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by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)

The old strain
Language: English 
My pleasant home be side the Dee!
I often sigh to think of thee,
dear scenes of love and peace and ease,
how diff'rent all from scenes like these!
My soldier brave l've follow'd
far
but sicken at these sights of war.

The nod at church,
the conscious smile,
The haste to help me at the stile,
The pleasant walk at summer eve,
The parting kiss at taking leave:
O hours!
That once with Tom were past,
Dear happy hours! too sweet to last.

Now converse short with Tom I hold;
"Come, Sue" he cries, "ue'er fear the cold
"The fare is scant - but never mind -
"On, on my Sue, nor lag behind."
And come what will, and come wat may,
Poor Sue must be alert and
gay.

Yet Love, I know always cure
The ills that we from Love endure;
And Tom can with a single smile
The weariest of my thoughts beguile,
Dear pleasant home beside the Dee!!
I must not - will not - thinks of thee.

Text Authorship:

  • by William Smyth (1765 - 1849) [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 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "The old strain", WoO. 155 (26 Walisische Lieder) no. 23, G. 226 no. 23, published 1810/2 [ voice, piano, violin, violoncello ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • GER German (Deutsch) (Georg Pertz) , "Das alte Lied"


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2005-01-17
Line count: 28
Word count: 168

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