Get ready for Oktoberfest!

[brenda]

Get ready for Oktoberfest by learning the lyrics for the favorite songs to go with your beer. Klaus will tell us which are his favorites.

https://www.bigboytravel.com/europe/germany/munich/oktoberfest/most-popular-songs/

1. I Salute You (Ein Prosit):
   Ein Prosit is THE song of Oktoberfest as it is played like clockwork in the beer tents every 15 minutes. This iconic song starts with the band repeating the words “Ein Prosit (Eyn Pro-zit) Der Gemütlichkeit (Dare Ga-mute-lic-kite)” meaning I Salute To Our Cozy Friendship & Good Times We’re Having Together. The entire crowd joins in singing with the band which helps the excitement build.

The song Ein Prosit continues with an “Eins, Zwei, Drei (einz, sfeye, dry)” or 1, 2, 3 countdown to “G’suffa (zuffa)” which means take a big drink. Ein Prosit ends with the band asking if you are having fun with either “Zicke Zacke Zicke Zacke?” or “Ticky Tocky Ticky Tocky?” and you respond “Oi Oi Oi” meaning yes we are. Some tents like the Schützen Feszelt also add their flair to Ein Prosit with a unique call to action before the song starts and an extra festive chant added to the end.

It is said that the beer tents at Oktoberfest started playing this song four-times-an-hour to get people to take more drinks so they could sell more beer, and it sure has paid off. As an example, the Hofbrau Beer Tent now sells over 750,000 liters a beer during the festival each year. Joining along with Ein Prosit is really a ton of fun, it helps you stay engaged with your neighbors, and it keeps you drinking!

#1 – Ein Prosit (Skip To 1 Min)

Link to video

2. The Flyer Song (Fliegerlied): Released in 2008, this children’s song filled with playful animal gestures, was cemented into Oktoberfest lore thanks to a 2008 cover by Tim Toupet. The Flyer Song is about a man lying in the grass on a sunny day when we sees an airplane fly by and thinks of all the ways in which he would go to his love to share the beautiful day with her.

You’ll do a lot of singing the lyrics “La La La La La” & “Schwimm, Schwimm, Schwimm”, but it’s the dance that really makes the Fyler Song fun. If you don’t know the words, just pay attention to the motions the Germans are doing and follow along. The song has you flying like a plane, then acting strong like a tiger, being as tall as a giraffe, hopping like a kangaroo, and of course, swimming through the water before embracing your neighbor’s hand. The full name of the song is actually Today Is Such A Beautiful Day, but because of the crazy dance involved the nickname Flyer Song has stuck.

#2 – The Flyer Song ‎‎‎‎(Skip To 90 Seconds)‎‎‎‎

Link to video

3. Hey Baby – If You’ll Be My Girl:

Hey Baby is the one song that gets the biggest crowd reaction out of them all as pretty much every person in the tents will be singing along. The band doesn’t even have to be playing the song as chats of Hey Baby just erupt out of nowhere from the crowd.

Hey Baby has been a huge hit in America ever since Bruce Channel’s original in 1961 hit #1 on the charts, but it was DJ Ötzi that brought it to Germany. The German-speaking DJ from Austria released a remix to the song in the year 2000 that was popular on radios Worldwide.

#3 – Hey Baby‎‎‎‎

Link to video

4. Hands to Heaven (Hände zum Himmel):

Hands to Heaven is one of the idealistic songs that should come to your mind when you picture Oktoberfest. This lively song asks for you to put your beers down raise your hands and clap along.

The Germans are going to know all the words, but if you don’t know them it is okay. Basically, the song asks you to cast aside your worries for the day and be merry. Getting everyone in your group to clap is corny, but has important symbolism. Since the 1000s of tent goers have their hands up clapping at the same time, it means that you are not strangers anymore as you are doing something together. It is a ton of fun even if you don’t know what’s going on.

