What is buzzing here around

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by August Ferdinand Meyer (1811 - 1894)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Was brummt mir um die Ohren denn

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Was brummt mir um die Ohren denn 
Fortwährend hier herum, 
Was soll das ew'ge Schwirren hier, 
Das ewige Gesumm'? 

Was surrt, was schwirrt, was flattert denn? 
Maikäfer sind's, ja, ja! 
[Nun Herz, wach' auf]¹, nun ist es Zeit, 
Der Mai, der Mai ist da.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Preußischer Volksfruend, Neunter Jahrgang, (23. September 1844), Nro. 132, page 527.

¹ in some publications of the poem: "Frisch auf, frisch auf!"

Text Authorship:

by August Ferdinand Meyer (1811 - 1894), title 1: "Liedchen", title 2: "Der Maikäfer", title 3: "Wach auf!", title 4: "Der Mai ist da!" [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 Carl Theodor Seiffert (1805 - 1885), "Was brummt mir um die Ohren", op. 2 no. 6, published 1835 [ voice and piano ], Schleusingen: Glaser [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2023-01-15
Line count: 8
Word count: 46

What is buzzing here around

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

What is buzzing here around 
My ears continually,
Why the eternal whirring here,
The eternal humming?

What is whirring, was is buzzing, what is fluttering then?
It is maybugs, yes, yes!
Now heart, awake, now it is time,
May, May is here.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Translations of title(s):
"Der Mai ist da!" = "May is here!"
"Der Maikäfer" = "The maybug"
"Liedchen" = "Little song"
"Wach auf!" = "Awake!"
"Was brummt mir um die Ohren" = "What is buzzing around my ears"

¹ in some publications of the poem: "Arise, arise briskly!"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 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 August Ferdinand Meyer (1811 - 1894), title 1: "Liedchen", title 2: "Der Maikäfer", title 3: "Wach auf!", title 4: "Der Mai ist da!"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2023-01-15
Line count: 8
Word count: 42