A Special New Year Song Tradition
Werner Muessle

On New Year's Eve some people have a get together for a New Year's celebration. It starts with a very nice dinner over which they take time to talk. After dinner games with a lot of fun are played.

Shortly before midnight people gather in the market place in the centre of the village. On the stroke of midnight the church bell sounds over the village houses and people toast the New Year. A big firework display is set off which lasts half an hour. After that the village music band start to play a special song. It was first played and composed by an unknown man in the 1800's who lived in the village. The band marches down the main street playing the song. Groups of people go into side streets singing this song in front of houses where mostly older people live. Most of the time the singers are invited to warm up and have a drink. The singing of this special song is only a tradition in my village and I'd like to share a part of this song with you.

Wyhler Neujahrslied

Nun ist das al-te Jahr vorbei,
man zahlt schon wieder auf des new.
Und so vergeht und so vergeht die zeit,
eiust kommt die E-Wig-Keit! - Wig-Keit!

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