"In Heaven There Is No Beer" is a

polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

song about the

existential Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and value ...

pleasures of

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

drinking. The title of the song states a reason for drinking beer while you are still alive. The song in German is "Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier", in Spanish, "En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza". It was originally composed as a movie score for the film ''Die Fischerin vom Bodensee'', 1956, by

Ernst Neubach Ernst Neubach (3 January 1900 – 21 May 1968) was an Austrian screenwriter, producer and director. Biography Of Jewish descent, Neubach was a veteran of World War I, after which he worked as a master of ceremonies in Austria, Switzerland and G ...

and Ralph Maria Siegel. The English lyrics are credited to Art Walunas.

Atongo Zimba Atongo Zimba (born 1967) is a musician and griot from Ghana. His tours in Europe, South America and Africa include a benefit for the 2010 Haiti earthquake, at the Alliance Française in Accra. His 1994 album ''Allah Mongode'' was recorded in Switz ...

recorded a version as well as Clean Living. The song was the inspiration for the title of the 1984 film and 1985

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...

winner, '' In Heaven There Is No Beer?'', which also featured the song "

Who Stole the Kishka? Who Stole the Kishka?, originally spelled "Who Stole the Keeshka?", is a polka song written by Walter Dana (music) and Walter Solek (lyrics). It has been recorded and performed by various bands. One popular version was familiar to American radio ...

". A version of the song by the

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massach ...

, band Clean Living became a hit in 1972 (US ''Billboard'' #49, ''Cash Box'' #34; Canada #51). The song first appeared at the University of Iowa in the 1960’s and has been a tradition ever since. Known in Iowa City as the “Hawkeye Victory Polka”, the

Hawkeye Marching Band The Hawkeye Marching Band (or HMB) is the marching band for the University of Iowa. The band performs at all home Hawkeye football games at Kinnick Stadium in addition to other events. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at t ...

plays this tune at sporting events following a Hawkeye win. The song is also used by the University of Wyoming band, playing during breaks in sporting events known as "The Beer Song." The song is also played by North Dakota State University's

Gold Star Marching Band The Gold Star Marching Band or also known as "The Pride of North Dakota" is the marching band of North Dakota State University. It is a non-auditioned band (with the exception of the battery section), open to all majors. With approximately 170 m ...

following a Bison win in football games.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:In Heaven There Is No Beer Drinking songs Polkas 1956 songs German songs American college songs Songs about beer