Wien, Du bleibst das verwöhnteste Kind der Welt… Fritz Rotter
Fritz Rotter – composer and lyricist – often accompanied my mother on the piano. Mother created this song on stage. Vienna, you are the world’s most pampered child. Vienna, you have gone through so much since the glorious days of the past. All you are left with are your songs. Don’t despair – the world will never forsake you!
Die Novaks aus Prag Hermann Leopoldi/Kurt Robitschek
The Nowaks of Prague – well-known, successful, popular people – have only one fault: they are dreamers. In their own beautiful home in Prague they each dream of different far-away places. But when the brownshirts and jackboots invaded their country, they each fled to the place of their dreams. There they are now – in hired rooms – still dreaming, but now dreaming of only one place – Prague.
Wie hab ich nur leben können ohne Dich! Friedrich Holländer/Robert Gilbert
The song expressed the love between mother and her Romanian husband. How have I been able to live without you? My life was humdrum – I had neither fear nor hope. Now with you I am alive! I see the sun, the moon, the stars!
Das silberne Kanderl P P Fiebrich
A typical "Heurigan" song. My mother loved going to those old inns in the wine villages where the landlord served his own grown wine of the year, the "Heurigan Wein". She would often delight the visitors by singing with the "Schrammel" Musicians.
There once was a cosy Inn, - The Silver Jug, where a cheerful landlord served good wine and tasty food. Now in its place there’s a fancy restaurant for the rich and famous and it’s hard to remember what a happy place it used to be.
Es muss was Wunderbares sein Robert Gilbert/Ralph Benatzky
Benatzky was a good friend of my mother’s. Initially she was to have played the Innkeeper in the operetta The White Horse Inn. However, Benatzky considered the gypsy in his operetta "The Three Musketeers" the greater part for her magnificent voice and mother played that instead – opposite Alfred Jaerger in the Theater an der Wien. She always regretted the change and played the Innkeeper in later productions. It must be wonderful to be loved by you because my love is yours as long as I live. I cannot think of anything more wonderful than to give you my heart if you give me yours and tell me that you love me too.
Mein Mädel ist nur eine Verkäuferin Ralph Benatzky/Robert Blum
Piano Solo – Arrangement Otmar Binder
The love of my life is only a salesgirl in a shoe shop The song is from 'My sister and I' a musical by Ralph Benatzky who not only composed the music but also wrote the text together with Robert Blum. Benatzky wrote the part of the sales girl in the shoe shop for my mother.
Es geht die Lou lila Beda/Robert Katscher
Beda was a prolific text writer and worked a lot with Franz Lehar. He wrote texts for several of Lehar’s operettas: Land des Lächelns (Land of Smiles), Friederike, The Merry Widow – and wrote the texts of a great many Lehar songs, among them Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (You are my heart’s delight) and also many hits of the 20s and 30s. One of the best known is perhaps Ich hab mein Herz in Heidelberg verloren (I’ve lost my heart in Heidelberg).
In 1938 Beda and the composer Hermann Leopoldi were both arrested and taken to Buchenwald concentration camp. Beda was very optimistic and told Leopoldi that Lehar would get them out! – In the end Leopoldi’s wife was able to get her husband free, and they emigrated to America. Beda on the other hand waited in vain – Lehar did nothing, and Beda was taken to Auschwitz concentration camp where he was killed.
The song Lou wears lilac is a slight satire about the new fashion created every year to keep tailors and dressmakers in work! This year the fashion colour is lilac – all is lilac: outer and underwear, from hat to toe, and also the car, the house, even the bathtub!
In 24 Stunden (kann so viel geschehn) Bronislaw Kaper/Walter Jurmann/Fritz Rotter
One of my mother’s contemporaries and friends was the great Viennese artist Greta Keller. This song is one of her best known numbers. So many wonderful things can happen in 24 hours: Suddenly Lady Luck is with you and, like magic, everything is marvellous.
