A Thousand Years of Love

Song Cycle by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955)

1. Tonight, when there is no moon
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Tonight, when there is no moon
I lie awake wanting him so;
Passion burns my heart.

Text Authorship:

  • by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955), "Tonight, when there is no moon", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

2. What's wrong with me?
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
What's wrong with me?
With this whole world full of men
Why can I think only of you?

Text Authorship:

  • by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955), "What's wrong with me?", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Based on:

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

3. O mistress mine
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O stay and hear, your true love's coming 
That can sing both high and low.

Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers' meeting,
Ev'ry wise man's son doth know.

What is love? 'Tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What's to come is still unsure:

In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty;
Youth's a stuff will not endure.

Text Authorship:

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Paavo Cajander)
  • FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo)
  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (David Paley) , "O Fräulein meins! Woher du wanderst", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Paolo Montanari) , "O mia signora", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POL Polish (Polski) (Józef Komierowski) , no title [an adaptation]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

4. Luci serene e chiare
 (Sung text)

Language: Italian (Italiano) 
Luci serene e chiare,
Voi m'incendete, voi, ma prov'il core
Nell'incendio diletto, non dolore.
Dolci parole e care,
Voi mi ferite, voi, ma prov'il petto
Non dolor ne la piaga, ma diletto.
O miracol d'Amore!
Alma ch'è tutta foco e tutta sangue
Si strugge e non si duol, mor' e non langue.

Text Authorship:

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Bruce Adolphe) , "Eyes serene and clear", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Yeux sereins et clairs", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Heitere, funkelnde Augen", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Alberto Pedrotti

5. Lean your cheek
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Lean your cheek, rest a moment
on my drunken cheek
So I may forget the war and cruelty inside me.
You have opened the seven gates of heaven;
Now lay Your hand on my tightened heart.
All I have to offer is an illusion: my self.
I’m not asking for some sweet pistachio candy;
But your everlasting love.
Fifty times I have said, “Heart, cease hunting.
Step into this net.”

Text Authorship:

  • by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955), "Lean your cheek", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Based on:

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

6. Were it undo
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
I loved a child of this countrie,
And so I wend he had do me;
Now myself the sooth I see.
That he is far.
Were it undo that is y-do.
I would bewar.

He said to me he would be true,
And change me for none other new;
Now I sykke and pale of hue
For he is far.

Were it undo that is y-do.
I would bewar.

He said his saws he would fulfil
Therefore I let him have all his will;
Now I sykke and mourne still
For he is gone.

Were it undo that is y-do.
I would bewar.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, England, 15th century

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

7. In amerika
 (Sung text)

Language: Yiddish (יידיש) 
In amerika forn furn,
Barg aruf, barg arop.
Un az der bocher libt di meydl,
Leygt er far ir di kop!

In amerika bakt men beygl
Oyf a gantsn yor.
Un az der bocher libt di meydl,
Nemt er ir on a kopke gelt!

Text Authorship:

  • by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955), copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Bruce Adolphe) , copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Note: adapted from a 19th century anonymous Yiddish poem.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

8. Valley girl in love
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Once, I was like,
You know...whatever!
But then I met this guy.
He’s like....Ah!
I’m like....Ah!
It’s so totally,
You know.
He’s in love with me:
Not!

Now, it’s so cool,
Totally awesome!
I’m so like totally...
He’s like...Ah!
I’m like...Ah!
It’s so totally
You know!
I’m so totally...
I’m like...I’m like...
AH!

Text Authorship:

  • by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955), "Valley girl in love", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

9. Lunar Joe
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
It was down by a deep moon crater
A few light-years ago,
In the glow of a super nova
That I met Lunar Joe.

In his right hand he held my left,
With his left hand he held my right;
With his other hand he gently stroked my hair
All through the purple night.

He bid me leave my planet 
To visit a distant star;
Together we would tool about 
In his intergalactic car.

I gazed into his orange eyes
And into his blue one, too;
I said, “Although you’re the best of guys,
I’m too young to give all to you.”

Since then there have been a few suitors
Some human, others not quite;
But none has gently stroked my hair
All through the purple night.

Oh, Lunar Joe, I miss you so!
I’ve loved no one but you!
No one but you!

Text Authorship:

  • by Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955), "Lunar Joe", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

10. Chanson d'amour
 (Sung text)

Language: French (Français) 
J'aime tes yeux, j'aime ton front,
Ô ma rebelle, ô ma farouche,
J'aime tes yeux, j'aime ta bouche
Où mes baisers s'épuiseront.

J'aime ta voix, j'aime l'étrange
Grâce de tout ce que tu dis,
Ô ma rebelle, ô mon cher ange,
Mon enfer et mon paradis !
J'aime tes yeux, j'aime ton front.

J'aime tout ce qui te fait belle,
De tes pieds jusqu'à tes cheveux,
Ô toi vers qui montent mes vœux !

Text Authorship:

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Peter Low) , "Song of love", copyright © 2000, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Nele Gramß) , "Liebeslied", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Enrico Magnani) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 652