▁forever ▁be ▁closely ▁associated ▁with ▁his ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Hamburg , ▁in ▁particular ▁the ▁district ▁of ▁St . ▁Paul i ▁where ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁square ▁named ▁Hans - Al bers - Pl atz ▁in ▁his ▁honour . ▁Today ▁he ▁is ▁probably ▁better ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁music ▁than ▁his ▁films ; ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁songs ▁remain ▁familiar ▁to ▁young ▁German ▁people ▁even ▁today . ▁ ▁Out side ▁of ▁Northern ▁Europe , ▁Al bers ▁remains ▁virt ually ▁unknown ; ▁however ▁the ▁image ▁of ▁an ▁older ▁man ▁in ▁a ▁se aman ' s ▁cap ▁and ▁rain co at ▁playing ▁accord ion ▁and ▁singing ▁remains ▁familiar ▁intern ation ally . ▁As ▁a ▁case ▁in ▁point , ▁Mc Donald ' s ▁used ▁such ▁an ▁image ▁in ▁an ▁American ▁television ▁ad ▁campaign ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Al bers ▁actually ▁had ▁no ▁significant ▁experience ▁on ▁the ▁water , ▁this ▁being ▁restricted ▁to ▁a ▁one - day ▁trip ▁to ▁Hel ig ol and . ▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁Al bers ' ▁songs ▁were ▁hum orous ▁tales ▁of ▁d run ken , ▁woman izing ▁sail ors ▁on ▁shore - le ave , ▁with ▁double ▁ent end res ▁such ▁as ▁" It ▁hur ts ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁but ▁with ▁time , ▁you ▁get ▁used ▁to ▁it " ▁in ▁reference ▁to ▁a ▁girl ▁falling ▁in ▁love ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁Al bers ' ▁songs ▁were ▁often ▁pe pper ed ▁with ▁expressions ▁in ▁Low ▁German , ▁which ▁is ▁spoken ▁in ▁Northern ▁Germany . ▁One ▁of ▁his ▁signature ▁songs ▁is ▁Auf