"Bummel-Petrus" is a very amusing song from the 1930's about St. Peter creeping from heaven with a heavenly young lady for a night on the town. Before leaving he locks the gates of Heaven. After a good night out he arrives back only to find that he has lost the keys and is thus caught-out and all the angels in heaven are in stitches at the old saint's impropriety.

Bummel-Petrus is a very amusing song from the 1930's about St. Peter creeping from heaven with a heavenly young lady for a night on the town. Before leaving he locks the gates of Heaven. After a good night out he arrives back only to find that he has lost the keys and is thus caught-out and all the angels in heaven are in stitches at the old saint's impropriety.
Andre has played this song before on one of his older CD's I will have to check which one.


What fun it is to hear from you all and to be able to share information like this. I received several tips about the song Bummelpetrus

Several fans wrote to tell me where the song can be heard on one of Andre's older CDs. Caramia from Berlin and John from California both wrote me.

Andre performed Bummelpetrus with 'the Maastrichts Salon Orchestra' in 1984 and the song is on the CD 'Serenata' This CD brought him his first gold record and also holds Andre's version of the 'Serenade from Toselli' with the nightingale. At the time they were only with five people: Andre, first violin, Gemma Serpenti, Cello, Jean Sassen, (now with the JSO) double bass, Frans Vermeulen, violin and Thieu Heyltjes, piano. The CD cover picture shows a young Andre (35) and four very serious looking musicians.

Bummelpetrus can also be found on 'Ein Himmel voller geigen' also from the Maastricht Salon Orchestra.

This information came from Helma Bauer in Munchen, Germany!
The Bummelpetrus song was written 1921 after the WorldWar I in a crazy and high spirited Berlin. You are right. Petrus was going out with a female angel. And he lost the key to heaven's gate. (drunk).

Bummel-Petrus

 M. Werner-Kersten, vor 1920

Hermann Frey

Überall herrscht große Kohlennot,
Selbst im Himmel ärgern sie sich tot,
Petrus steckt nur zögernd dann und wann
Hier und da ein Sternlein an.

Sparsamkeit ist oben auch beliebt,
Nur bis neun Uhr Sternenlicht es gibt.
Alle Engel, ob sie groß ob klein,
Müssen dann ins Bett hinein.

Nur der Bummel-Petrus spricht
Von dem Baba gehen nicht,
Oft schleicht er mit einer Maus
Abends aus dem Himmel raus.

Ja, ja - ja, ja, sich aus dem Himmel raus!

Leise sucht er seinen Schlüssel vor
Und verschließt das große Himmelstor,
Dreht die Lampe in dem Mond ganz klein,
Lachend sagt sein Mägdelein:

Petrus schließt den Himmel zu,
Alle Englein gehn zur Ruh.
Nur der schlaue Petrus wacht,
|: Weil der alte Bengel
Heut mit einem Engel
Einen kleinen Bummel macht. :|

(Petrus schließt den Himmel zu,
Alle Englein gehn zur Ruh.)
Nur der schlaue Petrus wacht,
|: Weil der alte Bengel
Heut mit einem Engel
Einen kleinen Bummel macht. :|

Und so trieb er es tagaus, tagein,
Endlich merkte es ein Engelein,
Dieser hat es schnell herumgebracht,
Selbst der Herrgott hat gelacht.

Eines Morgens kam der Petrus dann
Stark beschwipst mit seinem Liebchen an,
Plötzlich schrie er bleich vor Angst und Schreck:
Schatz, mein Schlüssel der ist weg!

Und dann rief er wehmutsvoll:
Was der Herrgott denken soll?
Bummel-Petrus ist blamiert,
Weil er nachts herumpoussiert!

Ja, ja - ja, ja, weil er herumpoussiert!

Lustig schauten aus dem Himmelshaus
Hunderttausend liebe Englein raus.
Alle sangen schelmisch dann im Chor
Petrus laut das Liedchen vor:

Petrus schließt den Himmel zu,
Alle Englein gehn zur Ruh.
Nur der schlaue Petrus wacht,
|: Weil der alte Bengel
Heut mit einem Engel
Einen kleinen Bummel macht. :|

(Petrus schließt den Himmel zu,
Alle Englein gehn zur Ruh.)
Nur der schlaue Petrus wacht,
|: Weil der alte Bengel
Heut mit einem Engel
Einen kleinen Bummel macht. :|
 

This English version I received from Anne in Tasmania:
In your letter received today, you are speaking about the Bummelpetrus on the new CD. I have sheet music for that tune and I played it many years ago. Interesting to read what you have to say about it, but I will quote the words to the song that I have and it is entitled

"Lazy Pete".

Lazy Pete lay lazily in bed,
Though the sun shone brightly overhead.
When his mother said "Get up" instead,
Pete went off to sleep again.
Lazy Pete dreamt of the queerest things,
Big blue bears with green and purple wings,
Yellow snakes and, elephants on swings,
But he soon woke up again.
"Come on to breakfast, Lazy Pete",
"First tell me what there is to eat".
"Porridge and eggs and potted meat"
"I'll be right there" cried Lazy Pete.
Gobble up! "Oh! I feel much stronger now."
Lazy Pete went strolling to the creek,
First time he'd gone fishing for a week,
With his rod and red cap with a peak,
Bag to put the fishes in.
"Come on, worm, get on the pin.
Lift the rod! Now throw it in!
Now real catching will begin.
There is something nibbling at the line, and
Soon he'll see exactly what it is.
Now it's tugging, struggling.
Oh! it's fine to
Go a fishing in the creek. It is!
It's a monster! See it's tail!
P'raps a shark or p'raps a whale.
Pull it in! Now draw a veil!
For that something nibbling at the line was
Not a fish at all but just a weed.
Lazy Pete said
"Fishing's not for mine!
And from now on I'll simply sleep and feed."
So, that is it for Petrus.
 

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