Text: Tom Lehrer. That Was the Year That Was. Wernher Von Braun.

And what is it that put america in the forefront of the nuclear nations? and what is it that will make it possible to spend 20 billion dollars of your money to put some clown on the moon? well,
S good old american know-how, that's what. as provided by good old americans like dr. wernher von braun.

Gather round while I sing you of wernher von braun,
A man whose allegiance
Is ruled by expedience.
Call him a nazi, he won't even frown.
"ha, nazi schmazi," says wernher von braun.

Don't say that he's hypocritical,
Say rather that he's apolitical.

"once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department," says wernher von braun.


Some have harsh words for this man of renown,
But some think our attitude
Should be one of gratitude,
Like the widows and cripples in old london town
Who owe their large pensions to wernher von braun.

You too may be a big hero,
Once you've learned to count backwards to zero.
"in german oder english I know how to count down,
Und I'm learning chinese," says wernher von braun.