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Was bin ich alter Bösewicht So wankelig von Sinne. Ein leeres Glas gefällt mir nicht, Ich will, das was darinne. Das ist mir so ein dürr Geklirr; He, Kellnerin, erscheine! Laß dieses öde Trinkgeschirr Befeuchtet sein von Weine! Nun will mir aber dieses auch Nur kurze Zeit gefallen; Hinunter muß es durch den Schlauch Zur dunklen Tiefe wallen. - So schwank ich ohne Unterlaß Hinwieder zwischen beiden. Ein volles Glas, ein leeres Glas Mag ich nicht lange leiden. Ich bin gerade so als wie Der Erzbischof von Köllen, Er leert sein Gläslein wuppheidi Und läßt es wieder völlen.
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Busch (1832 - 1908), "Wankelmut" [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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Wankelmut", 2011 [bass or baritone and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "Unsteadiness", written 2011, copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2012-01-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 97
What an old rascal I do appear, Unsteadiness being the culprit. An empty glass brings me no cheer Till good things splash wet within it. I make a fuss, pure and well distilled; "Hey, barmaid, hurry back! Let my empty draught be filled, Moistened more with wine than lack!" Let my wait fly quickly past, Suffered without much yearning; "Down the hatch," I'll cheer, "at last," Swirling in dark depths, churning. Incessantly teetering o'er a crevasse Between one round and the next -- The brimming glass, the empty glass? I tolerate neither, being vexed. I measure myself by a fine example, Bavaria's archbishop, so well known, Who empties -- hurrah! -- a draught so ample, Most men could not drink it alone.
Text Authorship:
- by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Unsteadiness", written 2011, copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Wilhelm Busch (1832 - 1908), "Wankelmut"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2012-01-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 119