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Vom Ruder tropft der [Silberschaum]1, Die Gondel schaukelt her und hin Und d'rin in süßem Sommertraum, Wiegst Du Dich, leichte Schifferin[,] So ganz allein, so ganz allein? -- Die Wog' ist falsch, o nimm mich ein, Nicht kos' ich wie die Fluth mit Dir, Bin ein getreuer Gondolier! Es küßt den vollen, rothen Mund Leichtsinnig Dir der Mond so bleich, Du blickst hinab zum Meeresgrund; Macht Dir das kleine Herzchen weich Sein kalter Schein, sein kalter Schein? -- Der Mond ist falsch, o nimm mich ein, Nicht kos' ich wie der Mond mit dir, Bin ein getreuer Gondolier.
Confirmed with Meyer's Groschen-Bibliothek der Deutschen Classiker für alle Stände, Einhundertzweiundneunzigstes Bändchen, Anthologie aus den Gedichten von Adolf Böttger, Hildburghausen: Druck vom Bibliographischen Institut; New York: Herrmann J. Meyer, [1870], pages 11-12.
Note: The published poem contained an error in line 3 ("Sommetrraum" instead of "Sommertraum"); it has been corrected above.
1 Wermann:"gold'ne Schaum"; further changes may exist not shown above.Text Authorship:
- by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870), "Gondellied" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Paul Umlauft (1853 - 1934), "Gondellied", op. 14 (Sechs Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 5, published 1883 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, Klemm [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Friedrich) Oskar Wermann (1840 - 1906), "Gondellied", op. 34 (Vier Männerquartette) no. 4, published 1885 [ ttbb quartet ], Dresden: Näumann [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Gondola Song", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 98
The [silvery]1 foam drips from the oar, The gondola rocks back and forth And within it, lost in a sweet summer dream, You, light sailor-girl, rock yourself[,] Thus all alone, thus all alone? -- The wave is false, oh take me aboard, I shall not dally with you as the waters do, I am a faithful gondolier! The moon irresponsibly kisses Your full red lips and turns them pale, You gaze down to the bottom of the sea; Does its cold radiance, its cold radiance Soften your little heart? -- The moon is false, oh take me aboard, I shall not dally with you as the moon does, I am a faithful gondolier!
1 Wermann: "golden"; more changes may exist not noted above.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870), "Gondellied"
This text was added to the website: 2026-04-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 112