Re: WWII songs - Lili Marlene

From: Sinclair Hart (slobak@bcn.net)
Date: Sat Apr 10 1999 - 18:13:51 PDT


According to a sheet I just printed, Lili Marlene was based on a German poem
of 1915, but is it true that it wasnt sung until WWII? And does anyone
remember the name of a Swedish singer named Lala Anderson, who, I think,
recorded before Marlene Dietrich?. Can anyone enlighten?

Tim Merry wrote:

> Ron,
>
> Thanks for your message of 9 Apr 1999:
> >If my memory serves me correctly LILI MARLENE was a WWI song that
> >carried on into WWII as it was popular with soldiers from both sides
> >sung in both english and german.
>
> I never realised that it went back as far as WWI!  We live and learn.
> Your having used the words, "...carried on into WWII..." jogged my
> memory.  The 'Carrier' I inherited in Normandy had the name LILI MARLENE
> painted across the near side (left side).  Carriers (which were miniature
> 3-man open-top 'tanks' you could say) were, in our mob, mainly occupied
> by veterans from the Desert war of 1941-42, which is why I used the term
> 'inherited' - the original occupants having been wounded or having moved
> on to a 'far, far better place', I imagine.
>
> Tim


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