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The water is wide I cannot get o'er, And neither have I wings to fly. Give me a boat that will carry two, And both shall row, my love and I. O, down in the meadows the other day, A-gathering flowers both fine and gay, A-gathering flowers both red and blue, I little thought what love can do. I leaned my back up against some oak Thinking that he was a trusty tree; But first he bended, and then he broke; And so did my false love to me. A ship there is, and she sails the sea, She's loaded deep as deep can be, But not so deep as the love I'm in: I know not if I sink or swim. O! love is handsome and love is fine, And love's a jewel while it is new; But when it is old, it groweth cold, And fades away like morning dew.
D. Thomas sets stanzas 1, 4, 3, 2, 5
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "O Waly, Waly" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by David Evan Thomas (b. 1958), "O, Waly Waly", 1989/2003, stanzas 1,4,3,2,5 [ medium voice, piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Ai las, ai las", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Hélas, hélas", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Non posso attraversare il mare vasto", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 152
Non posso attraversare il mare vasto e le ali mi mancano per riuscire a volare, datemi una barca dove per due ci sia posto e remeremo insieme, io e il mio amore. Da un giorno all'altro il prato là in basso in bellezza festosa era tutto in fiore, il colore azzurro si mescolava al rosso, pensavo allora a ciò che può fare amore. Poi a un ramo di quercia mi sono appoggiato, pensando che di lui mi potevo fidare, ma prima si piegò, e poi si è spezzato; la stessa cosa ha fatto il mio falso amore. Là c'è una nave che il mare attraversa, e porta un carico, quanto può sopportare, ma non pesante quanto il mio amore pesa e non so se nuotare o lasciarmi annegare. Oh! Bello è l'amore e molto attraente, e quando nasce è un gioiello lucente, ma freddo diventa quando poi è invecchiato, e come rugiada al mattino è presto svanito.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2012 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 English from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
This text was added to the website: 2012-04-30
Line count: 20
Word count: 157