# Beer Barrel Polka - a Czech song



## seesul (Sep 25, 2008)

Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka 
_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x6KOE0HowA_ 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


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 25, 2008)

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


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## ccheese (Sep 25, 2008)

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


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## Matt308 (Sep 25, 2008)

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


_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIVw1LxNuDQ_


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## seesul (Sep 26, 2008)

FLYBOYJ said:


> 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


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## seesul (Sep 26, 2008)

ccheese said:


> 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?


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## HoHun (Sep 26, 2008)

Hi Seesul,

>Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka 
_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x6KOE0HowA_ 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)


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## Becca (Sep 26, 2008)

reminds me of working TOO many Oktoberfests. :\  still better than the "Chicken Dance"


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## timshatz (Sep 26, 2008)

Les'Bride said:


> 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.


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## seesul (Sep 29, 2008)

HoHun said:


> Hi Seesul,
> 
> >Did you know that Beer Barrel Polka
> _View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x6KOE0HowA_ was written by Czech Musician?
> ...




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?


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