IN THE TIME THAT I WAS INACTIVE, I have done a great deal. By a great deal, I mean that I have suffered through a symposium, worked on an infographic, and - oh wait, Genius Project is a thing! Actually, I've worked on that this whole week by rereading the scene I chose over and over, and then writing the lyrics!
I was going to just post the complete song with its instrumental when all was said and done, but since a big portion of my project is also experimenting whether writing lyrics or instrumental first is better, I might as well post the lyrics to show that Yes, I wrote the lyrics first because I'm an Honest Man. I came up with that decision seven minutes ago. It's very late, I know.
So, yes. Here:
♭ ♮ ♯
| i'm glad someone on the internet made this edit for me |
[Hans Hubermann? Do you still play the accordion?]
[Of course I do.]
They're strange, those wars
They were eager, but I wasn't too sure
Bullets, resting men
And the best dirty jokes in the world.
Music, always the music
Maybe card games, maybe chess
His eyes were open, his wedding ring was stolen
The accordion breathes, not him anymore.
Life or pride
The intelligence to pick life
He is the only reason I was able to survive
No one likes a coward but no one wants to die
He volunteered me to stay inside
Everyone else went out to fight.
No one came back that night.
I found his wife
I told her he saved my life
I played his song
He never told me he had a son.
Music, always the music
Not perfection, just warmth
I could never join the Party, their victim had once saved me
"Jewish Filth" sprayed on all their doors.
Heart or head
The country or my friend
I would have no worth if not for the accordion
No one could play like me, thanks to him
I was put on the waiting list
They came to search my house for this.
I was allowed to stay.
Would I be Hans Hubermann?
Any chance an accordionist?
Am I a man to keep a promise?
He was Erik Vandenburg
And I am here to save his son
You.
♭ ♮ ♯
Alright, here's some explanation for those with no idea what's going on, likely because they haven't read the book.
So we got Hans Hubermann, who fought in World War I as a young man. He was not a big fan of that. He made a good friend, Erik Vandenburg, and they bonded during the war over not liking the war. Erik was a Jew. That wasn't as much of a big deal back then, but it would be. He taught Hans the accordion.
Sometimes the Sergeant gave chores to people without them knowing, by asking innocent questions like "Who comes from Pasing?" and then making that person clean the toilets. This time, he asked "Who's got neat handwriting?" and that person would be writing letters instead of being out there fighting. No one volunteered themselves, so Erik volunteered his friend Hans to write letters and not go off to battle. Hans ended up being the only one of them to survive.
Erik's accordion became Hans's. Hans found Erik's widow and gave her his name/address if she ever needed his help. That also became important later on.
Now, back at home, Hans refused to join the Nazi Party, because a Jew had saved his life. Unfortunately, it was not really in your best interests at the time to not join the Nazi Party. His business dried up, He had just put his name down when he witnessed Nazis vandalizing one of his Jewish customers' shop. He repainted the door and was then regarded with suspicion. The Gestapo searched his house but found nothing. Hans's only saving grace was his accordion skill.
Remember how he gave Erik's widow his information? Well, that was now useful. Erik had a son who was now grown up, and he needed somewhere to hide. Hans owed their family that much.
Why is this important? Hans is now hiding a Jew in his basement.
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| THIS BOOK. AH. |
See you on the other side of the war (suddenly has a MUCH darker connotation oh my GOD)~
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