#4 – Hands to Heaven ‎‎‎‎‎(skip to 3 min)‎‎‎‎‎

Link to video

5. Hulapalu:

The song Hulapalu has one of the most contagious hooks that you will hear in any Oktoberfest beer tent and is guaranteed to get people dancing. This hit dance club song was originally released in 2015 and but didn’t being to get very popular at Oktoberfest until two years later. The phrase Hulapalu doesn’t have a real meaning and the phrase was said in passing by the Austrian song writer’s girlfriend one day. Lucky her new word was blended perfectly into a tune that will be one of the best songs at Oktoberfest for decades to come.

#5 – Hulapalu

Link to video

6. The Donkey Song, Ia Ia Ia Oh (Esellied):

Surprisingly The Donkey Song is one of the only traditional Oompah band songs to actually make our list as the top songs at Oktoberfest. It is one of the main Bavarian songs that you’ll hear at Oktoberfest celebrations in America and is also one of the most popular pump up songs at Oktoberfest in Munich.

The full name of The Donkey Song in German is Esellied (Ia Ia Ia oh) and is iconic for its unique yodeling chorus. The song is about a Donkey that just won’t go home as he waits outside for the lovely female donkey Veronica. You’ll catch on the Ia Ia Ia Oh part pretty easy. If you are wondering what they are saying when it sounds like “Hey Baba Ria” they are actually saying The Babe River.

#6 – Ia, Ia, Ia, Oh

Link to video

7. Country Roads:

American musician John Denver is still huge in Europe and even bigger at Oktoberfest as country roads take you home. Ironically Denver’s real name was Henry John Deutschendorf as he was actually part German.

Many German and Polish bands have done popular covers of this and other John Denver songs. It’s not just this part of Europe that loves John Denver. If you go into bars or pubs anywhere you are bound to hear it at some point. We have fond memories of hearing Country Roads belted out by locals while visiting both England and Ireland.

#7 – Country Roads‎‎‎‎

Link to video

8. Cordula Grün:

Every couple years a brand new song comes out and totally takes over Oktoberfest which was the case in 2018 with the hit Cordula Grün. The song by the band Josh, is about a short lived love affair with a girl named Cordula Grün. The signer sees the woman dancing when he falls in love and is still taken by her beautiful even after learning she is married to a pediatrician. The song has a very catchy choris and was turned into a brass band Oktoberfest hit by the band Die Draufgänger who really played off of the girl’s last name being Green (Grün) in their music video.

#8 – Cordula Grün

Link to video

9. Breathless Through the Night (Atemlos durch die Nacht):

Since it was released in late 2013 by Helene Fischer, Breathless Through the Night (Atemlos durch die Nacht) has become an instant German party hit. The following year, this song about love and living in the moment, became one of the main Oktoberfest jams. When done by a live band the song makes the entire tent come alive. In the years to come, Atemlos durch die Nacht, has a chance to move way up our list as it solidifies itself as a top Oktoberfest song.

#9 – Breathless Through the Night

Link to video

10. Sweet Caroline:

You can’t go wrong with Neil Diamond’s mega-hit about a young Caroline Kennedy riding a bike. The chorus of this American classic is known by pretty much every person in the beer tents, no matter what country they are from. Even if you don’t like the song, there is something energetic about it at Oktoberfest as the music really is the universal language. In 2009, DJ Ötzi released a remix to Sweet Caroline that was very popular in Germany and Austria which helped to reboot the song at Oktoberfest.

When Sweet Caroline comes on at Oktoberfest, expect the people around you to all reach toward the middle of the table and give spirit fingers right before the chorus. It happens during the lyrics “Hands touchin’ hands, Reachin’ out, touchin’ me touchin’ you” and was captured in the video to the Right. After watching it you won’t be able to stop yourself from copying them the next time Sweet Caroline is played. Don’t be alarmed if it feels natural to fist pump during the chorus, it’s Oktoberfest, let loose.

#10 – Sweet Caroline

Link to video

[Klaus]

I'm thankful to the Coronavirus that it made Oktoberfest go away this year. I'm even considering a trip to Munich for that reason. I've lived in Munich for a few years, and being there during Oktoberfest was a PITA.

To be honest, I don't quite get why Americans are so fascinated by it and have all these local copies.

