Texts and Translations
1. My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free, Music: Francis Hopkinson, Text: Thomas Parnell
2. A Simple Song, Music: Leonard Bernstein, Text: Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Schwartz
3. Songs My Mother Taught Me, Music: Charles Ives, Text: Adolf Heyduk
4. A Time For Farewell, Music: Jay Ungar, Text: Cleo Laine
5. Shenandoah, Traditional, Arranged by: Stephen White
6. God Be In My Heart, Music: Elinor Remick Warren, Text: Anonymous 16th Century
7. Looking-Glass River, Music: John Alden Carpenter, Text: Robert Louis Stevenson
8. At Even, Music: Elinor Remick Warren, Text: Thomas S. Jones, Jr.
9. Richard Cory, Music: John Duke, Text: E. A. Robinson
10. Miniver Cheevy, Music: John Duke, Text: E. A. Robinson
11. Luke Havergal, Music: John Duke, Text: E. A. Robinson
12. Grief, Music: William Grant Still, Text: LeRoy V. Brant
13. Heavenly Grass (from Blue Mountain Ballads), Music: Paul Bowles, Text: Tennessee Williams
14. Lonesome Man (from Blue Mountain Ballads), Music: Paul Bowles, Text: Tennessee Williams
15. Cabin (from Blue Mountain Ballads), Music: Paul Bowles, Text: Tennessee Williams
16. Sugar in the Cane (from Blue Mountain Ballads), Music: Paul Bowles, Text: Tennessee Williams
17. In Flanders Fields, Music: Charles Ives, Text: John McCrae
18. General William Booth Enters Into Heaven, Music: Sidney Homer, Text: Vachel Lindsay
19. The Sea, Music: Edward MacDowell, Text: William Dean Howells
20. Nelly Was a Lady, Music & Text: Stephen Foster
21. Hard Times, Music & Text: Stephen Foster
22. Memories, Music & Text: Charles Ives
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PDF: Wondrous Free Song Texts and Translations
Wondrous-Free-Texts-and-Translations (pdf / 127.91 KB)1. My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free
1. My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free (1759)
Music: Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791)
Text: Thomas Parnell (1679-1718)
German Translation by Kathrin Brunner
the little birds that fly
with careless ease from tree
to tree were but as blest as I.
Ask gliding waters if a tear
of mine increased their stream.
And ask the breathing gales if e’er
I lent a sigh to them.
Die kleinen Vögel, die mit sorgloser Leichtigkeit
Von Baum zu Baum fliegen,
Waren so selig wie ich.
Frag das fliessende Wasser, ob von mir
Ja eine Träne in seinen Strom fiel.
Und frag die luftigen Stürme,
Ob ich ihnen je einen Seufzer lieh.
2. A Simple Song (1971)
2. A Simple Song (1971)
Music: Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Text: Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Schwartz
Sing God a simple song:
Lauda, Laude…
Make it up as you go along:
Lauda, Laude…
Sing like you like to sing.
God loves all simple things,
For God is the simplest of all.
I will sing the Lord a new song
To praise Him, to bless Him, to bless the Lord.
I will sing His praises while I live.
All of my days.
Blessed is the man who loves the Lord,
Blessed is the man who praises Him.
Lauda, Lauda, Laude…
And walks His ways.
I will lift up my eyes
To the hills from whence comes my help.
I will lift up my voice to the Lord
Singing Lauda, Laude.
For the Lord is my shade,
Is the shade up on my right hand,
And the sun shall not smite me by day
Nor the moon by night.
Blessed is the man who loves the Lord
Lauda, Lauda, Laude…
And walks His ways.
Lauda, Lauda, Laude, Lauda, Lauda, di da di day…
All of my days.
3. Songs My Mother Taught Me
3. Songs My Mother Taught Me (1895)
Music: Charles Ives (1874-1954)
Text: Adolf Heyduk (1835-1923)
Songs my mother taught me in the days long vanished,
Seldom from her eyelids were the tear drops banished.
Now I teach my children each melodious measure;
Often tears are flowing from my memory’s treasure.
4. A Time For Farewell
4. A Time For Farewell
Music: Jay Ungar (b. 1946)
Text: Cleo Laine (b. 1927)
I can see a distant light,
hear the music all surrounding
that shatters the silence
so heavy to bear
lifts my soul into the night
fills my heart with love abounding
and brings me peace we all surely will share.
