Charlie And His Orchestra

Despite characterizing jazz as “Entartete musik”, ironically the Third Reich had their own swing band for propaganda purposes. German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels conceived of using the style in shortwave radio broadcasts aimed at the United States and particularly the United Kingdom. British listeners heard the band every Wednesday and Saturday at around 9 pm.

The purpose of the band was to stir pro-NS sympathy, draw attention to World War II Allied losses, and carry Adolf Hitler’s messages in an entertaining form. The songs stressed how badly the war was going for the target audience, and how it was only going to be a matter of time before they would be beaten.

Led by German accented frontman Karl Schwedler (“Charlie”), conducted by Lutz Templin, and paced by drummer Fritz Brocksieper, the band included Kurt Abraham on reeds and Willy Berking on trombone. The group formed in 1940, making over 90 recordings between March 1941 and February 1943. Arrangements were by Templin, Willy Berking, and Franz Mück, with lyrics written by the Propagandaministerium. Schwedler was allowed permission to travel to neutral and occupied countries to collect jazz and dance music, which helped the band and propaganda ministry to craft more recordings.

Popular American swing songs - and popular British tunes/songs - were initially performed true to the original, until about the second or third verse which were replaced by pro-German lyrics and monologues. For example, in the tune You’re Driving Me Crazy, Schwedler croons about the confusion of new love, and in the third verse continues: Here is Winston Churchill’s latest tear-jerker: Yes, the Germans are driving me crazy / I thought I had brains / But they shot down my planes…” Later, the entire lyric would be modified, clearly based on the original. The band even recorded some “cover versions” of the originals, unaltered.

Indeed, anecdotal accounts indicate that Winston Churchill enjoyed the broadcasts, finding the lyrics hilarious.

Certainly an interesting piece of history to listen. Very peculiar.

Tracklist:

01. And So Another Lovely Day Is Over
02. Bei Mir Bist Du Schön
03. blue moon
04. Bye Bye Blackbird
05. Calling Invasion Forces
06. Daisy
07. Dinah
08. Elmers Tune
09. FDR Jones
10. Germany Calls
11. Hold Tight
12. I Can't Give You Aything But Love
13. I Double Dare You
14. I Got Rythm
15. I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again
16. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
17. I'm Sending You The Siegried Line
18. Indian Love Call
19. Japanese Sandman
20. Makin Whoopee
21. Nice People
22. South Of The Border
23. St. Louis Blues
24. Stardust
25. Tea For Two
26. Thaks For The Memory
27. The Kings Horses
28. The Man With The Big Cigar
29. The Sheik Of Araby
30. Three Little Fishes
31. Under An Umbrella In The Evening
32. United Air Man
33. Who'll Buy My Bublitchky
34. Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf
35. Why'd Ya Make Me Fall In Love
36. You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming
37. You're Driving Me Crazy
38. You're The Top

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