I do like the "Biergarten" culture in Munich. But Oktoberfest? Wouldn't go there even if you'd pay me.

[jon-nyc]

I had tickets to go in my mid-20s, along with two friends. Then one of the friend’s mother died unexpectedly so we all canceled.

For me the attraction was beer and large-breasted Bavarian chicks.

[brenda]

@Klaus
I posted this as bait for you, and it worked! Yes, I fully understand why you would avoid it. I probably would, too. It's not my kind of thing. I've been to Munich, but it was in the early spring. Still, at 10am you could get large pretzels, Weisswurst, and Bier.
That's not something you normally find at 10am in Minnesoooooota.

New Ulm, Minnesoooooota and LaCrosse, Wisconsin have large Oktoberfests, but I haven't been to either event. We've been to both places, and go to LaCrosse several times every year, except during COVID. Mark can tell us what goes on in the rest of his state for Oktober fests.

Is the song list even close to being correct?

[brenda]

@jon-nyc said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

For me the attraction was beer and large-breasted Bavarian chicks.

Some things never change!

[George K]

@jon-nyc said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

beer and large-breasted Bavarian chicks

Who's yer buddy?

[Klaus]

@brenda said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

Still, at 10am you could get large pretzels, Weisswurst, and Bier.

One of the things that was remarkable about working in Munich was that the canteen of the company I was working for (Siemens) offered beer to its employees for lunch.

Weißwurst at 10am is not so special; you may know that there's an unwritten rule in Bavaria that Weißwurst cannot be consumed after noon.

[jon-nyc]

I briefly worked for a Mexican brewery. Seriously.

They brew every Mexican beer you've heard of except Corona/Modelo.

At their canteen coke cost 50c, beer was free.

When you joined the project, you were given a 12pk of Tecate. People just kept them at the office and drank them warm over time.

[George K]

@Klaus said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

Weißwurst

One of Mrs. George's favorites is a Bohemian sausage called "cream" sausage. It is mild, and about ¾ inches in diameter. It's sold in a spiral. I make it by cooking in beer, then searing it in a skillet.

I wonder if Weißwurst is similar.

[Klaus]

@George-K said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

One of Mrs. George's favorites is a Bohemian sausage called "cream" sausage. It is mild, and about ¾ inches in diameter. It's sold in a spiral. I make it by cooking in beer, then searing it in a skillet.
I wonder if Weißwurst is similar.

Does it taste like shit? Then you've got the real deal.

[taiwan_girl]

I did a short project in Serbia, and more than once, the people from the ministry would take us out at about 11 am so we could all go look for a restaurant that was cooking a pig. We would find one, find out that it would not be done for 1-2 hours, sit down, most of the Serbians would start to drink slivowitz (sp?), a plum brandy. By the time the pig was done and eaten, it was too late to go back to work, so the day was over. LOL No surprise that not a lot got done in the country. LOL

[LuFins Dad]

While visiting a piano factory for a selection by a local college, they shut down the factory in the middle of the day. They took us around back where some of the craftsmen were rolling out barbecues and kegs of beer. Everybody loaded up on sausages, drank 2-3 liters of beer, then went back to work.

[brenda]

@taiwan_girl said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

I did a short project in Serbia, and more than once, the people from the ministry would take us out at about 11 am so we could all go look for a restaurant that was cooking a pig. We would find one, find out that it would not be done for 1-2 hours, sit down, most of the Serbians would start to drink slivowitz (sp?), a plum brandy. By the time the pig was done and eaten, it was too late to go back to work, so the day was over. LOL No surprise that not a lot got done in the country. LOL

Mmmmmm plum brandy. That sounds good.

[brenda]

@LuFins-Dad said in Get ready for Oktoberfest!:

While visiting a piano factory for a selection by a local college, they shut down the factory in the middle of the day. They took us around back where some of the craftsmen were rolling out barbecues and kegs of beer. Everybody loaded up on sausages, drank 2-3 liters of beer, then went back to work.

Sausages soak up beer, right?

[jon-nyc]

Well, too much beer can certainly turn your sausage into mush.