Tragische Geschichte

's war einer, dem's zu Herzen ging,
Daß ihm der Zopf nach hinten hing,
Er wollt es anders haben.

Da denkt er denn, wie fang ich's an?
Ich dreh' mich 'rum, so ist's getan,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Da hat er flink sich umgedreht,
Und wie es stund, es annoch steht:
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Da dreht er schnell sich anders 'rum,
's wird aber noch nicht besser drum,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Er dreht sich links, er dreht sich rechts,
Er tut nichts Guts, er tut nichts Schlechts,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Er dreht sich wie ein Kreisel fort,
Es hilft zu nichts, mit einem Wort -
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Und seht, er dreht sich immer noch
Und denkt, es hilft am Ende doch,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Authorship

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) , "Tragische Geschichte", from Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte

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

by Edward Hartenfels , "Tragische Geschichte"
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869-1949) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 22 no. 2 (1907).
by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839-1901) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 44 (Drei vierstimmige Männerchöre) no. 3 (1869). [TTBB chorus]
by Franz Ries (1846-1932) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 16 (Drei Lieder für Alt (oder Bariton) mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1887 [alto or baritone and piano], Berlin, Sulzer
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803-1883) , "Der Zopf", op. 47 no. 6 (1844-51?)

by Seymour Barab (1921-) , "The pigtail", copyright © 1979 [soprano or tenor, recorder, and guitar], from Bagatelles, no. 8, New York : Galaxy Music
by Arthur Bergh (1882-1962) , "A tragic story", published 1950. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) , "A tragic story", op. 7 no. 2, published 1936 [children's chorus and piano], from Friday Afternoons, no. 2.
by Frederic Field Bullard (1864-1904) , "The pigtail", published 1901. [SATB chorus and piano ad libitum]
by Ernest Bullock, Sir (1890-1979) , "A tragic story", published 1923. [unison chorus and piano]
by George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931) , "A tragic story", published 1928. [2-part SB chorus]
by Madeleine Dring (1923-1977) , "The pigtail", published 1963. [SS chorus and piano]
by J. Bertram Fox (1881-1946) , "A tragic tale", published <<1940. [high voice and piano]
by Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert (1868-1928) , "The pigtail", published 1928. [voice and piano]
by Ann Hamerton , "A tragic story", published 1958. [SS chorus and piano]
by Harold Noble (1903-1998) , "A tale of long ago", published 1955. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by George Norman Peterkin (1886-1982) , "A tragic story", published 1951. [2-part chorus (soprano, mezzo-soprano) and piano]
by Joseph Roff (1910-1993) , "A tragic story", published 1958. [soprano, tenor, or baritone solo, four-part chorus (SATBar), and piano]
by David Dick Slater , "A tragic tale", published 1899. [voice and piano]
by Peter Andrew Tranchell (1922-1993) , "A tragic story", 1962, first performed 1962 [SATB chorus with divisi a cappella], from Thackeray Ditties, no. 1.
by Joseph Wardale , "The pigtail", published 1956. [SSS chorus and piano]

ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "There once was a man who took it amiss", copyright ©
FRE French (Pierre Mathé) , "Histoire tragique", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Notes about green, red, and white dots

Gentle Reminder

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There once was a man who took it amiss

 There once was a man who took it amiss
 that his ponytail hung behind him:
 he wanted a change.
 
 He thinks, then, where shall I begin?
 I'll turn myself around, and that's how it'll be done;
 but the ponytail hangs behind him.
 
 He turned about suddenly,
 and as it was, it still remains:
 the ponytail hangs behind him.
 
 He turns quickly the other way,
 but it does no better for it:
 the ponytail hangs behind him.
 
 He turns left, he turns right,
 but he does neither good nor harm:
 the ponytail hangs behind him.
 
 He spins around like a top,
 but it does not help: in short -
 the ponytail hangs behind him.
 
 And look: he's still turning!
 he thinks it will help in the end;
 yet the ponytail still hangs behind him.

Authorship

Translation from German to English copyright © by Emily Ezust,

a text in German by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) , "Tragische Geschichte", from Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte FRE

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.