Tho it’s time for farewell
the time for the parting
whatever the dawn may bring you
will be part of my heart
each living moment, each summer
each autumn, each winter, each spring.
I can see…
There’ll be a part of my heart fill’d with the mem’ry of summer
each autumn, each winter, each spring.
(Published by Swinging Door Music-BMI)
5. Shenandoah
5. Shenandoah
Traditional
Arranged by Stephen White (b. 1943)
German Translation by Susan Perkins
Watch and listen to a recording of this song here.
Away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, I’m bound away, across the wide Missouri.
Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Away, you rolling river
Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Away, I’m bound away, across the wide Missouri.
Oh, Shenandoah, I’m bound to leave you,
Away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I’m bound to leave you,
Away, I’m bound away, across the wide Missouri.
Fort, auf dem rollenden Fluss,
Oh Shenandoah, ich habe Sehnsucht nach dir,
Fort gehe ich, fort, über den breiten Missouri.
Oh Shenandoah, ich liebe deine Tochter,
Fort, auf dem rollenden Fluss,
Oh Shenandoah, ich liebe deine Tochter,
Fort gehe ich, fort, über den breiten Missouri.
6. God Be In My Heart
6. God Be In My Heart (1950)
Music: Elinor Remick Warren (1900-1991)
Text: Anonymous 16th Century
German Translation by Kathrin Brunner
Listen to the recording here.
And in my understanding;
God be in my eyes
And in my looking;
God be in my lips
And in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
God be in my heart
And in my thinking;
God be with me at the end
And at my departing.
Oh, oh, God be in my heart.
Und in meinem Kopf;
Gott sei in meinen Augen
Und in meinem Blick;
Gott sei in meinen Lippen
und in meiner Rede;
Gott sei in meinem Herzen,
Gott sei in meinem Herzen.
Und in meinem Denken,
Gott sei bei mir am Ende
Und bei meinem Abschied.
Oh, Oh, Gott sei in meinem Herzen.
7. Looking-Glass River
7. Looking-Glass River (1912)
Music: John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951)
Text: Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
Watch and listen to a recording of this song here.
Smooth it slides upon its travel,
Here a wimple, there a gleam –
O the clean gravel!
O the smooth stream!
Sailing blossoms, silver fishes,
Paven pools as clear as air –
How a child wishes
To live down there.
Smooth it slides upon its travel,
Here a wimple, there a gleam –
O the clean gravel!
O the smooth stream!
8. At Even
8. At Even (1930)
Music: Elinor Remick Warren (1900-1991)
Text: Thomas S. Jones, Jr. (1882-1932)
You and I, the road, and the fading twilight,
Dusk and shadows lost in the winding distance.
Then the night, and all but the starry spaces.
Folded in the darkness.
Just the winding road and the hills at even.
You and I alone, with the stars above us.
Only this, and silence to seal forever.
Only dream of beauty.
You and I, the road, and the fading twilight.
9. Richard Cory
9. Richard Cory (1948)
Music: John Woods Duke (1899-1984)
Text: E. A. Robinson (1869-1935)
German Translation by ORF-Redaktion
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
“Good morning,” And he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich, yes richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
beneideten wir Leute von der Straße ihn:
ein Gentleman vom Scheitel bis zur Sohle,
aristokratisch der Gang, schmal die Figur.
Er war immer stattlich gekleidet
und sprach nur in gedämpftem Ton;
doch klopfte das Herz dem, den er grüßte,
und er glänzte, wenn er ging.
Und er war reich, reicher als ein König,
und in den Tugenden geschult.
Jeder von uns wünschte,
er wäre an seiner Stelle.
Doch das Leben ging weiter,
und wir verfluchten unser Dasein
– und in einer schönen Sommernacht
schoß Richard Cory sich eine Kugel durch den Kopf.
10. Miniver Cheevy
10. Miniver Cheevy (1948)
Music: John Woods Duke (1899-1984)
Text: E. A. Robinson (1869-1935)
Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean when he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.
Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.
Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam’s neighbors.
Miniver mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance, now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.
Miniver loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.
Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the mediaeval grace
Of iron clothing.
Miniver scorned the gold he sought,
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.
Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking:
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.
