In Heaven There Is No Beer

Last updated
"Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier"
Song
LanguageGerman
English title"In Heaven There Is No Beer"
Published1956
Genre Drinking song
Composer(s) Ralph Maria Siegel
Lyricist(s) Ernst Neubach

"In Heaven There Is No Beer" is a song about the existential pleasures of beer drinking. The title of the song states a reason for drinking beer while you are still alive. The song in German is "Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier", in Spanish, "En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza". [1] It was originally composed as a movie score for the film Die Fischerin vom Bodensee, 1956, by Ernst Neubach and Ralph Maria Siegel. [2] The English lyrics are credited to Art Walunas.

Atongo Zimba recorded a version [3] as well as Clean Living. [4] The song was the inspiration for the title of the 1984 film and 1985 Sundance Film Festival winner, In Heaven There Is No Beer? , [5] which also featured the song "Who Stole the Kishka?". [6]

A version of the song by the Amherst, Massachusetts, band Clean Living became a hit in 1972 (US Billboard #49, Cash Box #34; [7] Canada #51). [8] [9]

The song first appeared at the University of Iowa in the 1960’s and has been a tradition ever since. Known in Iowa City as the “Hawkeye Victory Polka”, the Hawkeye Marching Band plays this tune at sporting events following a Hawkeye win.

The song is also used by the University of Wyoming band, playing during breaks in sporting events known as "The Beer Song."

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References

  1. ↑ "En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza (lyrics in Spanish and Dutch)" . Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  2. ↑ Siegel, Ralph Maria; Neubach, Ernst (1956). Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier: Marschfox. Aus dem Neubach-Film: Die Fischerin vom Bodensee[In Heaven There is No Beer] (musical score) (in German). Zürich: Helbling. OCLC   81325100.
  3. ↑ "Music in Ghana- Atongo Zimba". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  4. ↑ Dr. Demento (1995). Dr. Demento 25th anniversary collection more of the greatest novelty records of all time (sound recording). Santa Monica, California: Rhino. OCLC   33275688.
  5. ↑ Maslin, Janet (May 23, 1984). "Documentaries on Polka and Bluegrass". New York Times . Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "In Heaven There Is No Beer? (1984)", IMDb.
  7. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 23, 1972". Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  8. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  9. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada" (PDF). Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-12-16. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
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