Beer Barrel Polka - a Czech song - Aircraft of World War II

seesul · 09-25-2008, 05:14 PM

Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka YouTube - ?koda lásky was written by Czech Musician?

Beer Barrel Polka, also known as Roll Out the Barrel, is a song which became popular world-wide during World War II. The music was originally composed by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927. Eduard Ingriš wrote the first arrangement of the famous song, after Vejvoda came upon the melody and sought Ingris' help in refining it. At that time, it was played without lyrics as Modřanská polka (Polka of Modřany). Its first text was written by Václav Zeman in 1934 – Škoda lásky (Wasted Love).

The polka became famous around the world. In June 1939, Beer Barrel Polka, as recorded by Will Glahé, with English lyrics, was #1 on the Hit Parade. This version was distributed by Shapiro Bernstein. Glahé's earlier 1934 recording sold many copies in its German version Rosamunde (it is possible the reason for the rapid spread was due to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany, and subsequents emigration of thousands of Czechs to other parts of the world, bringing this catchy tune with them). The authors of the English lyrics were Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm. Meanwhile, the song was played also by many others such as Andrews Sisters in 1939, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, and Billie Holiday. It later became a signature song of Liberace's. Since the 1970s, it (usually the Frankie Yankovic version) has been played during the seventh inning stretch at Milwaukee Brewers baseball games.

During World War II, versions in many other languages were created and the song was popular among soldiers, regardless of their alliances. It was claimed many times that the song was written in the country where it had just become a hit. Its actual composer was not widely known until after the war.

A former Foreign Minister of Germany Hans-Dietrich Genscher even made a bet that it was a German song. He lost.

English version

Beer Barrel Polka

There's a garden, what a garden
Only happy faces bloom there
And there's never any room there
For a worry or a gloom there.

Oh there's music, and there's dancing,
And a lot of sweet romancing,
When they play the polka
They all get in the swing.

Every time they hear that oompahpah
Everybody feels so tralala
They want to throw their cares away
They all go lah-de-ah-de-ay.

Then they hear a rumble on the floor
It's the big surprise they're waiting for
And all the couples form a ring
For miles around you hear them sing:

Chorus:

Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun
Roll out the barrel, we've got the blues on the run
Zing, boom, tararrel, sing out a song of good cheer
Now's the time to roll the barrel, for the gang's all here!

Beer Barrel Polka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FLYBOYJ · 09-25-2008, 07:48 PM

I'm going to play that when I'm working around the L-29! BTW, I'll take the girls too!

ccheese · 09-25-2008, 08:00 PM

I thought it was Pennsylvania Dutch !! Oh well, live and learn.
You would not believe how many times I've heard this while I was touring
the bars, as a kid, shining shoes !! Ten cents a shine !!

Charles

Matt308 · 09-25-2008, 08:28 PM

"ROLL OUT THE BARREL,
WE'LL HAVE A BARREL OF FUN!"

YouTube - Roll Out The Barrel: Live at Camp Randall, 10/14/06

seesul · 09-26-2008, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

I'm going to play that when I'm working around the L-29! BTW, I'll take the girls too!

OK, then post the video on youtube and send us the link

seesul · 09-26-2008, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccheese

I thought it was Pennsylvania Dutch !! Oh well, live and learn.
You would not believe how many times I've heard this while I was touring
the bars, as a kid, shining shoes !! Ten cents a shine !!

Charles

Charles,
what could buy for 10 cents back then?

HoHun · 09-26-2008, 05:49 AM

Hi Seesul,

>Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka YouTube - ?koda lásky was written by Czech Musician?

I didn't even know that Karel Gott was a Czech (and not a German) singer! :-) Every German child know him for his performance of the "Maya the Bee" theme ... now please don't tell me the cartoon was based on a Czech book "Včelka Mája" ;-)

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

Les'Bride · 09-26-2008, 07:40 AM

reminds me of working TOO many Oktoberfests. :\

still better than the "Chicken Dance"

timshatz · 09-26-2008, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Les'Bride

reminds me of working TOO many Oktoberfests. :\

still better than the "Chicken Dance"

Absolutely! You got it Girl!

Remember when the Bethlehem Octoberfest up in Bethlehem, Pa used to have Umpah bands and lots of beer. You could show up with any size container (short of a trash can or 55 gallon drum) and get it filled for $5. Or maybe it was $10. Anyway, you fill the thing and spend the next hour or two drinking it while dancing the Chicken Dance and singing the the Beer Barrell Polka, "In Heaven there is No Beer" song and generally getting plastered.

Bethlehem has changed the thing now. Too many people passed out on the streets. No beer. Not kidding, it's now a PC community festival celebrating diversity. In short, it sucks and I haven't been back.

