A song that lampoons German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has hit record stores in Germany - with advance sales of more than 120,000.

The song, called Tax Song (Der Steuersong), has been created by German comedian Elmar Brandt, who impersonates the chancellor on his programme Die Gerd Show.

Like a pirate hunting for income, I'll raise all your taxes

Tax Song

But the German Chancellor is not commenting on the song that pillories his allegedly broken election promises.

In the song, Schroeder is portrayed as tax-raising puppet, who goads voters with promises of raised taxes.

The chorus of the song is "I'm raising your taxes - elected means elected, you can't fire me now".

Tax rises

The music parodies the European hit The Ketchup Song by the Spanish group Las Ketchup.

Distributor Warner Strategic Marketing claimed that record stores had pre-ordered more tha 120,000 copies before the record went on sale on Monday.

The song has come as the public support for the chancellor has dipped after he unveiled plans to raise taxes and cut subsidies, since winning the general election on 22 September.

A verse from the song also says: "Dog tax, tobacco tax, car tax, ecological tax - did you really think that was the end of the line?"

"Like a pirate hunting for income, I'll raise all your taxes and if you're broke, you can buy your food at a discount store or go hungry."

The song may have won over the German public, but it has met a stony silence from the man it pokes fun at.

Schroeder's spokesman Bela Anda said: "I haven't seen it and I haven't spoken about it with the chancellor." He also declined to say whether the chancellor himself had heard the song.