How can I be happy and gay? | How can I be happy and gay?

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by (Johann) Philipp Kaufmann (1802 - 1846)

Translation © by Tinelot Wittermans

Wie kann ich froh und lustig sein?

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE HEB

Wie kann ich froh und lustig sein?
Wie kann ich gehn mit Band und Strauss?
Wenn der herzge Junge, der mir so lieb,
Ist über die Berge weit hinaus!

's ist nicht der frostge Winterwind,
's ist nicht der Schnee und Sturm und Graus,
Doch immer kommen mir Traenen ins Aug,
Denk ich an ihn, der weit hinaus.

Der lange Winter ist vorbei,
Der Frühling putzt die Birken aus,
Es grünt und blüht und lacht der Mai,
Dann kehrt er heim, der weit hinaus!

Text Authorship:

by (Johann) Philipp Kaufmann (1802 - 1846) [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 Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Wie kann ich froh und lustig sein?" [ duet for 2 sopranos with piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Com puc estar contenta i alegre?", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Hoe kan ik blij en vrolijk zijn?", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Tinelot Wittermans) , "How can I be happy and gay?", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Comment puis-je être heureuse et gaie ?", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
HEB Hebrew (עברית) [singable] (Ada Lewinsky) , "איך יהיה ליבי רונן", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Tinelot Wittermans

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

How can I be happy and gay?

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

How can I be happy and gay?
How can I wear a ribbon and a bunch of flowers?
Now that the lovely boy whom I love so much
Gone far away over the mountains!

It isn't the icy winter wind
It isn't the snow and the storm and the sleet
But I'm getting tears in my eyes every time
I think of him who's gone away.

The long winter is over
Spring makes the birches bright and beautiful
The month of May colours and blooms and laughs
Then he returns who was far away.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Tinelot Wittermans, (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 (Johann) Philipp Kaufmann (1802 - 1846)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 94