Schlager

Schlager (loosely translated as "hit") is a style of Pop prevalent mainly in parts of Northern and Central Europe. It is typically chacterized by simple melodies and harmonies, with lyrics revolving around love, emotions and mundanity, normally conveyed in a sentimental tone. The roots of Schlager trace back to late-19th-century Viennese Operetta, from which Schlager evolved into a distinct music genre in the 1920s, with songs very often being comical, sometimes even frivolous, and closely related to French Revue and variété. The arguably most prominent performers from this period are Comedian Harmonists. During the Nazi era, Schlager would be subject to tight government control, but would nevertheless provide a crucial role in entertaining and comforting the masses, as exemplified by the success of Lied eines jungen Wachtpostens (Lili Marlen) / Drei rote Rosen (Gedenken).