The old German drinking song “Ach, Du Lieber Augustin” is a perfect theme song for the Sprick cousins, and not just because Grandma Sprick’s maiden name was Augustin. The lyrics, which remind us faintly of Warren Zevon’s “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,” are perfectly morbid and hilarious.That is so Sprick-like! Here they are, in German and English:
Opening and refrain:
Ach, du lieber Augustin, Augustin, Augustin, Ach, du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin! Geld ist hin, Mädl ist hin, Alles ist hin, Augustin! Ach, du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin!(refrain)
Rock ist weg, Stock ist weg, Augustin liegt im Dreck. Ach, du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin!(refrain)
Und selbst das reiche Wien, Hin ist's wie Augustin; Weint mit mir im gleichen Sinn, Alles ist hin!(refrain)
Jeder Tag war ein Fest, Jetzt haben wir die Pest! Nur ein großes Leichenfest, Das ist der Rest. (refrain)
Augustin, Augustin, Leg' nur ins Grab dich hin! Ach, du lieber Augustin, Alles ist hin!Translation:
Opening and refrain:
O, my dear friend Augustin, Augustin, Augustin, O, my dear friend Augustin, I just can't win!Money's gone, girlfriend's gone, I just can't win, Augustin! O, my dear friend Augustin, I just can't win!(refrain)
Coat is gone, staff is gone, Augustin's on his bum. O, my dear friend Augustin, I just can't win! (refrain)
Even that rich town Wien [Vienna], Is broke like Augustin; Shed tears with thoughts akin, I just can't win!(refrain)
Every day was a fest, Now we just have the pest! Now all the corpses rest, That is the rest.(refrain)
Augustin, Augustin, Lay down in your coffin! O, my dear friend Augustin, I just can't win!This immortal piece’s melody was co-opted by the Canadian children’s singer Raffi, who rewrote it like this:
The more we get together, Together, together, The more we get together, The happier we'll be.Cuz your friends are my friends, And my friends are your friends. The more we get together, The happier we'll be.Clearly, Raffi is not a Sprick.
A gallery of photos of the Millers during their year or so in Monterey, Calif., in the early 1960s. Uncle Bill was stationed at Fort Ord, where he attended Army language school and learned Czech. Whenever possible, the Millers went to the beach, which was windy, cold and gorgeous. We especially like the photo of the Army fort neighborhood birthday party where the boy cutting up is NOT cousin Chris, for once. To make the Miller kids terrifyingly large, click on each photo.
