Cabaret Songs

Today I had the opportunity to listen to two cabaret songs. One was “It’s All Swindle” by Mischa Spoliansky and Marcellus Schiffer, and the other song was “Chuck Out the Men” by Friedrich Hollaender.  Both these songs had messages in then, but the interesting thing about them is the years they were recorded.  The first song was recorded in 1931 but the second song was recorded first in 1926.  The first song, “It’s All Swindle” was a song that had an ongoing message that can be compared with today’s times.  The beginning lyrics, although translated into English, one can still relate to what the speaker is saying.  I chose these four lines of the first verse because it stood out the most to me.   

Nowadays the world is rotten


honesty has been forgotten


fall in love but after kissing --


check your purse to see what's missing








und sogar der kleine Hund!


Und besieht man’s aus der Nähe:


Jedes Band und

jede Ehe
jeder Kub in dern Betriebe


These four lines indicate that certain people can become your best friend then turn into your worst enemy.  Throughout the song, the lyrics showed how even family can turn against you, but just like the second line that I chose say, “honesty has been forgotten.” 

The second song, “Chuck Out the Men” was also an intriguing song.  In my opinion, I believe this song to be a male bashing type of song, so the ladies will love it.   

As babies men all howl and bluster they cry through the night and the day


perfecting the techniques they'll muster for the times when they don't get their way

Es liegn in der Wiege und brüllen


die zukünft’gen Männer ganz klein.

As I listened to this song, following the lyrics, I thought these lyrics stood out the most to me.  These lyrics in my opinion state the obvious reality of a grown man-child.  Looking at the title of the song, “Chuck Out the Men” it shows how men, or good men are hard to come by.  Or, perhaps it is must an opinion of one singer and her past relationships.  All in all, the singer is still placing men in a category where it looks as if all men are one way.  She sings “as babies men all howl and bluster” meaning that men all cry like children when something is not going their way or men just are big babies howling for something they want.  I end my blog with a comment…as a man; I am offended at these lyrics.