I'll Have...Schlager

Schlager?

 

No, it is not a drink despite being a German term
and having "lager" part of the word.

 

 

It's a genre of music in Germany.

     I've never heard of it.

It's old people's music.

     Hey now!

It's about love and makes you feel happy.
    
     I like love and being happy.

It's in German.

     Um, I don't know German.

[Presses Play]

~*~*~*~

As the music fills the room I realize it is not anything new, per se, for I have heard it all my life.

Sure, I don't know German so I don't understand most of the lyrics.

But, I've heard it before.

The sonorities, or blending of the harmonies.

The lyrics are soothing - even in the German language.

Schlager, the term, means "hit".

Schlager are German hit tunes from the 1950s - 1970s that have recently come back into vogue. I only know this because my "teacher" (a 20-something student) really enjoys this music.

Schlager is often linked to folk music though not to authentic/traditional German folk music.

~*~*~*~

In the US we would call it "Easy Listening" music.

A composer that comes to mind is Burt Bacharach.

It is the music that the Lawrence Welk show played.

(Rather, any music that the Lawrence Welk show played became easy listening music. I recall when they, in an attempt to play a current hit, had Bobby and Sissy dance to Olivia Newton John's "Let's Get Physical." Now THAT was something to see!)

     Every week the show aired. 

          Every Saturday night my parents & grandparents watched.

               By default, I too watched the show and learned the songs.

~*~*~*~

I learned something new.

I learned something new about music from a student.

The day I get too arrogant or too old to learn from my students is the day I shall retire.

Thank you, students, for teaching me throughout my career.