Lili Marleen

this was the most popular song during the 2'nd world war it was a popular german song at the time and the allied troops took it off a dead german troop and from there on it ivolved from a camp song to a army song to a world wide hit amazing the song is fantastic and is sung beautifully by marlene

[Apparently there were several versions of the song. This may have been the one used in the 1930 film "The Blue Angel."]

Underneath the lantern, by the barrack gate, Darling I remember the way you used to wait. 'Twas there that you whispered tenderly, That you loved me, You'd always be, My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.

Time would come for roll call, Time for us to part, Darling I'd caress you and press you to my heart, And there 'neath that far off lantern light, I'd hold you tight, We'd kiss good-night, My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.

Orders came for sailing somewhere over there, All confined to barracks was more than I could bear; I knew you were waiting in the street, I heard your feet, But could not meet, My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.

Resting in a billet, just behind the line, Even tho'we're parted, your lips are close to mine. You wait where that lantern softly gleams. Your sweet face seems to haunt my dreams. My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.

Several years back I was cleaning out a building that was to be vacated and waiting for a moving van to show up. Sitting on the carpet with another girl, I started whistling “Lili Marlene” for no apparent reason. After a minute or two, it became clear that something in the old building did not like this particular song—or maybe it liked it so well, it wanted to join in. Whatever the case, we became so frightened—by really nothing more than weird feelings—that we waited for the truck outside of the building. Naturally I immediately stopped my rendition of Lili Marlene.

Oops. It wasn’t from The Blue Angel.

Based on a German poem of 1915, this song became a favorite of both German and American troops during the Second World War, both in English and in the original German.

Marlene Dietrich did a variation on the lyrics, probably to endear the song to the troops of the day: ...When we are marching in the mud and cold, And when my pack seems more than I can hold, My love for you renews my might, I'm warm again, My pack is light, It's you Lili Marlene, It's you Lili Marlene...

Because it's so beautiful: the German lyrics.

Vor der Kaserne, vor dem großen Tor, stand eine Laterne und steht sie noch davor, so wollen wir uns da wiedersehn bei der Laterne woll´n wir steh'n, |: wie einst Lili Marlen. :|

Unsere beide Schatten sah'n wie einer aus, daß wir so lieb uns hatten das sah man gleich daraus und alle Leute soll'n es seh'n, wenn wir bei der Laterne steh'n, |: wie einst Lili Marlen. :|

Schon rief der Posten: " Sie bliesen Zapfenstreich. Es kann drei Tage kosten." Kamerad, ich komm ja gleich. Da sagten wir auf Wiedersehen wie gerne würd ich mit dir geh'n, |: mit dir Lili Marlen. :|

Deine Schritte kennt sie, deinen schönen Gang, alle Abend brennt sie, doch mich vergaß sie lang. Und sollte mir ein Leid gescheh'n. Wer wird bei der Laterne steh´n, |: mit dir Lili Marlen? :|

Aus dem stillen Raume, aus der Erde Grund hebt sich wie im Traume dein verliebter Mund, wenn sich die späten Nebel drehn, werd ich bei der Laterne steh'n, |: wie einst Lili Marlen. :|