You know what we haven’t heard in a while? Yodeling. We could definitely use more yodeling. And it’s been even longer since we’ve posted a song in German.

So let’s take care of that today. Birds? Meet stone. Let’s rock and roll!

Actually, belay that. Despite being in the right time period, this music is miles away from rock and roll.

Let’s Schlager mit Erregung!

Natürlich, we start in Germany: married couple Marianne Vasel and Erich Storz worked together frequently in the 1950s and 60s, often as part of a group called Die lustigen Volksmusikanten (The Merry Folk Musicians) or in a trio with a singer named Marianne Opitz. In 1957 Erich wrote a song about the Osterode–Kreiensen district railway (built between 1898 and 1900 and closed in 1967, just FYI) and titled it “Die kleine Bimmelbahn.” A bimmelbahn, of course, being a small, narrow train, like a slow-moving tourist tram, particularly notable for its ringing bell #forthepubquiz.

Marianne and Erich released “Die kleine Bimmelbahn” as their debut single together in Germany in 1957 and the song chugga-chugged its way into the Top 5. Their German record label either had a distribution deal in place with Mercury in the US, or the two labels had options for one-time deals, but either way, Mercury certainly wasn’t releasing every European hit record. Someone at the label tasked with sifting for gold in foreign markets likely heard the song and recognized its hit potential, particularly with the very large German immigrant population stateside, and decided to give it a try.

Released as a single in the US under the title “The Little Train,” the song choo-choo’d its way up to #49 on the Hot 100 — not a huge hit but not bad for a novelty folk ditty in German. Marianne and Erich never had another hit in America but continued yodeling away in their homeland into the 21st century.

Do you need two versions of this song? Probably not. But they exist, so you’re getting them. Above is the original version from 1957 as Marianne and Erich intended it to sound. The 1958 US single excised the tempo changes, shortening the song by about 30 seconds, and added reverb to the vocals. But it was a hit and here at The Clock we play the hits: