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Tom Lehrer - Wernher von Braun

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This is how Lehrer himself introduced the song "Wernher von Braun" when he was interviewed on the telephone by The Music Show in Australia:- - -"Wernher von Braun was a Nazi rocket expert who as soon as the war was over, America embraced with open arms and they brought him over here. He wrote his autobiography, later paraphrased as 'I Aim at the Stars and sometimes hit London', and he then came over and went to Alabama, which was probably the closest thing to Nazi Germany at the time, and became a rocket expert here. There was never any problem, he was embraced, nobody picketed him or anything like that. And I think there are many scientists like that today, but perhaps that's probably an extreme case. But I think there are many people whom I've sung that for, I know who laugh at it and say, 'Oh, that's not me', without realising that in fact it is them.What is it that put America in the forefront of the nuclear nations? And what is it that will make it possible to spend $20-billion of your money to put some clown on the moon? Well it was good old American know-how, that's what. As provided by good old Americans like Dr Wernher von Braun."- - -To make the song even more spot on, Lehrer used eight bars from the well-known German song "Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles" ("Germany, Germany, above all") as a song intro :-)The publishing: Lehrer has accepted "The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel" on YouTube. He said that it's OK as long as the performance is not altered and as long as it's free in the YouTube flash video format. Do NOT ask for any video originals, ever again.Click on the Lehrer icon and visit the channel's front page. The channel is Lehrer only. And here is a link to a NEW channel support page: http://home.broadpark.no/~emey... on von Braun is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W... 2008 Tom Lehrer

Channel: Comedy
Uploaded: December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm
Author: 6funswede

Length: 01:43
Rating: 4.86
Views: 231867

Tags: anti-nazism  Braun  comedy  irony  Lehrer  satire  satirical  song  songs  Tom  von  Wernher  

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Video Comments

hogleg (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
that's pretty much a true story. Psychological research indicates that we remember positive and tend to not remember negative. True history isn't a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact. Since action is based on motivation, and motivation on cultural norms, different cultures will almost always be offended by something. Ask any Turk and Armenian about the Armenian genocide the preceded WWI and most likely you'll end up breaking up a fight.
sekules (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
course he wasn't talking about the economic boom in China just about the procurement of nuclear arms but he was quite right none the less. One thing I have always loved about his music is that a lot of it just doesn't date, take for example "send the marines". I like seeing all these tunes up in youtube I was raised on his music!
bosunbilly (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
They both were valuable.
6funswede (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
AYchip, thank you, I did not know that. But it would not surprise me :-)
AYchip (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
As well as the 'Deutschland Uber Alles', there's also a snatch of "Ach, mein kleine Augustin" at 0:42. I wonder if there are any other musical references that Tom slipped in there?
wo0dy2000 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
von braun has given them the rocket technology... openheimer brought them the nuklear fusion...combined and given to the most stupid people on the planet... it sure is the end... one day...
6funswede (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Sure, no offence taken :-) I cannot know exactly what Lehrer meant. But it was a good prediction when you look at China today. In an interview, Lehrer spoke about a friend who had told him: "Always predict the worst, and you will be hailed as a prophet". Maybe he did just follow that advice. Thanks for commenting!
lukesprayisawesome (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
no offence 6funswede, but aren't you and tobimar maybe reading a little too much into it. you cant say for certain that he meant that way, its just an interpretation (but a very clever one)
MattS04hias (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
who do u guys think was more valuable for the USA: von braun or oppenheimer?
MattS04hias (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
i love it hahahha!

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