The song that together with its visual supplement in 1965 made me want to become a pilot, seriously (I had had the idea since 1961, but this gave the final push):

Quiz Question: Anybody here knows to allocate it to its source? Probably a hard one without googling it through, as the English speaking community will only know the English version of it.

Hint: It has only very distantly to do with the shown vid, just has ben chosen to accompany it.

Hint II: You probably all know this song in your nations version.

Hint III: It also lifted to fame (at least with Germans) the sentence (translated): "...there is *nothing* a German officer cannot achieve..."

Flugversuche (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH4evakUJqY#)

Rattler

P. S.: JFTR, this vid which has nothing to do with the song is from the time when I finally *learned* flying, and with almost the same method, and on this precise airfield depicted (Dörnberg, Kassel). The pic is form a hommage to "50 Years Flying School Dörnberg, 1989", and it is different from the way we did it, the SG38 starts from a winch instead of being "shot up" by a 12-man-rubber-rope-launch like in the 2nd picture...:

(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1006/1367123332_89ef4e4992.jpg)

(http://img.fotocommunity.com/photos/11529263.jpg)

R.

Wow, nobody got it yet? I can see our "standard quiz solvers" have had a look and I am surprised nobody has gotten the solution yet (I had seriously feared that with my hints it would be a piece of cake).

I will let a day or so go by and then solve it.

Last HINT: The song allocates to a movie.

Rattler

Well to be honest I am not sure what we are trying to do here, from an English perspective the song is "Those magnificent men in their flying machines" from the movie of the same name but if there is an older German origin I have no idea what it would be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Those_Magnificent_Men_in_their_Flying_Machines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Those_Magnificent_Men_in_their_Flying_Machines)

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines - Original theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPgS26ZhqZs#)

Monty, as always: You got it (and I had thought with all those stroies about flying this would have been clear as to where to allocate it).

This is the German adaption (and nothing literraly translated) from the original you posted:




All that was left in the German theme song of the film (of course, the only one I would have known in 1965) of the original was (and even today I dont know why really as it makes no sense whatsoever in German, obligation by contract, maybe?) were the two snippets "diddley down-down!" and "diddley up-up", I guessed that was enough info to allocate the song to its source (the movie: German title: "Die tollkühnen Männer in ihren fliegenden Kisten", I like the title translation better than the original title because it sets the spirit of the German version of the movie as follows: "Those death-defying men in their flying thingies" which, I guess you agree, sounds different and sure has a different impact on a 10 yrs old... Now as adult, I like the lyrics of the original better, but I stick with the German title... :) ).

Just to round it up, below the (also very distinct) lyrics of the German version (translated by yours truly), in the movie sung by the "Botho Lucas Choir".

Monty, 1 diddley up-up!  iconclap

Just for the record, I have found some flaws in the movie that I can only charge to "continuity" department:

- German Colonel Baron Manfred von Holstein (impersonated by the unforgettable Gerd Fröbe: "... There is *nothing* a German officer cannot do!...Rumpelstoss, we go diving!...") and his aide Captain Rumpelstoss have the same (wrong) rank insignia in their uniform: According to those they both are of the rank of Major.

- When the German competitors first appear the today (and 1965) current German national anthem is played ("Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit"):


This, in 1910, was the anthem of Austria/Hungary. Historically correct would have been the German Emperors anthem ("Heil dir im Siegerkranz") as National Anthem of the "Deutsches Reich" in 1910 (valid 1871-1918), but I guess they left it out of the movie as it has the same melody as the British "God save the Queen"... (oh, our European historical connections...!)

German Emperor Anthem - Heil dir im Siegerkranz (Mit Text) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cfzFBTK9i8#)

- The a/c that represents the "Demoiselle" (Santos Dumont) of the french competitor sports a 4 cylinder boxer engine from a VW beetle...
FWIW,

Rattler

Lyrics "Richt´ge Männer wie wir":

You need to remember that for the "British" part of the world you only need to include the pickelhaube to portray Germans/Prussians so historical accuracy is not necesary.
:)

I found this video of the song that I kind of liked as well.

Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8lv9mWTqtE#)

and this was amusing...

Pre WWI German Beatbox (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFj_vq3cwk#)

Nice find both videos... :) I especially like the skillful visual interpretation in the first one.

BTW, the tune Gerd Fröbe (one of our best actors at this time) "beat boxes" is the Paul Lincke song "Berliner Luft", here played at the "Großer Zapfenstreich "50 Years Bundeswehr"":

Berliner Luft (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGATFtJMBHk#)

And the full duel ended surprisingly with all in the water, starts at about minute 2:20 :

Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4fVp-hEPOk#)

Rattler

Hehe unfortunately I am more from the Prussian school of thought when it comes to military music, I prefer this...

Der Hohenfriedbergermarsch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zeKU7wz_8#)

and

Der Königgrätzer Marsch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMZDEuiq8nQ#)


:)