| Marlene Dietrich Overseas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1952 | |||
| Genre | Traditional pop | |||
| Length | 25:08 | |||
| Label | Columbia Records | |||
| Marlene Dietrich chronology | ||||
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Marlene Dietrich Overseas (official title including subtitle:Marlene Dietrich Overseas — American Songs In German For The O.S.S) is aMarlene Dietrich album, issued on 10" LP byColumbia Records (catalogue number LP GL105), released in 1952. All the vocals are in German, translated by Lothar Metzl (except for "Lili Marlene") and the orchestra was conducted by Jimmy Carroll.[1]
Overseas has its origins in Dietrich's contributions to the U.S. war effort duringWorld War II. As an American citizen, she recorded American songs in German for theOffice of Strategic Services (OSS) to be broadcast to German audiences as part of American propaganda efforts. After the war, Dietrich kept her copies of the original recordings and later played them forColumbia’sMitch Miller, who, impressed, had her re-record the songs in the studio.
The album was reissued by Columbia asLili Marlene with four additional tracks, later included in the compilationArt Deco:The Cosmopolitan Marlene Dietrich, and in 1995 Blue Moon releasedMarlene Dietrich Sings Lili Marlene and Other Great Songs with the same eight tracks plus eleven from earlier albums.
Marlene Dietrich’s albumOverseas traces back to her contributions during World War II, when she became one of the first celebrities to support the U.S. war effort after America entered the conflict in 1941.[2] She sold more war bonds than any other star and toured extensively, performing for hundreds of thousands of soldiers across the U.S. and later for Allied troops in Europe and North Africa.[3] Despite the danger of appearing so close to German lines, she explained her actions simply as being done “out of decency”.[4] Her performances mixed film songs, her musical saw, and even a comedic “mindreading” act taught to her byOrson Welles.[5]
In 1944, Dietrich's involvement deepened through her work with the OSS. She was the only artist informed that her German-language recordings would be used in the Musak project, a series of propaganda broadcasts meant to weaken enemy morale.[6] Among the songs was “Lili Marleen,” already beloved by soldiers on both sides of the war. For her contributions, Major GeneralWilliam J. Donovan, head of the OSS, personally expressed his gratitude, emphasizing the importance of Dietrich’s artistry and dedication to the Allied cause.[7]
The original recordings were largely forgotten after the war, but Dietrich retained her copies and later played them for Mitch Miller, the head ofA&R at Columbia Records. Impressed by the material, Miller commissioned Dietrich to re-record the songs in the studio.[8]
The album was reissued on 12" LP by Columbia asLili Marlene (Columbia GL 4-17) with the addition of the following tracks: "Das Hobellied", "Du Liegst Mir im Herzen", "Muss i denn" and "Du Hast die Seele Mein".[9] The eight songs were re-released inCD on a compilation album,Art Deco: The Cosmopolitan Marlene Dietrich.[10]
In 1995, the Spanish record label Blue Moon issued the compilationMarlene Dietrich Sings Lili Marlene and Other Great Songs. The release presented the original eight tracks in their initial sequence, supplemented by eleven selections drawn from Dietrich's previous recordings.[11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [8] |
| Billboard | 70/100[1] |
| Down Beat | [12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [13] |
The album received favorable reviews from music critics.Billboard magazine rated the album 70 out of 100, describing the repertoire as modest but praising its cover design. They highlighted Dietrich enduring presence and charm even in the recorded tracks.[1] The magazine also praised the reissue titledLili Marlene, highlighting the striking cover photo of Dietrich by photographerMilton H. Greene, which they considered a strong visual draw for record store displays. The review noted that the singer performed the songs in her trademark "talk-sing" style, with a sultry, husky voice, singing in German a set of standards (mostly American), ranging from the haunting title track "Lili Marlene" to "Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore". The magazine described the record as an unusual and appealing release for disc jockeys.[14] On April 20, 1959,Billboard featured the cover ofLili Marlene as its Album Cover of the Week.[15]
Cashbox praised the reissue albumLili Marlene, highlighting Marlene Dietrich's throaty, sultry voice. The review stated that she sang with conviction and feeling on songs such as "Time on my Hands", "Taking a Chance on Love", and the dramatic title track. The magazine also noted the excellent cover photo as an attraction and considered the record a strong specialty release.[16] TheDown Beat critic praised the album eight German-language tracks. He noted that despite her limited vocal power, Dietrich compensates with sensual delivery, Jimmy Carroll's effective arrangements, and the novelty of hearing familiar melodies with German lyrics. According to him, most of these lyrics differ in meaning from the English originals, making the rough translations on the album cover a valuable bonus.[12]
In a retrospective review Bruce Eder fromAllMusic website wrote that Dietrich was in top form as a singer and entertainer during these sessions. He noted that the album offers a better sound quality than her wartime recordings, thanks to more advanced recording technology, and praised the material as a unique part of Dietrich's musical output.[8]
According to theCashbox magazine of May 28, 1960, the reissued Philips LPLili Marlene was selling well in the Benelux region. The singer was scheduled to perform in the Netherlands later that same month.[17]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lili Marlene" | Hans Leip /Norbert Schultze | 3:09 |
| 2. | "Mean To Me /Sei lieb zu mir" | Fred E. Ahlert /Roy Turk | 3:11 |
| 3. | "Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore /Fraulein Annie wohnt schon lange nicht hier" | Johnny Burke /Harold Spina /Joe Young | 2:58 |
| 4. | "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top / Schlittenfahrt" | Oscar Hammerstein II /Richard Rodgers | 3:35 |
| 5. | "Time On My Hands / Sag' Mir "Adieu"" | Harold Adamson /Mack Gordon /Vincent Youmans | 3:13 |
| 6. | "Taking a Chance On Love /Das ich dich wiederseh" | Vernon Duke /Ted Fetter /John Latouche | 2:35 |
| 7. | "Miss Otis Regrets /Mein Mann ist verhindert" | Cole Porter | 3:47 |
| 8. | "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night /Ich hab' die ganze Nacht geweind" | Jimmy McHugh /Harold Adamson | 2:40 |
| Total length: | 25:08 | ||
Credits adapted from the box setMarlene Dietrich Overseas (Columbia, catalog no. ML 2615).[19]