The Shepherd's Song (Pain, set by E. Elgar) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Down the dusty road together
Homeward pass the hurrying sheep,
Stupid with the summer weather,
Too much grass and too much sleep,
  I, their shepherd, sing to thee
  That summer is a joy to me.

Down the shore rolled waves all creamy
With the flecked surf yesternight;
I swam far out in starlight dreamy,
In moving waters cool and bright,
  I, the shepherd, sing to thee
  I love the strong life of the sea.

And upon the hillside growing
Where the fat sheep dozed in shade,
Bright red poppies I found blowing,
Drowsy, tall and loosely made,
  I, the shepherd, sing to thee
  How fair the bright red poppies be.

To the red-tiled homestead bending
Winds the road, so white and long
Day and work are near their ending
Sleep and dreams will end my song,
  I, the shepherd, sing to thee:
  In the dreamtime answer me.

Authorship

Barry Eric Odell Pain (1864-1928)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

7 Lieder

Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar

German

Set in German, a translation of Ed. Sachs GER

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar

English

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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