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Mein Liebster keck ist ein Matros'; Er kämpft mit Wind und Wasserhos' Und knüpft, was uns're Herzen band, Gleich seinem Schiffstau los. Ich zöge gern mit Herz und Hand Das flüchtige Schiff zurück zum Strand; Doch meine Sehnsucht treibt es nur; Es flieht schon weit vom [Land]1. Mein Liebster spannt das Segel quer; Wie rauscht sein [Kiel]2 durch's wilde Meer! Ich weiß nicht, bringt ihn wiederum Ein guter Wind mir her. Was baut' ich auch, ein thöricht Kind, Auf Häuser, die entführt der Wind! Nun wein' ich mir die Wangen blaß Und meine Augen blind. Mein Liebster steuert mittagwärts, Die Flut empfindet nicht den Schmerz; Er führt so kräft'gen Ruderschlag Und jeder trifft [mein]3 Herz. Schlag' er das Meer nur immerhin, Das treulos ist [und falsch von]4 Sinn! Doch warum schlägt er auch dies Herz, Das nichts geliebt, als ihn!
F. Kamm sets stanzas 1-6, 1
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotesConfirmed with Die poetische Nationalliteratur der deutschen Schweiz: Musterstücke aus den Dichtungen der besten schweizerischen Schriftsteller von Haller bis auf die Gegenwart, Dr. J.J. Honegger (Herausgeber), Vierter Band, Glarus: Verlagsbuchhandlung von J. Vogel, 1876, page 221.
1 Kamm: "Strand"2 Poebing: "Segel"
3 Poebing: "das"
4 Poebing: "von"
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879), "Ligurisches Volkslied", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Lieder von der Riviera, no. 13 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Ignaz Brüll (1846 - 1907), "Ligurisches Volkslied", op. 5 (Zwölf Gesänge), Heft 2 (Drei Gesänge für mittlere Stimme) no. 2 (186-?), published 1870 [ medium voice and piano ], Wien, Gotthard [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Huber (1852 - 1921), "Ligurisches Volkslied", op. 88 (Neun dreistimmige Frauenchöre mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 7, published 1886 [ three-part women's chorus and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Kahn (1865 - 1951), "Ligurisches Lied", op. 12 (Fünf Gesänge) no. 3 (1890), published 1891 [ high voice and piano ], Leipzig, Leuckart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ferdinand Kamm (1845 - 1897), "Mein Liebster keck ist ein Matros'", op. 45 (Liedersaal für Frauenchor. 90 drei- und vierstimmige Lieder für Schule, Haus und Verein) no. 90, published 1896, stanzas 1-6,1 [ soprano, ssaa chorus and piano ], Zürich & Leipzig: Hug [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Max Marschalk (1863 - 1940), "Ligurisches Volkslied", op. 7 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 2, published 1889 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Poebing (1851 - 1918), "Ligurisches Volkslied", op. 8 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1895 [ voice and piano ], München, Schmid Nachf. [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Wilhelm Sturm (1842 - 1922), "Ligurisches Lied", published 1914? [ chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Harry Joelson , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 145
My bold beloved is a sailor, He battles with the wind and typhoons And loosens that which binds our hearts Exactly like he does his mooring rope. With heart and hand, I would gladly pull The fleeing boat back to the shore; But my yearning only drives it onward; It is already flying far from the [land]1. My beloved sets his sails crossways; How his [keel rushes]2 through the wild sea! I do not know if a favourable wind Shall bring him back to me again. Why did I, a foolish child, Ever build [my hopes] upon houses that the wind carries off! Now I weep until my cheeks grow pale And my eyes go blind. My beloved steers toward the south, The waters do not feel the pain; He wields such powerful oar-strokes And every one of them strikes my heart. May he go on beating the sea, Which has a [faithless and false]3 spirit! But why does he also beat this heart [of mine], Which has loved nothing but him!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotesTranslations of titles:
"Ligurisches Lied" = "Ligurian song"
"Ligurisches Volkslied" = "Ligurian folk song"
"Mein Liebster keck ist ein Matros'" = "My bold beloved is a sailor"
2 Poebing: "sails rush"
3 Poebing: "faithless"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879), "Ligurisches Volkslied", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Lieder von der Riviera, no. 13
This text was added to the website: 2026-10-28
Line count: 24
Word count: 176