Wernher von Braun (Tom Lehrer-Robbie Ellis)

A cover of Tom Lehrer's tribute to an expatriate scientist, updated to the 21st century.

Available on The FuMP Desecrates Tom Lehrer:
https://thefump.com/store/release/282

Music and lyrics by Tom Lehrer
Additional lyrics by Robbie Ellis
Robbie Ellis - vocals, keyboards, arrangement, production
Nora Shaffer - clarinets
John Schreckengost - horns

http://www.robbieellis.net/
  / robbieellismusics  
  / robbieellismusics  

==

Gather 'round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun,
A man whose allegiance
Is ruled by expedience,
Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown.
"Nazi, Schmazi!" says Wernher von Braun.

Don't say that he's hypocritical,
Say rather that he's apolitical.
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department!" says Wernher von Braun.

Some have harsh words for this man of renown,
But some think our attitude
Should be one of gratitude,
Like the widows and wounded in old London town
Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun.

You too may be a big hero
Once you've learned to count backwards to zero.
"In German, oder English, I know how to count down
Und I'm learning Chinese." says Wernher von Braun.

Some might call Wernher some four-letter noun,
Since all the world's plebiums
Are at risk of ICBMs,
And that New Start Treaty seems ready to drown.
Cold War 2.0 thanks to Wernher von Braun.

Your skin will be crispy and foaming
Once our missiles get launched from Wyoming
Cause some other guy's warhead will fly towards your town.
We're mutually MAD about Wernher von Braun.

You'll be microwaved, mangled and limping
Thanks to Putin or Kim or Xi Jinping.
Don't put that on TikTok, it'll get taken down...
(Oh no!)
That's the world as refashioned by Wernher von Braun.

"In Deutsch oder Englisch, I know how to count down,
Und I'm learning Chinese, und Russian und French,
Und Hindi und Urdu, Korean und Farsi,
Und Hebrew...
That last one's ironic!" says Wernher von Braun.