But it was a hell of a good party. Not as good as the real Oktoberfest, but a lot shorter drive too.

seesul · 09-29-2008, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoHun

Hi Seesul,

>Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka YouTube - ?koda lásky was written by Czech Musician?

I didn't even know that Karel Gott was a Czech (and not a German) singer!

Every German child know him for his performance of the "Maya the Bee" theme ... now please don't tell me the cartoon was based on a Czech book "Včelka Mája"

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

Yep, you got it right, Beer Barrell Polka is a Czech song, Karel gott is a Czech singer and Včelka Mája is a Czech book...

Where are you from? Germany?

09-25-2008, 07:48 PM	#2
FLYBOYJ IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 16,874	I'm going to play that when I'm working around the L-29! BTW, I'll take the girls too! __________________ > I Support Doug Gillis <

09-25-2008, 08:00 PM	#3
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,988	I thought it was Pennsylvania Dutch !! Oh well, live and learn. You would not believe how many times I've heard this while I was touring the bars, as a kid, shining shoes !! Ten cents a shine !! Charles __________________ Good people sleep peacefully in their beds at night, only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell

09-25-2008, 08:28 PM	#4
Matt308 aka Dickcheese Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 14,008	"ROLL OUT THE BARREL, WE'LL HAVE A BARREL OF FUN!" YouTube - Roll Out The Barrel: Live at Camp Randall, 10/14/06 __________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the [U.S.] Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan Master of Duplicate Posts

09-26-2008, 07:40 AM	#8
Les'Bride Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: my azz is in Mississippi, but, I am a true Texan. Posts: 1,002	reminds me of working TOO many Oktoberfests. :\ still better than the "Chicken Dance" __________________ "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it." - Voltaire A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving. - Albert Einstein Life is tough..its even harder when you're stupid. -John Wayne

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09-25-2008, 05:14 PM	#1
seesul Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zlin, Czech Republic Posts: 2,856	Beer Barrel Polka - a Czech song Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka YouTube - ?koda lásky was written by Czech Musician? Beer Barrel Polka, also known as Roll Out the Barrel, is a song which became popular world-wide during World War II. The music was originally composed by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927. Eduard Ingriš wrote the first arrangement of the famous song, after Vejvoda came upon the melody and sought Ingris' help in refining it. At that time, it was played without lyrics as Modřanská polka (Polka of Modřany). Its first text was written by Václav Zeman in 1934 – Škoda lásky (Wasted Love). The polka became famous around the world. In June 1939, Beer Barrel Polka, as recorded by Will Glahé, with English lyrics, was #1 on the Hit Parade. This version was distributed by Shapiro Bernstein. Glahé's earlier 1934 recording sold many copies in its German version Rosamunde (it is possible the reason for the rapid spread was due to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany, and subsequents emigration of thousands of Czechs to other parts of the world, bringing this catchy tune with them). The authors of the English lyrics were Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm. Meanwhile, the song was played also by many others such as Andrews Sisters in 1939, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, and Billie Holiday. It later became a signature song of Liberace's. Since the 1970s, it (usually the Frankie Yankovic version) has been played during the seventh inning stretch at Milwaukee Brewers baseball games. During World War II, versions in many other languages were created and the song was popular among soldiers, regardless of their alliances. It was claimed many times that the song was written in the country where it had just become a hit. Its actual composer was not widely known until after the war. A former Foreign Minister of Germany Hans-Dietrich Genscher even made a bet that it was a German song. He lost. English version Beer Barrel Polka There's a garden, what a garden Only happy faces bloom there And there's never any room there For a worry or a gloom there. Oh there's music, and there's dancing, And a lot of sweet romancing, When they play the polka They all get in the swing. Every time they hear that oompahpah Everybody feels so tralala They want to throw their cares away They all go lah-de-ah-de-ay. Then they hear a rumble on the floor It's the big surprise they're waiting for And all the couples form a ring For miles around you hear them sing: Chorus: Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun Roll out the barrel, we've got the blues on the run Zing, boom, tararrel, sing out a song of good cheer Now's the time to roll the barrel, for the gang's all here! Beer Barrel Polka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia __________________ Roman Susil Zlin, Czech Republic ...a friend of Joe Owsianik,So. Plainfield, NJ, a former left waist gunner from B-17G ''Tail End Charlie" from 2ndBG,20th Sqdn who was forced to bail out on Aug. 29th, 1944 over my country.

09-26-2008, 05:49 AM	#7
HoHun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,765	Hi Seesul, >Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka YouTube - ?koda lásky was written by Czech Musician? I didn't even know that Karel Gott was a Czech (and not a German) singer! :-) Every German child know him for his performance of the "Maya the Bee" theme ... now please don't tell me the cartoon was based on a Czech book "Včelka Mája" ;-) Regards, Henning (HoHun)