How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside - Till I look down on the garden green, Down on the roof so brown - Up in the air I go flying again, Up in the air and down!
Five Little Songs
Song Cycle by Reynaldo Hahn (1874 - 1947)
Translated to:
French (Français) — Cinq petites chansons (Sylvain Labartette)
1. The swing  [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship:
- by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "The swing", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Sylvain Labartette) , "La balançoire", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1. La balançoire  [sung text checked 1 time]
J'aime à voler tout là-haut, balancé, Haut dans le ciel si bleu. Ah ! que l'on monte ou descende, bercé, Non, rien ne vaut ce jeu ! Haut dans le ciel, pareil à l'oiseau, Je vois au loin les champs : Arbres, moissons, rivières, troupeaux, Et tout au fond l'étang. Je vois encor le jardin fleuri Et le vieux toit là-bas. Haut dans le ciel je m'envole, je ris ; Haut, et de ciel en bas !
Authorship:
- by Maurice Léna (1859 - 1928)
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "The swing", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
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Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler2. Windy nights  [sung text checked 1 time]
Whenever the moon and the stars are set, Whenever the wind is high, All night long in the dark and wet, A man goes riding by. Late in the night when the fires are out, Why does he gallop and gallop about? Whenever the trees are crying aloud, And ships are tossed at sea, By, on the highway, low and loud, By at the gallop goes he. By at the gallop he goes, and then By he comes back at the gallop again.
Authorship:
- by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "Windy nights", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Sylvain Labartette) , "Nuit venteuse", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
2. Nuits de grand vent  [sung text checked 1 time]
Toujours, quand l'étoile au nuage meurt, Toujours, quand il vente le soir, L’asse, passe au galop d'un noir Cheval un Homme Noir. Ah ! Dans la nuit, quand s'éteignent les feux, Pourquoi toujours ce galop furieux ? Toujours, quand les branches craquent très fort, Qu’en mer les barques sombrent, Par les chemins toujours ce bruit ; L'Homme galope dans l'ombre. Ah ! le voilà qui s'éloigne et puis, C'est encor lui qui revient, toujours lui.
Authorship:
- by Maurice Léna (1859 - 1928)
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "Windy nights", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
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Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler3. My ship and I  [sung text checked 1 time]
O it's I that am the captain of a tidy little ship Of a ship that goes a sailing on the pond. And my ship it keeps a turning all around and all about, But when I'm a little older I shall find the secret out How to send my vessel sailing on beyond. For I mean to grow as little as the dolly on the helm And the dolly I intend to come alive And with him beside to help me it's a sailing I shall go, It's a sailing on the water where the jolly breezes blow And the vessel goes a divie divie dive. O it's then you'll see me sailing through the rushes and the reeds And you'll hear the water singing at the prow. For beside the dolly sailor I'm to voyage and explore To land upon the island where no dolly was before And I'll fire the penny cannon on the bow!
Authorship:
- by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "My ship and I", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Sylvain Labartette) , "Moi et mon bateau", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
3. Mon petit bateau  [sung text checked 1 time]
Moi je suis le capitaine d'un joli petit bateau, D'un bateau qui vogue aux souffles du bassin. Mon bateau sans cesse y tourne et vire au gré du vent ; Mais plus tard je veux trouver, par un système très savant, Un secret pour naviguer encor plus loin. Comme le marin de bois je me ferai petit, petit : Le marin bien sagement m'obéira. Tous les deux, vaillants garçons, en route pour les pays bleus : Mon navire, ouvrant sa voile toute grande au vent joyeux. Se balance et puis s'en va, s'en va, s'en va ... Allons, vogue, beau navire, au chant léger des flots amis, Et sans peur doublons le cap des grands roseaux ; Avec mon petit marin je veux aller à l'île d'or, A l'île merveilleuse où nul enfant n'aborde encor. Et planter au bout du monde mon drapeau.
Authorship:
- by Maurice Léna (1859 - 1928)
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "My ship and I", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
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Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler4. The stars  [sung text checked 1 time]
The lights from the parlour and kitchen shone out Through the blinds and the windows and bars; And high overhead and all moving about, There were thousands [of]1 millions of stars. There ne'er were such thousands of leaves on a tree, Nor of people in church or the Park, As the crowds of the stars that looked down upon me, And that glittered and winked in the dark. The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all, And the star of the sailor, and Mars, These shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall Would be half full of water and stars. They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries, And they soon had me packed into bed; But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes, And the stars going round in my head.
Authorship:
- by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "Escape at bedtime", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Sylvain Labartette) , "Les étoiles", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Lehmann: "and"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
4. Les étoiles  [sung text checked 1 time]
Lumière au salon et cuisine flambante, Partout, aux fenêtres, des feux ; Là-haut, et si loin, et toujours scintillant, Les étoiles fourmillent aux cieux. Jamais on ne vit tant de monde à l'église Ou de fleurs dans les prés et les bois ; Et ce peuple étoilé, boutons d'or de la nuit, Me regarde et clignote vers moi. Le Chien, le Chasseur, la Charrue et Mars, Tout là-bas, au dessus du grand mur, Reluisent au ciel, et le seau dans la cour Semble tout plein d'étoiles d'or pur. Hélas ! on m'appelle ! on me couche déjà ! Voici que bientôt je m'endors ; Mais le beau ciel brillant luit toujours dans mes yeux, Et les astres y tournent encor.
Authorship:
- by Maurice Léna (1859 - 1928)
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "Escape at bedtime", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
Go to the single-text view
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler5. A good boy  [sung text checked 1 time]
I woke before the morning, I was happy all the day, I never said an ugly word, but smiled and stuck to play. And now at last the sun is going down behind the wood, And I am very happy, for I know that I've been good. My bed is waiting cool and fresh, with linen smooth and fair, And I must off to sleep again, and not forget my prayer. I know that, till tomorrow I shall see the sun arise, No ugly dream shall fright my mind, no ugly sight my eyes, But slumber hold me tightly till I waken in the dawn, And hear the thrushes singing in the lilacs round the lawn.
Authorship:
- by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "A good boy", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Sylvain Labartette) , "Un gentil garçon", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
5. Un bon petit garçon  [sung text checked 1 time]
Levé de très bonne heure, Et bien sage et bien gentil, Je n'ai pas dit un mot vilain, Jouant tout seul sans bruit. Et maintenant monsieur Soleil Se couche dans les monts ; Et moi je suis tout aise D'être un bon petit garçon. Mon lit est là, m'offrant, si doux, Son repos frais et blanc ; Et je récite, agenouillé, Mon humble Ave d'enfant. Sans larmes, sans colère Je me couche avec le soir, Et je m'endors l'un bon sommeil Sans peur de l'Homme Noir. Je ne ferai qu'un somme ; C'est le jour qui m'éveillera, Dans l'aube où chante un merle, Sous la feuille des lilas.
Authorship:
- by Maurice Léna (1859 - 1928)
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "A good boy", appears in A Child's Garden of Verses, first published 1885
Go to the single-text view
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler