I saw something really scary today about Yidden, that wonderful niggun we love so much…
What, might you ask horrified me so much? Well, start with this post from thebronsteins.com, which informs us that the tune from Yidden is remarkably similar to a German entry to Eurovision 1979! A summary of the band can be found at this link, including an Audio clip.
In case you’re wondering what sounds like — think German Village People.
Oy vey.
One response to “Yidden is Jewish?”
The 1979 German entry to Eurovision was a song titled “Dschinghis Khan” (or Genghis Khan) by a group of the same name.
It was a very very catchy tune with some very strange lyrics.
In fact when you listen to the tune (not the words), imagine the great fun swinging and swigging a beer mug to that tune along with lots of tipsy friends.
The songs fits so well as a good German drinking tune, you’d have to wonder why it didn’t score higher from the countries so inclined. Except that they were probably already very familiar with that classic tune from old German drinking songs, although the corny words and costumes were new.
So MBD and “Dschinghis Khan” both swiped the same olde volks drinking tune and put words to it. I dare say MBD did a better job!
As for the tune itself… since in years gone by The Church frowned on good christians going into the tavern business, in north-eastern Europe the job was relegated to Jews. So there is a good chance (maybe) that this olde volks drinking tune was invented in a Jewish tavern in the first place!
Go MBD go!