TOM LEHRER REVISITED

11. The Wiener Schnitzel Waltz

Now to continue with the love song, here we have the Viennese waltz type of the Franz Lehar/Johann Strauss school, conjuring up images of gaily waltzing couples, and probably stale champagne drunk from sweaty slippers. This example is called The Wiener Schnitzel Waltz.

Do you remember the night I held you so tight,
As we danced to the Wiener Schnitzel Waltz?
The music was gay, and the setting was Viennese,
Your hair wore some roses (or perhaps they were peonies),
I was blind to your obvious faults,
As we danced 'cross the scene
To the strains of the Wiener Schnitzel Waltz.

Oh, I drank some champagne from your shoe, la-la-la.
I was drunk by the time I got through, la-la-la.
For I didn't know as I raised that cup,
It had taken two bottles to fill the thing up.

It was I who stepped on your dress, la-la-la.
The skirts all came off, I confess, la-la-la.
Revealing for all of the others to see
Just what it was that endeared you to me...

I remember the night I held you so tight,
As we danced to the Wiener Schnitzel Waltz.
Your lips were like wine (if you'll pardon the simile),
The music was lovely and quite Rudolf Friml'y*.
I drank wine, you drank chocolate malts,
And we both turned quite green
To the strains of the Wiener Schnitzel Waltz.

Notes

In addition to Lehar and Strauss, this song also appears to owe something to the Tennessee Waltz, another waltz that talks about "remembering the night", and which refers to itself in its own lyrics.

I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced her to my loved one
And while they were dancin'
My friend stole my sweetheart from me.

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.

(Instrumental Interlude)

I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced her to my loved one
And while they were dancin'
My friend stole my sweetheart from me.

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

      ^* Rudolf Friml, 1879-1972. A composer born in Prague, and who moved to the US in 1906. He wrote 33 light operas, the best known of which are The Firefly (1912), Rose Marie (1924), and The Vagabond King (1925). I say "best known", though in reality I hadn't heard of even these ones until I looked the guy up.

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