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by Walter Learned (1847 - 1915)
Translation Singable translation by D. de Maratray

Her lips were so near
Language: English 
Her lips were so near
That -- what else could I do?
You'll be angry, I fear.
But her lips were so near--
Well, I can't make it clear,
Or explain it to you.
But -- her lips were so near
That -- what else could I do?

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Walter Learned (1847 - 1915), "In explanation" [author's text not yet checked 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 Caia Aarup (1868 - 1928), "In explanation", 1892 [ voice and piano ], New York, Herbert Wilber Greene [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Seymour Barab (1921 - 2014), "An explanation" [ voice and piano ], Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 - 1912), "An Explanation", published 1914, copyright © 1914 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Lucy Hamilton Paine , "In explanation", <<1909 [ medium voice and piano ], from Six mélodies pour chant et piano, no. 3, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Leduc, also set in French (Français) [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in French (Français), a translation by D. de Maratray ; composed by Lucy Hamilton Paine.
      • Go to the text.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2004-06-06
Line count: 8
Word count: 45

Explication
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Si proche était sa lèvre,
Je ne sus que la cueillir !
Elle fut un peu fâchée, j'ai peur.
Mais sa lèvre était proche,
Je ne sais comment vous dire,
Je ne puis vous expliquer,
Quand je vis sa lèvre proche,
Je ne sus que la cueillir.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation by D. de Maratray  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in English by Walter Learned (1847 - 1915), "In explanation"
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Lucy Hamilton Paine , "Explication", <<1909 [ medium voice and piano ], from Six mélodies pour chant et piano, no. 3, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Leduc, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2020-08-23
Line count: 8
Word count: 46

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