LUBO D`ORIO UND SEIN ORCHESTER MIT JIMMY DUBROWSKI, Der Maharadscha von Magador, 1949

Ilja Glusgal is also the vocalist of Der Maharadscha von Magador, backed by Lubo d´Orio and his orchestra on this West-German Electrola release. For whatever reason, the label names a Jimmy Dubrowski, but it is obviously Glusgal. Well, the label… The writing on it is almost illegible. It´s how I bought the record. For 2 Euros. I don´t know how the colour got so washed-out, while the record itself is still in  good shape. The paper that was available in bombed-out Berlin of 1949 was certainly poor.

The Rich Maharadja of Magador was originally recorded by Ziggy Talent with the Vaughan Monroe Band in 1948. An English version of The Rich Maharaja, that Glusgal cut with Walter Dobschinski and his orchestra for the East-German Amiga label is featured on the CD : Ilja Glusgal “Ach, lachen sie doch”, issued in 2011. This, probably rarer German version, has never been re-issued in any format in the past 66 years.

The original lyrics go like this: The rich maharaja wants to learn how to dance the rumba and hires a “slick, little chick” to give him lessons. Instead she teaches him “the thrill of a moonlight night”, then takes all his wealth and runs.

While lyrically, Glusgal´s english version is identical to the original, the German version tell a different story, that was probably closer to the life of the average people in the struggling German post-war years: The rich maharaja can dance boogie woogie and swing but wants to learn the rumba. “Money is not important in life”, he exclaims and spends all his money on lessons, until he is broke. When his money is gone, he is furious. But suddenly he can dance the rumba!

Ah hahahahahahahah!

LUBO D`ORIO UND SEIN ORCHESTER MIT JIMMY DUBROWSKI, Der Maharadscha von Magador, 1949

The Rich Maharadja of Magador by Ziggy Talent with the Vaughan Monroe Band (1948):

And a great up-dated 1960s popcorn version by Ziggy Talent with the Steven Scott orchestra:

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