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Habt ihr sie schon geseh'n, Sie, meinen Schaz, Über die Gassen geh'n, Über den Plaz? Trägt sie den Korb am Arm, Ist's eine Lust, Aber ein Herz, wie warm, Trägt ihre Brust. Sittsamlich geht sie fort, Jedermann grüßt, Schaut sich um, red't ein Wort, Wer von ihr wüßt'!1 Aber im Herzen drin, Weiß ich es gut, Daß ich im Sinn ihr bin, Was sie nur thut. Kommt dann die Nacht herein, Dunkel und still, Wie ich im Garten dein Küssen dich will Die du nicht um dich blikst, Kaum daß du grüß'st, Fest mich dann an dich drükst, Tausendmal [küß'st]2. Schlägt drein die Nachtigall, Reden wir leis', Seh'n uns die Stern' auch all', Niemand es weiß. Küß'st unter'm Sternenzelt Herzlich du mich, Wer ist dann auf der Welt Sel'ger als ich?
R. Franz sets stanzas 1, 3, 4-6
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von Berthold Staufer, Stuttgart: A. Liesching & Comp., 1841, pages 79-81.
Note: this text has some unusual spelling (Schaz instead of Schatz, blikst instead of blickst, etc.) that was common in southwest Germany in the 19th century.
Notes for stanza 5, line 3: at least one Franz score has "wie ich ihm Garten dein". The word "ihm" is a typo and should be "im".
1 Franz addsAber der Alles weiß, Sagt es Euch nicht, Steigt ihm auch glühend heiß Blut in's Gesicht2 Franz: "küss't"
Text Authorship:
- by Karl August Friedrich Fetzer (1809 - 1885), as Berthold Staufer, "Verschwiegene Liebe", subtitle: "Volkslied" [author's text checked 2 times 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 Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Habt ihr sie schon geseh'n?", subtitle: "Volkslied", op. 36 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 3, published 1862, stanzas 1,3,4-6 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Leuckart [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885), "Verschwiegene Liebe", op. 14 (Sechs Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1844? [ voice and piano ], Wien, Haslinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Hinrichs (1820 - 1892), "Habt ihr sie schon gesehen?", op. 7 (Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Tenor) mit Pianofortebegleitung), Heft 1 (Zwölf Volkslieder) no. 11, published 1879 [ mezzo-soprano or tenor and piano ], Leipzig, Leuckart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Schwalm (1845 - 1912), "Habt ihr sie schon gesehen?", op. 11 (Zwei Volkslieder für Männerchor ) no. 1, published 1873 [ men's chorus a cappella ], Königsberg i/Pr., Jakubowski [sung text not yet checked]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-13
Line count: 32
Word count: 134
Have you seen her yet, My darling, seen her Walking through the streets, Over the square? When she carries a basket upon her arm It is a joy to see, But a heart, how warm [a heart], She bears in her breast. Demurely she walks on, Everyone greets her, Looks about, speaks a word, If you only knew of her!1 But within her heart, I know it well, I am in her mind Whatever she may be doing. When night falls then, Dark and silent, In your garden How I shall kiss you! You, who do not look around, Who hardly speaks a greeting, Then you press me tightly against you, Kissing me a thousand times. When the nightingale sings, We speak quietly, Though all the stars see us, No one knows of it. When under the canopy of stars You kiss me warmly, Who in the whole world Is then happier than I?
Subtitle: "Folksong"
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of titles:
"Habt ihr sie schon gesehen?" = "Have you seen her yet?"
"Habt ihr sie schon geseh'n?" = "Have you seen her yet?"
"Verschwiegene Liebe" = "Concealed love"
But he who knows it all, Shall not tell you, Though glowingly hot A blush rises in his face.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Karl August Friedrich Fetzer (1809 - 1885), as Berthold Staufer, "Verschwiegene Liebe", subtitle: "Volkslied"
This text was added to the website: 2025-11-23
Line count: 32
Word count: 155