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Acht Knöpfe trug ich am Reisegewand, Von achten fehlen mir sieben. Von all den Freunden, die ich gekannt, Ist einer mir treu geblieben. Es haben die Liebe mir aufgesagt Die Lotte, die Lene, die Liese, Und wär' ich eine verständige Magd, Ich hätt' es gemacht wie diese. Doch nenn' ich einen Gesellen mein, Einen bessern kann's nicht geben, Und fasst mich beim Genick Freund Hein, Er wird's nicht überleben. Er macht mich wenn ich hungre, satt Und stärkt mich aus der Flasche, Und was der Brave im Beutel hat, Das hab' ich in der Tasche. Erfasst mich einmal Weh und Leid Und werden mir feucht die Wimpern, So ist der Bursch alsbald bereit Den Schmerz hinweg zu klimpern. Und schüttelt mich der Winter kalt Und lähmt mir meine Glieder, So singt er mir vom grünen Wald Lenzwarme Freudenlieder. Er läuft mit mir durch Staub und Gras Auf allen meinen Wegen, Und schau' ich in ein Spiegelglas, So schaut er mir entgegen.
Confirmed with Spielmannslieder von Rudolf Baumbach, Leipzig, Verlag von A. G. Liebeskind, 1893, pages 6-7.
Authorship:
- by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Der treue Geselle", appears in Spielmannslieder [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 Karl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke (1824 - 1910), "Der treue Geselle", op. 187 (Sechs Lieder und Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 4, published 1886 [ four-part men's chorus ], Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Ziegler (1852 - 1921), "Der treue Geselle", subtitle: "Marsch für vierstimmigen Männerchor", op. 25, published 1890 [ ttbb chorus ], Berlin: R. Schultz [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The faithful comrade", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2016-08-02
Line count: 28
Word count: 161
There were eight buttons upon my travelling garb, Of the eight I'm missing seven. Of all the friends that I have known, One has remained faithful to me. Love for me was rescinded By Lotte, by Lene, by Liese, And were I a sensible maid I would have behaved like these three. But I call one comrade mine, There can be no better one, And if Death were to grab me by the neck, He would not survive it. When I am hungry, he sees to it that I have sustenance, And gives me strength from the bottle, And what that good one has in his bag, That is what I have in my pocket. And if woe and misery take hold of me And my eyelashes become moist, The lad is immediately prepared To strum away the pain. And if winter shakes me [until I am] cold, And paralyzes my limbs, Then he sings to me of the green wood, Songs of joy warmed by spring. He travels with me through dust and grass Upon all my pathways, And if I look into a mirror, He looks back at me.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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 Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Der treue Geselle", appears in Spielmannslieder
This text was added to the website: 2020-01-07
Line count: 28
Word count: 191