Blackbird in your dark garb

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by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Amsel in dem schwarzen Kleid

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Amsel in dem schwarzen Kleid
Treff' ich hier dich wieder?
O wie gern zur Maienzeit
Hört' ich deine Lieder!
Und nun sitzt du stumm und still
In den Rebenschlingen. --
"Wenn der Vogel naschen will,
Pflegt er nicht zu singen."

Heda, Geigerlein, wohin?
Ei, was muss ich sehen!
Um das Haus der Winzerin
Schleichst du auf den Zehen.
Nimm hervor das Saitenspiel,
Lass ein Stücklein klingen!
"Wenn der Vogel naschen will,
Pflegt er nicht zu singen."

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• E. Meyer-Helmund

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes

Confirmed with Rudolf Baumbach, Spielmannslieder, Leipzig: Verlag von A. G. Liebeskind, 1883, page 48.

Text Authorship:

by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Wenn der Vogel naschen will", appears in Spielmannslieder [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-04-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 77

Blackbird in your dark garb

NOTE: the footnotes have been removed from this text; return to general view

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Blackbird in your dark garb,
Do I find you here once more?
Oh, how gladly in May-time
I heard your songs!
And now you are sitting mute and silent
In the loops of the grapevine. --
"When the bird wishes to nibble
It tends not to sing."

Hey there, little violinist, whither?
What must I see!
On tiptoe you are sneaking 
About the house of the lady vintner.
Take out your stringed instrument,
Let a little song ring out!
"When the bird wishes to nibble
It tends not to sing."

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes

Translations of title(s):
"Amsel in dem schwarzen Kleid" = "Blackbird in your dark garb"
"Wenn der Vogel naschen will" = "When the bird wishes to nibble"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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 Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Wenn der Vogel naschen will", appears in Spielmannslieder
- Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website: 2020-01-15
Line count: 16
Word count: 90