About "mermaids"

There is a somewhat disturbing sense of loneliness and isolation about the tune because the melody largely consists of descending scales. For sure it ain't Jingle Bells. It's gratifying when a 3 year old has a sensitivity to music.

It is interesting that Heinrich Heine was Jewish and, although he seemed so perfectly to understand the German attitude toward the old legends, he did not personally share exactly the same nostalgia. The references to the "golden hair" and "golden comb" of the Lorelei were likely sarcastic. Yet, my understanding is that the German people accepted this poem (and others) so lovingly that the Nazi's, when they gained power, did not dare censor performances of the song. Like the song itself, there was both beauty and sorrow in it's creation and history.

I have just now realized that my German lit teacher was probably hinting at the possibility that Heine may have been alluding to the collapse of the notion of German supremacy, the alluring myth (of golden Aryan superiority) leading to it's ultimate, inevitable demise.
I wish I could be back in her class right now! (That was a looooong time ago. She might even be dead by now. Aaaarrrggh!) I had a minor crush on her, even though she had buck teeth.

I wish there was a hysterical laughter icon

Hey, I was thinking that too!