by Frank Wedekind (1864 - 1918)
Translation © by Walter A. Aue

Altes Lied
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG ENG
Es war einmal ein Bäcker,
Der prunkte mit seinem Wanst,
Wie du ihn kühner und kecker
Dir schwerlich träumen kannst.
Er hat zum Weib genommen
Ein würdiges Gegenstück;
Sie konnten zusammen nicht kommen,
Sie waren viel zu dick.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "Old song", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English [singable] (Walter A. Aue) , "Old song", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-03-15
Line count: 8
Word count: 38

Old song
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
There once did live a baker,
who proudly showed his bulk:
a real record-breaker,
a model of a hulk.
But when he tried to tether
a likewise girl he met,
they could not get together:
they both were far too fat.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 by Walter A. Aue, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Walter A. Aue.  Contact: waue (AT) dal (DOT) ca

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2010-03-26
Line count: 8
Word count: 41