Very, very pretty. A tannenbaum is a fir tree. It is a lovely song about a lovely evergreen conifer that grows all over Europe and America. Evidently, they were in abundance in the forests of Germany. Those of us who grew up in my neck of the woods, the state of Maryland, learned a different set of words to this lovely tune that had nothing to do with fir trees or Christmas trees. We knew it as our state anthem:
The Despot's heel is on the shore, Maryland, my Maryland.
His torch is at thy temple door, Maryland, my Maryland.
Avenge the patriotic gore that flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle Queen of yore, Maryland, my Maryland.
His torch is at thy temple door, Maryland, my Maryland.
Avenge the patriotic gore that flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle Queen of yore, Maryland, my Maryland.
