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Wer lenkt nicht gern den heitern Blick
In die Vergangenheit?
Wer denkt nicht alter Freundschaft gern
Und alter guter Zeit?
Der alten guten Zeit, mein Herz!
Der alten guten Zeit;
Im vollen Becher lebe sie,
Die alte gute Zeit!
Wir pflückten Blumen uns im Wald,
Auf Rainen schmal und breit
Und denken pilgermüde noch
Der alten guten Zeit.
Der alten guten Zeit, mein Herz! etc.
Wie freut' als Knaben uns am Bach
Der muntern Welle Streit!
Doch Meere brausten zwischen uns
Seit jener goldnen Zeit.
Der alten guten Zeit, mein Herz! etc.
Gieb, Bruder, gieb mir deine Hand;
Die meine sieh bereit!
Ein Händedruck, ein froher Blick
Der alten guten Zeit!
Der alten guten Zeit, mein Herz!
Der alten guten Zeit;
Im vollen Becher lebe sie,
Die alte gute Zeit!
Confirmed with Robert Burns’ Gedichte, deutsch von W. Gerhard, Leipzig: Verlag von Joh. Ambr. Barth., 1840, pages 276-277
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Die alte gute Zeit" [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Auld lang syne"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Die alte gute Zeit", op. 55 no. 4 (1846), published 1847 [ SATB chorus ], from Fünf Lieder nach Robert Burns für gemischten Chor, no. 4, Leipzig, Whistling [sung text checked 1 time]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Els bons vells temps", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De goede oude tijd", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The good old times", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Dr. Gerrit den Hartogh , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2004-06-30
Line count: 26
Word count: 131
Who does not gladly turn his gaze
To the past?
Who does not gladly think of old friendships
And good old times?
The good old times, my heart!
The good old times,
They live in the full goblet,
The good old times!
We picked flowers in the woods,
Upon banks narrow and broad
And even when weary from wandering we still think of
The good old times.
The good old times, my heart! etc.
When we were boys, how we rejoiced
In the merry squabbling of the waves!
But oceans have raged between us
Since that golden time.
The good old times, my heart! etc.
Give, brother, give me your hand;
See mine at the ready!
A handclasp, a joyful glance
To the good old times!
The good old times, my heart!
The good old times,
They live in the full goblet,
The good old times!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Die alte gute Zeit" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Auld lang syne"
This text was added to the website: 2017-02-11
Line count: 26
Word count: 147