After visiting my daughter in Berlin a couple of weeks ago, the city has been on my mind a lot.
I remembered this song I love, Luhrstaap, taken from the excellent Raw Melody Men by New Model Army. They introduce it as āa song for the funeral of the DDRā. It was written in 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and try hard as I might, I was unable to find any relevant information on the song title. If any of our Teutonic members can enlighten me, Iād be grateful.
Itās a rough ānā ready fun recording, but thatās ok as the live version is none too polished either.
A couple of folks remarked on my last backing track being too low, so I bumped up the vol on the Trio+ a bit.
I think itās a nice song and what youāve done with it too ā¦but asking such a question about the meaning of that word is a bit less ā¦ now Iāve been searching for 20 minutes and fear that the answer will not come from meā¦I canāt stand that,i give up already
Greetingsā¦
Hi Brian, living in the very south of Germany, close to the Austrian border, I donāt see myself too much as a āteutonicā member of this community, but I found this: http://www.ne-ne.de/nmasongs/annotations/l.html
āLurhstaap:
Obviously the meaning of the word is a band secret and will remain for ever unknown. Suggestions have included that it is a foreign word, a swear word spelled backwards or an anagramm for something. However, all attempts to decipher the word have lead to nothing, and I believe it actually does not mean anything at all.ā
Thatās just a part of the text. Maybe that helps? Pfiadi!
@roger_holland & @Helen0609
Thank you both very much, but now I feel guilty about not having searched hard enough myself
Itās good to know there are other curious people out there with time on their handsā¦
Griessde, Andrea (or is it Helen??)
You got your revenge by sending me down my own rabbit hole
I didnāt quite get your Pfiadi sign-off, and thought you possibly meant āPfadiā (Pfadfinder/in), but consulted the Google oracle only to end up in a Boarische holeā¦ (I spent a couple of summers in the 80s working in Munich and Konstanz)
What a weird bunch in this communityā¦
[quote=ābrianlarsen, post:4, topic:80851ā]
with time on their handsā¦
[/quote], not really, but this was more interesting than the things I had to doā¦
Ich nehmā dich beim Wort ( I take your word Mr Larsen)
[quote=ābrianlarsen, post:4, topic:80851ā]
Andrea
[/quote] is my first name, Helen(e) my middle name.
Cosmopolitan as you are, I thought you know this bavarian salutationā¦
Another interesting and entertaining musical installment, BL! Nice bar chord workout as well. I canāt speak to the lyrics or overall point of the song, but ultimately itās music and Iām willing to enjoy it at face value. Nicely done!
Cheers Clint
Itās all about the music. That whole album has a ton of energy
I think the song is simply about: Wall comes down and DDR is āfreedā. Guess what? Things aināt perfect in the West neither
Interesting about the barre chords. I remember when I was learning them a couple of years ago, @Rossco01 mentioned how you become accustomed to them and he didnāt even think of them as being harder any more. I find myself often preferring to play them than open chords now, especially when the changes are a bit quicker. I also find it easier to understand/remember the song structure/chord sequences.
Hey all you barre chord novices- thereās light at the end of the tunnel
@DavidP cheers, David. I started just letting them all twang out and then thought it needed something else.
Hereās the live version for anyone who wants to hear what it should sound like
Correct, the West is what it is. Iāll say no more. LOL
I use bar chords sparingly as they tend to wash out with so many duplicate notes (the chord itself, bass player, etc), and they make it harder to add dynamics such as hammer-ons, single note additions and other embellishments. Learn them, love them, and like all our musical tools use them wisely.
Wow Brian, finally youāve done one of my all time favourite songs!
Didnāt sound rough and ready to me Brian. Your performance had an edgy punk sound and feel to it. The barre chord workout was great and allowed you to use fret finger muting giving you a pulsing beat which along with your excellent vocal drove the song along. I thought the sound balance was good but we all listen on different devices so I suppose thatās subjective.
As for the meaning of the lyrics and their connection to the Berlin Wall coming downā¦. no idea. Iām not good at poetic/song lyric interpretation. She loves you, I wanna hold your hand, she puts on her make up and brushes her long blonde hair. Thatās about my limit.
As for it being one of my all time favourite songsā¦ā¦gotcha.
Thatād make a great opening line for a song
Right- I have something in the pipeline especially for you, Gordon. Itās so old you might even remember it.
Good clean, wholesome, happy and luvvy doveyā¦ and no, I am not being sarcastic. Iām just not sure how long it will take
Another reason I hang out here-
Folk will always offer glimpses of whatās waiting down the line. Jason prophesying the barre chords and when they arrive Clint pointing out the delights of more intricate chord work.
Iāll take this one day at a time and continue getting (/being?) there
Another obscure one from the trove of Brian, I thought. I searched for the original on Spotify - not on Spotify. Searched YouTube, and found it - your video was the 3rd hit! Then Gordon says he knows it.
Gordon had me as well. āNot so obscure?ā I thought. Then the gotchaā¦
Open chords can have the same drawback as bar chords ā redundant notes that can drone and wash out in the mix. Iām not calling anyone out, you will know when you hear it. Let your ears be your guide, look for ways to add dynamics, add interest and limit ear fatigue.
@SgtColon Cheers for the listen and comments, Stefan
If youāre ever down in Chester at the weekend, keep your eyes open for their violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson who sometimes busks by the clock in the centre
I remain the eternal optimist (even if I do prepare for the worst sometimes )
ā¦but asking such a question about the meaning of that word is a bit less ā¦ now Iāve been searching for 20 minutes and fear that the answer will not come from meā¦I canāt stand that,i give up already 
, and a slight urge for input 
( I take your word Mr Larsen)
