by
Albert Sergel (1876 - 1946)
Ich sang mich durch das deutsche Land
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Ich sang mich durch das deutsche Land
vom Belt zu den Donauquellen,
und manch Dukatlein steckte man
ins Wams dem lustigen Gesellen.
Und war ein Leben hier wie dort:
bei Weibervolk und kühlem Wein,
da musste all das blanke Gold
in einer Nacht verschlemmet sein.
So lass ich nichts auf dieser Welt
als eine Handvoll roter Lieder:
die streut ich in den losen Wind
und fand sie auf den Gassen wieder.
Und lieg ich einst im Heidegrund,
dann pfeift noch über meinem Grabe
ein Wanderbursch die Melodie,
die ich einmal gesungen habe.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Sehnen und Suchen, Vierte Auflage, Rostock: C.J.E. Volckmann (Volckman & Wetter), 1905, page 69.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Alexander K. Puhrer) , "I sang throughout the German lands", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 92
I sang throughout the German lands
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
I sang throughout the German lands
from the Baelt to the Danube springs,
and many a ducat was placed
in the purse of the entertaining fellow.
And life was here as it was there:
with women and cool wine,
all the shining gold
had to be squandered in one night.
Thus I leave nothing on this earth
but a handful of red songs:
I scattered them in the wind
and found them again on the streets.
And when I finally lie under the heath,
upon my grave a wandering boy
will still be whistling that tune
which I once sang.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 100