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The Ballad of Wilhelm Fink


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Here’s a little fun song for those Green Day fans who enjoy the rarities :wub:: The Ballad of Wilhelm Fink is this week’s Song of the Week. Please use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the song.

Billie Joe contributed this song to a compilation entitled “Short Music for Short People” in 1999. Tall as he is, it’s a bit of a puzzle why he was asked to add something to this work. However, fans have been delighted ever since (especially when traveling to Berkeley and staying at the Doubletree Berkeley Marina or dining at Skates at the Berkeley Marina or simply meeting in the parking lot at the Berkeley Marina - with jug of wine in hand). And I've met some awesome folks at the Berkeley Marina!

I love the whimsical feel of this song and often sing it just for fun. Also, don’t forget that Billie chose the name Wilhelm Fink as his Network pseudonym, four years after the “Short People” release of this song. This leads me to believe that he feels a similar fondness for the ballad.

Here’s a lovely audio of the song live … with a slight change in the words:

The Ballad of Wilhelm Fink Lyrics

Said that I'd meet ya

At the Berkeley Marina

3 AM, when no one will be found.

<in the linked audio, Billie changes the words in the line above to, “No one ever wanted to be found.”>

All I got in mind

Is a Boone's Farm jug of wine

Smash the bottle in the parking lot

But considering our luck

We'll get busted by the cops.

Instead of sex, we'll go to jail

Another lesson learned and FAIL

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You can nominate songs for discussion as Song of the Week in the Song Discussions thread, which contains links to each previous Song of the Week from 9/14/2009 forward in its original post.

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i love this song, so much. i wish it would be longer but then again it is perfect just the way it is <3

good choice!

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In the video clip it sounds more like "no one ever wanted to be down"

An interesting choice! I'm going to avoid the long winded personal opinion on this one and wait with a curious eye to see what everyone says about this one

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Just listened to this song 5 times in a row :)

What if Green Day did a JOS/Homecoming type miniopera, but with 30 second songs? That's how Homecoming started, out, so why not acually do it? We could get Wilhelm of Berkeley Marina, with 20 different parts!

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I love this song. I haven't listened to it in a long time so thanks for putting it up!

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I really like this song, when I first discovered it years ago, I couldn't stop listening to it!

I always wished it was a bit longer :lol:

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Fucking love this song :D

I suggested it for Song of the Week a while back, dunno if that's why it's the SotW now.

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YES! I love that this is SOTW. It's so short, but so awesome. And he beat the Internet to the punch on the fail meme, I think. :lol:

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For some reason, I always get half-way through singing this song and then I'll want to sing the chorus to Dominated Love Slave. I have no idea why.

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I love this song :D

Its short and kind of funny XD

When I heard it the first time a while back, I wouldn't stop singing it for days... :P

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I love this song! I listen to it every morning :) I especially love how it is so short. It just ends. Pure awesomeness

P.s. I named one of my stuffed animals Wilhelm Fink a while ago. ;)

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Yes, the Doubletree! I'm pretty sure I ticked everyone off when I was there in February when I ran down the hallway screaming the lyrics of this song. :lol: It's a gorgeous song, definitely shows how a strong message can be made in such a short time. The whole compilation is pretty great!

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haha this was my ringtone for YEARS :lol: its so fun and short.

My friend who lives in Illinois has a tattoo that says " Another lesson learned and FAIL" on her ankle. If i could find a picture i would post it

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Why is it "learned and fail" instead of "learned and failed"?

I think it is learned and failed, just the FAIL thing is more of a modern day internet reference

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I think it is learned and failed, just the FAIL thing is more of a modern day internet reference

I thought that was the point in the OP, but then Marlee was saying her friend's tattoo said "Learned and fail" and it confused me.

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This is fun and catchy song! I just played this (from YouTube, not by myself) to my girlfriend and she was like: "this is cool song!". Really funny lyrics also. I like it. :)

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Great choice for SOTW!

I love this song. It's short, but still very catchy, melodic, and just great! :D I can easily put this song on repeat without getting sick of it.

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I love this song, it's so short but it's still got that undeniable Billie Joe/Green Day sound.

and I've met people at the Berkeley Marina :woot:

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