Wolfgang - as I said the song isn't bad if it isn't misunderstood. If you are able to enjoy it without any negative feelings AND without misunderstanding it: be happy. Of course, if you enjoy it BY misunderstanding it: Poor chap - you'll only save those negative feeling for tomorrow - or for your children.

Edi - *BG* - I knew "The Wild Rover" long before any "Nordseekueste" was ever invented. Felt like strangling somebody when I first heard that. (To those unfamiliar with german music business: The tune of "The Wild Rover" was used some years ago for some very silly thing which sold well to people who don't know how to spell alfabett. I can't do "The Wild Rover" any longer here, it has been literally killed for germans BY germans.)

But, Edi, when I mentioned german folk I was referring to traditional music from times long before any "german" problems showed up. This music exists and some people are doing it - I would be able to tell you some names if I didn't suffer from the same problem as you do: I am much too annoyed by what happened in the near past and I am transferring this annoyance to things that happened long before which are far from being bad at all. I know that and I know that this is not fair, but it's difficult to 'jump over your shadow'.

So no nice banjo playing girls for me? *sigh*

But - Edi - ever tried e.g. to forget Heintje and thought about "Heidschi Bumbeidschi" as a song? It's a real folk song, said to be from Boehmen, but nobody knows its real origin. And its words are quite haunting: Those unknown people made a cradle song from the dying of mothers and children. Must have been some everyday experience for them...

Maybe we can be saved.

Joerg