Europe-wide Singalong for the Fête de la Musique: But what should we sing?

FETEBerlin Singalong

On 20 June last year, people in Berlin’s Lustgarten were part of a Europe-wide Singalong flash mob. In Germany alone, spontaneous mass vocalising took place across a number of cities. Together we sang three well-known numbers, hymns to cohesion and our communal dream of sunshiny social utopia: Beethovens’ and Schiller’s “Ode to Joy”, John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Oasis’ “Don’t look back in anger”.

This year again the Fête de la Musique will feature a singalong – and you get to help decide what we all sing together!

On 21 June 2019 at 8pm our flashmob singalong will take place in front of the concert hall at Gendarmenmarkt. Why there? Stay tuned – you’ll find out in good time! On this day the Berliners will sing together with thousands of other people across more than 50 other German cities and six other EU countries, namely in France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Poland and Slovakia.

Music that brings us together

We want to sing the EU anthem “Ode to Joy”, Schiller’s hymn to brotherhood, justice and joie de vivre, in all countries in their national languages. Which the other two songs should be is decided by each country for themselves. So what you will sing on 20.06. is in your hands! From our suggested songs please choose two, which will line up next to Mr. Schiller and Mr. Beethoven. Send us an email to news@fetedelamusique.de and tell us which songs you want to hear and sing and why.

This is our hit list for the Singalong 2019 in Berlin! What are your two favorites?

    • We Are The Champions – Queen
    • We Will Rock You – Queen
    • Heroes – David Bowie
    • I Feel It All – Feist
    • Shiny Happy People – R.E.M.
    • One – U2
    • A little help from my friends – The Beatles
    • Dont worry be happy – Bobby McFerrin
    • Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
    • Wonderful world – Louis Armstrong
    • Enjoy the silence – Depeche Mode
    • Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
    • With a little help from my friends – The Beatles/ Joe Cocker
    • Everybody need somebody to love – Salomon Burke/ Wilson Picket – and the Blues Brothers
    • Caravan of love – Isley Brothers/ The Housemartins
    • Redemption Song – Bob Marley/ Johnny Cash/ Joe Strummer
    • Killing me softly – Roberta Flack/ Fugees/ Lauryn Hill
    • Music was my first love – John Miles
    • Thick B – Seeed
    • The Model – Power Plant
    • House on the lake – Peter Fox
    • Seven Nation Army – White Stripes

    The order is of course arbitrary and isn’t listed in order or priority – no favouritism here! We’re looking forward to hearing your opinion!

    In addition we’ll be runnign a live voting session via social media, where we’ll also present the songs.

    Here, too, your comments are requested: Why is this a better anthem than that? Which piece best reflects the present day for you? And do you know any better songs than we do? Let us know your opinion via email, Facebook or creative posts under the hashtag #singalong_fetedelamusique.

    “Your spells bind again what the fashionable sword divides”

    This year’s Singalong falls within a turbulent time. The European elections are just around the corner. From 23 to 26 May, EU citizens will decide on the new balance of power in the EU Parliament and thus on EU policy for the coming years. There are controversial positions and fierce debates about what the EU should look like. The refugee crisis and the question of identity, economic imbalance and social injustice, Brexit and calls for more or less EU currently divide the societies of the Old Continent.

    On 20 and 21 June, however, we would like to forget the global issues for a few hours and s just enjoy the unifying power of music.

    Music should connect, comfort and heal. In times when nationalism is showing its ugly face again in a number of places, let us not allow ourselves to be pushed apart, but let us come together and enjoy the beginning of summer! Music should bring joy. And as it says in Schiller’s famous Ode: “Your spells bind again what the fashionable sword divides”.