Another Leica Song

[wlaidlaw]

I had mislaid my copy of the 1930's Leica Song and while I was searching for a link to download it (found it), I came across another Leica Song, which I thought some M users might appreciate.

Wilson

Sung to the Gilbert and Sullivan tune

“ A Very Modern Major General”

The Scene:
A photographic gathering in an upmarket hotel. The Master Amateur is holding forth on the glories of Leica. He is dressed in a battered old raincoat and a French beret. In his hand is a battered M3 covered with black tape. 
He is surrounded by a chorus of paunchy middle-aged men, each wearing an enormous autofocus SLR with zoom lens. The lenses bounce on their bellies when they sing...... 



(MASTER AMATEUR)

I am a total devotee of Leica M photography.
I will not buy a digicam, I won't do videography.
I read the work of Lager with his product list canonical.
I'll never use a plastic lens with focus ultrasonical.



I look at other cameras with an attitude that's whimsical.
I do not want an SLR with viewing pentaprimsical.
The look of glass from Asia makes me squint my eyes and squirm a knee. 

I'd rather get my lenses from a little town in Germany.



(CHORUS) 

He'd rather get his lenses from a little town in Germany. 

He'd rather get his lenses from a little town in Germany. 

He'd rather get his lenses from a little town in Germa-Germa-ny. 



(MASTER AMATEUR) 

I will never put my camera on a tripod that is teetering. 

I cannot understand the need for modern matrix metering.

Look back upon my history, it's all in my biography: 

I am a total devotee of Leica M photography. 



(CHORUS) 

Look back upon his history, it's all in his biography: 

He is a total devotee of Leica M photography.



(MASTER AMATEUR) 

I love my Leica cameras with passion that's tyrannical 

A rangefinder, a floating frame, and everything mechanical.

The shutter curtain's rubberized, and fashioned from the finest silk.

The lenses have a bokeh that is smooth as summer buttermilk.



My fifty f-two Summicron takes landscapes that are lyrical.

I pierce the gloomy shadows with my Summilux aspherical.

I must have Leica quality although it costs me lots o' bucks.

I bought a ninety APO, I'm saving for a Noctilux.



(CHORUS) 

He bought a ninety APO, he's saving for a Noctilux. 

He bought a ninety APO, he's saving for a Noctilux. 

He bought a ninety APO, he's saving for a Nocti-Nocti-lux.



(MASTER AMATEUR) 

I develop all my Tri-X film in acid that's ascorbical. 

I try to make my photos have a reference metaphorbical. 

And so throughout my history, you'll find in my biography: 

I am a total devotee of Leica M photography. 



(CHORUS) 

And so throughout his history, we find in his biography: 

He is a total devotee of Leica M photography. 



(MASTER AMATEUR) 

I want to be like Eisenstadt and Smith and Frank and HCB. 

I take my Christmas photos in a style that's documentary. 

I never shoot at weathered rocks and twisted trees and gnats and logs. 

There's universal pathos in my pictures of my cats and dogs. 



I lurk in bars and coffeshops, and stalk the streets with Delphic glee. 

To shoot unwary passers-by with Leica mounted pelvically. 

But when I spy a plant that has a lovely flower's bloom upon. 

I take a dazzling close-up with my dual-ranging Summicron. 



(CHORUS) 

He takes a dazzling close-up with his dual-ranging Summicron. 

He takes a dazzling close-up with his dual-ranging Summicron. 

He takes a dazzling close-up with his dual-ranging Summi-Summi-cron.



(MASTER AMATEUR) 

And although I've tried the other brands they always are inferior. 

They can't resolve the fuzz upon a baby's bare posterior. 

That's why throughout my history, you'll find in my biography: 

I am a total devotee of Leica M photography. 



(CHORUS) 

That's why throughout his history, you'll find in his biography: 

He is a total devotee of Leica M photography. 


[andybarton]

I think it would be only fair if you gave a citation to this masterpiece, Wilson.

Who wrote it, and where did you find it?

[andybarton]

[CRAPLITE]: "I Am A Total Devotee of Leica M Photography"

[maddoc2003jp]

..... ..... .....

The best thread since a while !!

[jaapv]

If Andreas would allow us MP3 attachments, Wilson could sing it to us...

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by jaapv

If Andreas would allow us MP3 attachments, Wilson could sing it to us...

Jaap,

You would not suggest that if you had ever heard me sing!

Wilson

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by andybarton

[CRAPLITE]: "I Am A Total Devotee of Leica M Photography"

Andy,

Thanks for that. There was no citation quoted on the website on which I found it.

Wilson

[andybarton]

Maybe it was that blogger who wrote it.

[gravastar]

If you click on the CRAPLITE link at the top of the page it references the blogger's home page where there's interesting comments on street photography (below the section about two boys and the rooms full of toys and horse dung LOL.)

Bob.

[masjah]

I seem to remember some time ago someone (maybe it was Bill Palmer) pointing us to a similar ditty. (I don't know if it was this one exactly - but it was certainly a parody of the Major-General's song.)

[DuquesneG]

Leica Theme Song (Instrumental)

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by DuquesneG

Leica Theme Song (Instrumental)

How dare you. Just like a Leica there is nothing like the stooges, all 5 of them.

[stuny]

Wilson -

It's good to see you back after so much time. I hope you are well and enjoying your retirement.

[ho_co]

Originally Posted by wlaidlaw

I had mislaid my copy of the 1930's Leica Song ... 


Wilson--
"1930's Leica Song"?

More info please.

Thanks for this one. For me it's the First Leica Song, not Another one.

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by ho_co

Wilson--
"1930's Leica Song"?

More info please.

Thanks for this one. For me it's the First Leica Song, not Another one.

Howard,

The Ukranian website I found it on a few days ago has disappeared again - pity they had lots of quite good Leica fakes as well - first time I had seen Type 1 fakes with no VF, just a shoe. However I had downloaded a copy of the song. I can email a copy to anyone who would like it. It is a 500KB Quick Time file. Maybe someone else knows where is is posted as a downloadable file?

Wilson

[SJP]

here it is

[leica_mage]

Gentlemen, credit for the Gilbert and Sullivanised 'Leica Song' goes to a very genial (in both senses of the adjective) Rangefinder Forum member, Peter Klein.

See here.

And the usual derogatory crap with the hapless Peter at the butt of the PNut smart alecks' remarks here.

[peter_n]

Yes indeed it was Peter Klein. I think he published it first on the LUG much to the amusement of the members.

[DuquesneG]

Originally Posted by Shootist

How dare you. Just like a Leica there is nothing like the stooges, all 5 of them.

Hoho, yes...every time I see one of the threads whether the M2 or M3 is the best M ever, I think about the Shemp vs Curly debate. I guess the M5 and M4-2 would be like Joe Besser and Joe DaRita then

[ho_co]

Stephen--
thanks for the link, but my software lets me listen but not download


Wilson--
thanks for the email offer. I've PM'd you my address.



This is an aspect of Leica I never would have expected!.

I guess this would have been the "rouse 'em with the rah-rah company spirit before they sit down to their benches" daily song?

Does anyone have an idea how it was used?