Fiedel Michel - Der Teutsche Michel (1978)

After the second world war any German folk music tradition was discredited.Tradition means that something considered valuable is passed on from one generation to the next. From this point of view it is obvious that the thread of continuity was broken in 1945. This does not mean that peoples’ memories were wiped blank. But the reputation and musical standard of “Volksmusik” wasn’t very high, little to interest young musicians. Simple melodies and rhythms, little artistic merit. No identifiable style. Any aspiring instrumentalists would be drawn into classical, jazz or or later into rock music. What was known as "Volkslied" had been taken up and re-shaped by composers and choirs long before the war. So even if it hadn't been for the nazis the geographical and historical situation had worked against a distinctive musical tradition.

Thus it’s not surprising that many members of the younger generation in the Sixties turned to music from English-speaking countries. They sought an alternative to bland pop lyrics and a new, honest way to share the music, an expression of their generation. There was an “imported” Folk revival but except from some singer-songwriters there weren’t any big names to promote the music.

There were of course efforts to reestablish some German-language singing. In West Germany the political Left used songs of the democratic movement of 1848. Protest songs of oppressed farmers and labourers were re-discovered. A lot of research was done in the Seventies. Some folk groups like Fiedel Michel and Liederjan were successful by adapting German songs and tunes in the international “folk” style. Both had started off with anglo-irish music. But their success with their own generation couldn't be transferred to the next.

Here´s the fifth Fiedel Michel album, called "Der Teutsche Michel" from 1978. It features a solo version of the famous antifascist song " "Mein Vater wird gesucht" by the Fiedel Michel-member Elke Herold.

Tracklist:

A1 Mein Michel...
A2 Hornpfiff
A3 Vör Lammdal up'n Steen
A4 Es soll sich der Mensch nicht...
A5 Aulacostephanus
A6 Matrosentanz / Mädel wasch dich
A7 Es ist ein Schnee gefallen
A8 Lied an einem Boten
B1 Sterntanz
B2 Der Winter ist vergangen
B3 De Haut, de hät en Thaler kost
B4 Bretonische Polka
B5 Störtebecker
B6 Flämische Tänze
B7 Mein Vater wird gesucht
B8 Dennis Murphy's Polka


Fiedel Michel - Der Teutsche Michel (1978)
(320 kbps, front & back cover included, vinyl rip)