1994 BMG/Ariola title from the Austrian vocalist. Peformed in German, this item presents 16 easy listening / folk tracks.
CD Reviews
A fine compilation from a charming lady
01/02/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"She must be the only German chanteuse to have a record in the U.S. top ten after World War II (she managed that in 1960). Probably had something to do with Elvis just out of the army and Bert Kaempfert topping the charts already. Still "Seemann" was and is a lovely, enchanting song from yesteryear. And "Der weisse Mond.." was one of her greatest Continental hits. Lovely music, with a scent of exotica to it. Actually her version of "Wo die Nordseewellen" is better than Lale Andersen's! Buy this if you like to hear what half of Europe listened to in the postwar years."
WEISSER HOLUNDER by LOLITA
John R. Jay | 01/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am ordering the CD and Album for one reason;
an extremely beautiful song called "Seemunn Deine Heimat
ist das Meer". It is possibly the most beautiful song
ever written and sung in German. I have NEVER,
in my 60 years, heard a more beautiful one.
Lili Marlein comes in a close second. BOTH songs are
on that CD, making it a 5 star rating,
without even knowing anything about the other songs at
all. Just "Seemunn" and "Lili Marlein" by themselves
make this CD a MUST BUY!"
Weisser Holunder
Michael B. Kassay | Sarasota, FL United States | 09/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Truly outstanding collection of melodical, pleasing german songs, sung by a very talented song-bird. Buy it, by all means, it is worth listening to, over and over."
Not the vesion of "Sailor (Your Home is the Sea)" that you r
Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 04/21/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Like most Americans of a certain age, I can recall Lolita's 1960 Top Ten hit of "Sailor." It's a striking song that includes spoken English lyrics partway through. The version on this German import CD is not that old KAPP single we hold so dear (there's no English in it).
Yet it is still a great pleasure to hear this lovely gal sing.
Ditta Zusa Einzinger was born 1/17/31 in St. Pölten, Austria. In the mid 1950s, "Lolita" was a grade school teacher who also sang in local clubs. Signed to a recording contract in '57, she initially waxed tunes with an exotic locale theme. Her only hit single, known in the U.S. as "Sailor," was a product of this era.
"Seemann, deine Heimat ist das Meer" with its predominantly male chorus backup, is an undeniable classic. That "deine Heimat" refrain is irresistible; one just wants to sing along even without a command of its German lyrics. On the original American single, those English repetitions and a top-riding soprano absolutely sell the record.
Other tracks that may be familiar to Americans:
"Muß I denn zum Städtele hinaus" was issued by RCA Victor in 1960 as an Elvis Presley single entitled "Wooden Heart." It also appears in his G.I. BLUES film.
"Lili Marleen" is based on a 1915 poem whose title translates to "the girl under the lantern." During WWII, this was adapted into a love song that was very popular in Germany. Many English lyric versions have been recorded, but as Marlene Dietrich's character in JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961) notes, it's far more beautiful in the original language.
In closing, if you can listen with compehension to the 16 tracks on Lolita's "Weißer Holunder," I totally envy you!"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1