The Lied and Art Song Texts Page

Folk Songs

Song Cycle by Luciano Berio (1925-2003)


1. Black is the colour

Language: English

Authorship

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Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


black black black is the colour of my true love's hair
his lips are something rosy fair
the sweetest smile and the kindest hands
I love the grass whereon he stands

I love my love and well he knows
I love the grass whereon he goes
if he no more on earth will be
'twill surely be the end of me

Input by Jeroen Scholten


2. I wonder as I wander

Language: English

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Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


I wonder as I wander out under the sky
how Jesus our Saviour did come for to die
for poor ordn'ry people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

when Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow stall
with wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
but high from the Heavens a star's light did fall
the promise of ages it then did recall

if Jesus had wanted of any wee thing
a star in the sky or a bird on the wing
or all of God's angels in Heav'n for to sing
he surely could have had it 'cause he was the king

Input by Jeroen Scholten


3. Loosin yelav

Language: Armenian

Authorship


loosin yelav en sareetz
saree partzaer gadareetz
shegleeg megleeg yeresov
paervetz kedneen loosnidzov

Jan ain loosin Jan ko loosin
Jan ko gaelor sheg yereseen

xavarn arten tchaekatzav
oo el kedneen tchaegatzav
loosni loosov halatzvadz
moot amberi metch maenadz

Jan ain loosin Jan ko loosin
Jan ko gaelor sheg yereseen

Input by Jeroen Scholten


4. Rossignolet du bois

Language: French

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 rossignolet du bois 
 rossignolet sauvage
 apprends-moi ton langage 
 apprends-moi-z à parler
 apprends-moi la manìère 
 comment il faut aimer

 comment il faut aimer 
 je m'en vais vous le dire
 faut chanter des aubades 
 deux heures après minuit
 faut lui chanter: la belle 
 c'est pour vous réjouir

 on m'avait dit la belle 
 que vous avez des pommes
 des pommes de renettes 
 qui sont dans vot' jardin
 permettez-moi la belle 
 que j'y mette la main

 non je ne permettrai pas 
 que vous touchiez mes pommes
 prenez d'abord la lune 
 et le soleil en main
 puis vous aurez les pommes 
 qui sont dans mon jardin

Input by Jeroen Scholten


5. A la femminisca

Language: Italian

Authorship


 Signuruzzu miù faciti bon tempu
 ha iu l'amanti miu 'mmezzu lu mari
 l'arvuli d'oru e li ntinni d'argentu
 la Marunnuzza mi l'av' aiutari

 chi pozzanu arrivaeri 'nsarva mentu
 e comu arriva 'na littra ma fari
 ci ha mittiri du duci paroli
 comu ti l'ha passatu mari mari

Input by Jeroen Scholten


6. La donna ideale

Language: Italian

Authorship

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


L'ómo chi mojer vor piar
de quatro cosse de'espiar
la primiera è com'èl [è] na
l'altra è de l'è ben accostuma
l'altra è como el è forma
la quarta è de quanto el è dota
se queste cosse ghe comprendi
a lo nome de Dio la prendi.

Input by Jeroen Scholten


7. Ballo

Language: Italian

Authorship

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


Amor fa disciare li più saggi
[e] chi più l'ama meno ha in sè misura
più folle è quello che più s'innamora

amor non cura di fare suoi dannaggi
co li suoi raggi mette tal calura
che non puo raffreddare per freddura

Input by Jeroen Scholten


8. Motetto de tristura

Language: Italian

Authorship


tristu passirillanti 
comenti massimbillas
tristu passirillanti 
e puita mi consillas
a prangi po s'amanti

tristu passirillanti 
cand'happess interrada
tristu passirillanti 
faimi custa cantada
cand'happess interrada

Input by Jeroen Scholten


9. Malurous qu'o uno fenno

Language: Occitan

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Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


Malurous qu'o uno fenno,
Malurous qué n'o cat!
Qué n'o cat n'en bou uno,
Qué n'o uno n'en bou pas!
Tradèra, ladèri dèrèro
ladèra, ladèri dèra.

Urouzo lo fenno
Qu'o l'omé qué li cau!
Urouz' inquèro maito
O quèlo qué n'o cat!
Tradèra, ladèri dèrèro
ladèra, ladèri dèra.


10. Lo fïolairé

Language: Occitan

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Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


Ton qu'èrè pitchounèlo,
Gordavè loui moutous.
Ti lirou lirou... la la diri tou tou la lara!

Obio 'no counoulhèto
è n'ai près u postrou.
Ti lirou lirou... la la diri tou tou la lara!

Per fa l'obiroudèto
Mè domound' un poutou.
Ti lirou lirou... la la diri tou tou la lara!

È ièu soui pas ingrato,
Èn lièt d'un n'in fau dous!
Ti lirou lirou... la la diri tou tou la lara!


11. Azerbaijan love-song

Language: Azerbaijani

Authorship


da maesden bil de maenaes 
di dilamnanai ai naninai

go shadaemae hey ma naemaes yar 
go shadaemae hey ma naemaes
sen ordan chaexman boordan
tcholoxae mae dish ma naemaes yar 
tcholoxae mae dish ma naemaes
kaezbe li nintché dirai nintché 
lebleri gontchae derai gontchae
kaezbe linini je deri nintché 
lebleri gontcha de le gontcha

na plitye korshis sva doi 
ax kroo gomshoo nyaka mae shi
ax pastoi xanaem pastoi 
jar doo shi ma nie patooshi

go shadaemae hey ma naemaes yar 
go shadaemae hey ma naemaes
sen ordan chaexman boordan
tcholoxae mae dish ma naemaes yar 
tcholoxae mae dish ma naemaes
kaezbe li nintché dirai nintché 
lebleri gontchae derai gontchae

nie didj dom ik diridit 
boost ni dietz stayoo zaxadit
ootch to boodit ai palam 
syora die limtchésti snova papalam

Input by Jeroen Scholten


Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

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Books:

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