SCHNITZELBANK, DIE
Created on 12/03/2022Latest update on 15/04/2024
Artist: Manhattan Quartet
Author: traditional
Label: Victor
Year: 1911
According to Duden (the German equivalent of the Oxford Dictionary) a Schnitzelbank is a large but practical woodworking tool popular among pioneer German settlers in the US. In pre industrial times, German settlers all over New England and the Appalachians outclassed anyone else with their Schnitzelbanks. In states with substantial German speaking populations the word crossed over and the more so since it became the first word used in this chainsong. Every culture has it's own chainsongs, where a new word is added with each verse brought up by the caller and repeated by the chorus while remembering all the words added before. When two consecutive new words rhyme, success is guaranteed, especially among large crowds, children or adults and for as long as anyone can remember. The chainsong fenomenon was already mentioned in Sebastian Brandt's Narrenschyff (1494) and even in Erasmus from Rotterdam's Lof der Zotheid (1511-1515). Schnitzelbank became like some German anthem in the new world, at least in states with considerable German influx, like Pennsylvania (where Russ Morgan was from) and Minnesota (the breeding ground of The Andrews Sisters, Six Fat Dutchmen and Bob Dylan).
Covers:
- 1913:
Nebe Quartett [as Ei du schöne Schnitzelbank]
- 1913:
Louis Bauer Quartet [for Columbia]
- 1922:
- 1936:
The Big Bad Wolf [in Walt Disney Silly Symphonies cartoon Three Little Pigs]
- 1945:
- 1949:
Andrews Sisters & Russ Morgan & his Orch. [as Oh, You Sweet One (The Schnitzelbank Song) crediting Dick Hardt/Moe Jaffe on Decca]
- 1949:
Ames Brothers [idem]
- 1950:
Geraldo & His Orch. [idem]
- 1950:
Six Fat Dutchmen [as Schnitzelbank Polka for Victor]
- 1950:
Bobbejaan Schoepen en de 3 Morgan Zusjes [as Oh, Mijn Liefste, apparantly inspired by the Andrews Sisters version with Russ Morgan]
- 1953:
Mel Blanc [as Yah das ist ein Christmas Tree; same song is also one of the covers under Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman (see there) but not as a chainsong; the melody line of Die Schnitzelbank indeed reminds this French song from 1740 and all its derivatives (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Baa Baa Black Sheep, ABCDEFG, Altijd Is Kortjakje Ziek and Mozart's KV 265)]
- 1956:
Hal Dickinson [in medley with O du lieber Augustin]
- 1956:
Bill Haley [as Rockin' Rollin' Schnitzelbank]
- 1959:
Mitch Miller [as Must Be Santa, hit US crediting William Fredericks/Hal Moore]
- 1960:
Tommy Steele [idem; hit UK]
- 1960:
Joan Regan [idem; hit UK]
- 1960:
Alma Cogan [idem]
- 1961:
Bing Crosby [in medley]
- 1962:
- 1995:
Brave Combo [as Must Be Santa]
- 2009:
Bob Dylan [idem, following Brave Combo's polka version]
- 2015:
LeAnn Rimes [idem]
Very generous for Bob Dylan to donate all revenues on his Christmas In The Heart-album for charity, but song royalties on a third of the lot returned to Columbia, his lifelong record company. Mitch Miller (Must Be Santa), Gene Autry (Here Comes Santa Claus), Henry Burr (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing), The Trapp Family (Little Drummer Boy - Carol Of The Drum) and Jo Stafford (The Christmas Blues) are/were Columbia recording artists.