11. Luke Havergal
11. Luke Havergal
Music: John Woods Duke (1899-1984)
Text: E. A. Robinson (1869-1935)
For text, see “Luke Havergal” from Song of America: Music from the Library of Congress Song Texts and Translations
12. Grief
12. Grief (1953)
Music: William Grant Still (1895-1978)
Text: LeRoy V. Brant (1890-1969)
For text and German translation, see “Grief” from I Hear America Singing (Salzburg 2001) Song Texts and Translations
13. Heavenly Grass
13. Heavenly Grass
from Blue Mountain Ballads
Music: Paul Bowles (1910-1999)
Text by Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
For text and German translation, see “Heavenly Grass” from I Hear America Singing (Salzburg 2001) Song Texts and Translations
14. Lonesome Man
14. Lonesome Man
from Blue Mountain Ballads
Music: Paul Bowles (1910-1999)
Text by Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
For text and German translation, see “Lonesome Man” from I Hear America Singing (Salzburg 2001) Song Texts and Translations
15. Cabin
15. Cabin
from Blue Mountain Ballads
Music: Paul Bowles (1910-1999)
Text by Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
For text and German translation, see “Cabin” from I Hear America Singing (Salzburg 2001) Song Texts and Translations
16. Sugar in the Cane
16. Sugar in the Cane
from Blue Mountain Ballads
Music: Paul Bowles (1910-1999)
Text by Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
For text and German translation, see “Sugar in the Cane” from I Hear America Singing (Salzburg 2001) Song Texts and Translations
17. In Flanders Fields
17. In Flanders Fields (1917)
Music: Charles Ives (1874-1954)
Text: John McCrae (1872-1918)
Anonymous German Translation
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
the larks still bravely singing fly,
Scarce heard amidst the guns below
We are the dead. Short days ago
we lived, felt dawn,
saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders fields…
Take up our quarrel with the foe!
To you from falling hands we throw,
We throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die…
We shall not sleep though the poppies grow
In Flanders fields…
Zwischen den Kreuzen, Reihe um Reihe,
Die unseren Platz markieren; und am Himmel
Fliegen die Lerchen noch immer tapfer singend
Unten zwischen den Kanonen kaum gehört.
Wir sind die Toten. Vor wenigen Tagen noch
Lebten wir, fühlten den Morgen
und sahen den leuchtend Sonnenuntergang
Liebten und wurden geliebt, und nun liegen wir
Auf Flanderns Feldern…
Nehmt auf unseren Streit mit dem Feind:
Aus sinkender Hand werfen wir Euch
Die Fackel zu, die Eure sei, sie hoch zu halten.
Brecht ihr den Bund mit uns, die wir sterben
So werden wir nicht schlafen, obgleich Mohn wächst
Auf Flanderns Feldern.
18. General William Booth Enters Into Heaven
18. General William Booth Enters Into Heaven (1926)
Music: Sidney Homer (1864-1953)
Text: Vachel Lindsay (1879-1931)
Booth led boldly with his big bass drum
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
The Saints smiled gravely and they said, “He’s come.”
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Walking lepers followed rank on rank,
Lurching bravos from the ditches dank
Drabs from the alleyways, drug fiends pale
Minds still passion ridden, soul flowers frail:
Vermin eaten saints with moldy breath,
Unwashed legions with the ways of Death
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Ev’ry slum had sent its half a score
The round world over (Booth had groaned for more).
Ev’ry banner that the wide world flies
Bloomed with glory and transcendent dyes,
Big voiced lasses made their banjoes bang,
Tranced, fanatical they shrieked and sang;
“Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”
Hallelujah! It was queer to see
Bull necked convicts with that land make free.
Loons with trumpets blown a blare, blare, blare,
On, on, upward thro’ the golden air!
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Booth died blind and still by Faith he trod,
Eyes still dazzled by the ways of God!
Booth led boldly and he look’d the chief
Eagle countenance in sharp relief,
Beard a-flying, air of high command
Unabated in that holy land.
Jesus came from out the court house door,
Stretched his hands above the passing poor.
Booth saw not, but led his queer ones there
Round and round the mighty courthouse square.
Yet! in an instant all that blear review
Marched on spotless, clad in raiment new.
The lame were straightened, withered limbs uncurled,
And blind eyes opened on a new, sweet world.
Drabs and vixens in a flash made whole!
