sometimes misattributed to Walter Scott, Sir (1771 - 1832) and by Robert Graham (1735 - 1797)
Translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876)
Woo Thee If doughty deeds my ladye...
Language: English
Woo Thee If doughty deeds my ladye please, Right soon I'll mount my steed; And strong his arm, and fast his seat, That bears frae me the meed. I'll wear thy colours in my cap, Thy picture in my heart; And he that bends not to thine eye Shall rue it to his smart. Then tell me how to woo thee, love O tell me how to woo thee! For thy dear sake, nae care I'll take, Tho' ne'er another trow me. If gay attire delight thine eye, I'll dight me in array; I'll tend thy chamber door all night, And squire thee all the day. If sweetest sounds can win thy ear, These sounds I'll strive to catch; Thy voice I'll steal to woo thysell, That voice that nane can match, [Then tell me how to woo thee, love; O tell me how to woo thee! For thy dear sake, nae care I'll take, Tho' ne'er another trow me.]1 But if fond love thy heart can gain, I never broke a vow; Nae maiden lays her skaith to me, I never loved but you. For you along I ride the ring, For you I wear the blue; For you alone I strive to sing, O tell me how to woo! O tell me how to woo thee, love; O tell me how to woo thee! For thy dear sake, nae care I'll take, Tho' ne'er another trow me.
A. Sullivan sets stanzas 1, 3
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View original text (without footnotes)1 omitted by Foote
Text Authorship:
- sometimes misattributed to Walter Scott, Sir (1771 - 1832)
- by Robert Graham (1735 - 1797), "O tell me how to woo thee", included by Walter Scott in The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border [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 Arthur Foote (1853 - 1937), "If Doughty Deeds My Lady Please", copyright © 1885 [ttbb chorus], Boston, Schmidt [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Arthur Sullivan, Sir (1842 - 1900), "If Doughty Deeds My Lady Please", published 1866, stanzas 1,3 [voice and piano], Boosey and Co. [ sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) , "O sag' mir, wie dich frein" ; composed by Adolf Jensen.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-18
Line count: 36
Word count: 240
O sag' mir, wie dich frein
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Steht meiner Dame Kühnheit an, Gleich schwing' ich mich auf's Pferd, Und stark und fest im Sattel sei, Wer ihres Danks begehrt. Deine Farben trag' ich aus dem Hut, Dein Bild im Herzen treu, Und wer sich deinem Aug' nicht neigt, Dem bringt es Leid und Reu'. Drum sag' mir, wie dich frein, o Lieb; O sag' mir, wie dich frein! Und ob um dich die Andern mich Verschmähn, ich will's nicht scheun! In Sammt und Seide will ich gehn, Ergötzt dich bunte Pracht, Bei Tag will ich dein Knappe sein, Dein Wächter bei der Nacht! Gewinnt dich süßer Töne Schall, Versuch's, und höre mich! Deine eigne Stimme raub' ich dir, Zu frein mit ihr um dich! Drum sag' mir, wie dich frein, o Lieb! O sag' mir, wie dich frein! Und ob um dich die Andern mich Verschmähn, ich will's nicht scheun! Doch wenn die Liebe dich gewinnt: Nie brach ich meinen Schwur, Keiner Andern gab ich Wort und Pfand, Dich lieb' ich einzig nur! Für dich allein reit' ich den Ring, Trage Blau für dich allein; Übe Lied und Schwert aus deinen Wink, O sag' mir, wie dich frein! Ja sag' mir, wie dich frein, o Lieb! O sag' mir, wie dich frein! Und ob um dich die Andern mich Verschmähn, ich will's nicht scheun!
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "O sag' mir, wie dich frein" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English misattributed to Walter Scott, Sir (1771 - 1832) and by Robert Graham (1735 - 1797), "O tell me how to woo thee", included by Walter Scott in The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Adolf Jensen (1837 - 1879), "O sag' mir, wie dich frein", op. 52 (Sechs Gesänge von Walter Scott für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-18
Line count: 36
Word count: 217