

If He Swing By The String
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If he swing by the string
He will hear the bell ring
And then there's an end to poor Tommy

He must hang by the noose
For no hand will cut loose
The rope from the neck of poor Tommy.

Long long ago on a summer day
There in the sunlight he swung
Children were playing, the crowd was gay
This was the song that was sung

If he swing by the string
He will hear the bell ring
And then there's an end to poor Tommy

He must hang by the noose
For no hand will cut loose
The rope from the neck of poor Tommy.

Down went the sun over Tiger Hill
Tommy was dead and gone
Gone was the crowd and the night was still
Only their soul lingered on

Chorus:
If he swing by the string
He will hear the bell ring
And then there's an end to poor Tommy

He must hang by the noose
For no hand will cut loose
The rope from the neck of poor Tommy.
Outside a jail only yesterday
Mother was wiping a tear
People were waiting their faces grey
But their song hadn't changed through the year

If he swing by the string
He will hear the bell ring
And then there's an end to poor Tommy

He must hang by the noose
For no hand will cut loose
The rope from the neck of poor Tommy.

If he swing

If he swing
If he swing

Overall Meaning

If He Swing By The String is a song with lyrics that tell a story and convey a message about justice and consequences. It is a cautionary tale about a young man named Tommy who found himself in trouble with the law and ultimately pays the price for his actions. The first verse sets up the scene of Tommy's execution - it is clear that he was hung for his crimes, and no one was willing to save him from his fate. The chorus repeats this sentiment, emphasizing that there was no escape for Tommy.

The second verse takes a nostalgic turn, going back in time to when Tommy was alive and swinging from a tree. The playful and carefree atmosphere is contrasted with the dark reality of his hanging. The third verse then brings us back to the present day, with Tommy's mother grieving for her son and the townspeople still singing the same song about the consequences of one's actions.

Overall, the song is a reminder that every decision we make has consequences and that we must be accountable for our actions. It also highlights the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and facing the consequences instead of looking for a way out. The lyrics are powerful and raw, speaking to the human experience of love, loss, and justice.

Line by Line Meaning

If he swing by the string
If he hangs from the noose

He will hear the bell ring
The bell will toll announcing his death

And then there's an end to poor Tommy
Tommy's life will come to a sudden and tragic end

He must hang by the noose
He must be executed by hanging

For no hand will cut loose
Nobody will intervene to save him

The rope from the neck of poor Tommy.
Tommy will be hanged until he is dead

Long long ago on a summer day
Tommy's story took place in the distant past

There in the sunlight he swung
Tommy was hanging from a noose in the daylight

Children were playing, the crowd was gay
People were enjoying a festive atmosphere

This was the song that was sung
This dark song was being sung amidst the festivities

Down went the sun over Tiger Hill
The sun set over the horizon

Tommy was dead and gone
Tommy had been executed and was no longer alive

Gone was the crowd and the night was still
The festive crowd had dispersed and the night was now silent

Only their soul lingered on
The memory of Tommy's execution lingered in the minds of the people

Outside a jail only yesterday
Recently, outside of a different jail

Mother was wiping a tear
A mother was mourning the execution of her son

People were waiting their faces grey
People were gathered in somber anticipation

But their song hadn't changed through the year
Despite the passage of time, the dark song remained the same

If he swing
If he is executed by hanging

Writer(s): John Addison

Contributed by Leo K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Comments from YouTube:

TheBigValley

12y↑1

Her voice captures the viewer's attention. Although much of this songs, listen for the first time, we remain fascinated by the great artistry of Marlene Dietrich!! Irene, Beautiful song!!