Gone was the weasel-head, the snout, the jowl
Sages and sibyls now, and athletes clean,
Rulers of empires and of forests green!
The hosts were sandall’d and their wings were fire!
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
But their noise play’d havoc with the angel choir,
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Oh shout Salvation! It was good to see
Kings and Princes by the Lamb set free.
The banjos rattled and the tambourines
Jing-jing-jingl’d in the hands of Queens.
And when Booth halted by the curb for prayer
He saw his Master thro’ the flag fill’d air.
Christ came gently with a robe and crown
For Booth the soldier, while the throng knelt down.
He saw King Jesus; they were face to face,
And he knelt a-weeping in that holy place.
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
19. The Sea
19. The Sea
from Eight Songs, Op. 47
Music: Edward MacDowell (1861-1908)
Text: William Dean Howells (1837-1920)
For text and German translation, see “The Sea” from I Hear America Singing (Salzburg 2001) Song Texts and Translations
20. Nelly Was a Lady
20. Nelly Was a Lady (1849)
Music & Text: Stephen Foster (1826-1864)
Watch and listen to a recording of this song here.
Down on the Mississippi floating,
Long time I travel on the way.
All night the cottonwood a-toting,
Sing for my true love all the day.
Now I’m unhappy, and I’m weeping,
Can’t tote the cottonwood no more;
Last night, while Nelly was a-sleeping,
Death came a-knocking at the door.
Nelly was a lady.
Last night, she died.
Toll the bell for lovely Nell,
My dark Virginny bride.
When I saw my Nelly in the morning,
Smile till she opened up her eyes,
Seemed like the light of day a-dawning,
Just ‘fore the sun begin to rise.
Down in the meadow, ‘mong the clover,
Walk with my Nelly by my side;
Now all them happy days are over,
Farwell, my dark Virginny bride.
Nelly was a lady.
Last night, she died.
Toll the bell for lovely Nell,
My dark Virginny bride.
21. Hard Times
21. Hard Times (1855)
Music & Text: Stephen Foster (1826-1864)
For text, see “Hard Times Come Again No More” from Song of America: Music From the Library of Congress Song Texts and Translations
22. Memories
22. Memories
Music & Text: Charles Ives
German Translation by Susan Perkins
We’re sitting in the opera house;
We’re waiting for the curtain to arise
With wonders for our eyes;
We’re feeling pretty gay,
And well we may,
“O, Jimmy, look!” I say,
“The band is tuning up
And soon will start to play.”
We whistle and we hum,
Beat time with the drum.
We’re sitting in the opera house;
We’re waiting for the curtain to arise
With wonders for our eyes,
A feeling of expectancy,
A certain kind of ecstasy,
Expectancy and ecstasy…
Sh’s’s’s.
B. Rather Sad
From the street a strain on my ear doth fall,
A tune as threadbare as that “old red shawl,”
It is tattered, it is torn,
It shows signs of being worn,
It’s the tune my Uncle hummed from early morn,
‘Twas a common little thing and kind ‘a sweet,
But ’twas sad and seemed to slow up both his feet;
I can see him shuffling down
To the barn or to the town,
A humming.
Im Opernhaus sitzen wir,
und warten, bis der Vorhang aufgeht,
unsere Augen mit Staunen zu erfüllen;
fröhlich sind wir,
und das zu Recht,
“Schau, Jimmy, schau!”, sag’ ich,
“Sie stimmen die Instrumente,
bald werden sie spielen.”
Wir pfeifen und summen,
schlagen den Takt mit der Trommel.
Im Opernhaus sitzen wir, im Opernhaus,
im Opernhaus;
und warten, bis der Vorhang aufgeht,
unsere Augen mit Staunen zu erfüllen,
erwartungsvoll, mit einer gewissen Ekstase,
Erwartung und Ekstase, Erwartung und Ekstase
Sh’- s’- s’- s. Vorhang auf!
B. Ziemlich traurig
Von der Straße höre ich Klänge,
eine Melodie, ausgeleiert wie jenes “alte rote Tuch”,
das zerrissen und zerfetzt, abgetragen erscheint,
die Melodie, die mein Onkel vom frühen Morgen an summte,
banal war sie, dennoch lieb und süß,
aber traurig war sie und schien seine Schritte zu verlangsamen;
ich sehe ihn noch summend zur Scheune oder in die Stadt schlurfen.