Vous qui passez sans me voir Charles Trenet/Johnny Hess & Paul Misraki
Mother spoke good French and loved listening to the music of great singers like Charles Trenet. She had seen Edith Piaf in Paris. “So small and so great”, she told me. You cross my path without seeing me Give me a little hope to ease my pain.
Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame… Ralph Erwin & Fritz Rotter
Piano Solo – Arrangement Otmar Binder
Ralph Erwin often accompanied my mother. He played this song to us in Amsterdam, and mother first sang it at the Kabarett Simpl. (Bing Crosby sang it in The Emperor Waltz) I kiss your hand, Madame, and dream I kiss your lips.
Mein Freund (Ninon) Fritz Rotter & Ernst MarischkaBronislaw Kaper & Walter Jurmann
Jan Kiepura – famous Polish singer and actor – sang this song with Martha Eggert, his wife. He was half-Jewish and they were forced to flee Europe due to the rise of Nazism and the onset of World War II. They emigrated to America. I – like a lot of young girls – had a monumental crush on Jan Kiepura.
My friend...You went away but I cannot forget you. Without you life is empty. Please come back and we will be together for ever. This song was called Ninon and made the Polish opera tenor Jan Kiepura an international star.
Wenn ich mir was wünschen dürfte.. Friedrich Hollaender
If I were to make a wish, I would be hard put to decide what to wish. Wishes are only wonderful as long as they remain unfulfilled. What would I wish for? A little happiness perhaps? But not too much, or I might hanker after the old sadness.
Frag nicht, warum ich gehe. Walter ReischRobert Stolz & Armin I Robinson
Don’t ask me why I am going away; Whatever happens do not ask me why, Don’t ask me why I cry. We have gone our different ways, our song has ended, the roses you gave me have wilted, but I still love you. Tomorrow you will kiss another and will no longer ask – why?
Servus Du Robert Stolz/Benno Vigny
Piano solo – Arrangement Otmar Binder.
This is Otmar’s lyrical rendition of Robert Stolz’s most beautiful song of the little posh 16 year old who shoots her faithless lover. Servus – When saying "Good-bye" in Vienna there are no long words, just the little word Servus, it seems friendlier than "Good-bye" and not so final. He, a spoilt man of the world. She, a little contessa, aged sixteen. They danced all night. Secretly she visits him. One day she came to him and heard that he had another girl in his chambers. He does not deny it and breaks her heart. She fires a shot – "Servus", she says, "I loved you so".
Giuditta – Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiss Paul Klepner & Fritz Löhner(Beda)/Franz Lehar
My kisses taste like wine
Lehar conducted Giuditta, his only opera, in Vienna’s State Opera House with Richard Tauber and Jarmila Novotna. Liesl sings this as a cabaret number in German and English.
À ta porte Christien/Christiné
On your doorstep...The young man waits as usual at the portal to his lovers' front door. However, the door is now locked and another is inside.
Mei Muatterl war a Weanerin Ludwig Gruber
'My mother was Viennese' From the heights of the Vienna Woods, my mother points to the beautiful city below. I promise to keep the faith with the city of my birth.
Miss Otis regrets Cole Porter
Piano solo – arrangement Otmar Binder
Miss Otis regrets she is unable to dine tonight. Thus her maid announces the death of her mistress.
In einem kleinen Café in Hernals Hermann Leopoldi/Peter Herz
This song is the creation of two of mother’s good friends, Hermann Leopoldi and the librettist and poet Peter Herz who lived opposite us in Vienna. In a small café in Hernals
There is a small homely Café in the outskirts of Vienna, No velvet on armchairs, no pedal on the piano. The Grand Hotel is more fashionable, but the Café a thousand times cosier. Softly a gramophone is playing; two coffees are enough to ensure two happy hours, and when two lovers meet the waiters wink knowingly and discreetly look the other way.
