Submitted by asante on Do, 06/30/2011 - 19:44
16
Muss i denn, muss i denn
Do I have to, do I have to

Muss i denn, muss i denn

zum Städtele ’naus, Städtele ’naus,

und du, mein Schatz, bleibst hier.

Wenn i komm, wenn i komm,

wenn i wiedrum komm, wiedrum komm,

kehr i ein, mein Schatz, bei dir.

Kann i glei net allweil bei dir sein,

han i doch mein Freud an dir.

Wenn i komm, wenn i komm,

wenn i wiedrum komm, wiedrum komm,

kehr i ein, mein Schatz, bei dir.

 

Wie du weinst, wie du weinst,

dass i wandere muss, wandere muss,

wie wenn d’Lieb jetzt wär vorbei.

Sind au drauß, sind au drauß

der Mädele viel, Mädele viel,

lieber Schatz, i bleib dir treu.

Denk du net, wenn i ein Andre seh,

so sei mein Lieb vorbei.

Sind au drauß, sind au drauß

der Mädele viel, Mädele viel,

lieber Schatz, i bleib dir treu.

 

Übers Jahr, übers Jahr,

wenn me Träubele schneid, Träubele schneid,

stell i hier mi wiedrum ein.

Bin i dann, bin i dann

dein Schätzele noch, Schätzele noch,

so soll die Hochzeit sein.

Übers Jahr, da ist mein Zeit vorbei,

da g’hör i mein und dein.

Bin i dann, bin i dann

dein Schätzele noch, Schätzele noch,

so soll die Hochzeit sein.

Do I have to, do I have to

go out of this town, out of this town,

and you, my dear, stay here.

When I come, when I come,

when I come home, come home,

I’ll come back home to you.

Even though I can’t always stay with you,

I’m still happy with you.

When I come, when I come,

when I come home, come home,

I’ll come back home to you.

 

How you’re crying, how you’re crying,

‘cause I have to leave, have to leave,

as if our love is gone.

Even if, even if out there,

there are many girls, there are many girls,

my dear, I’ll stay with you.

Don’t think that if I see another one,

my love for you will be gone.

Even if, even if out there,

there are many girls, there are many girls,

my dear, I’ll stay with you.

 

In one year, in one year

when we harvest the grapes, harvest the grapes,

I will come back home.

If at that time, if at that time,

I’m still your sweetheart, still your sweetheart,

our wedding will take place.

In one year, when my apprenticeship is done,

I’ll have time just for you and me.

If at that time, if at that time,

I’m still your sweetheart, still your sweetheart,

our wedding will take place. 

The lyrics of this song’s first strophe have been passed on orally in Swabia (Remstal) from the early 19th century on. Friedrich Silcher who himself was from Remstal asked Heinrich Wagner in Tübingen to write the remaining strophes. In 1827, Silcher published this song in a collection entitled “folk songs for male voices”. As a melody, he used a song entitiled “Do I have to leave the village” that was originally sung in the Odenwald region. The song describes a temporary separation of lovers because a young man has to take to the road. He promises his sweetheart to be faithful while on the road and to marry her after his return, but only if she really waits for him – that is if he is “still her sweetheart”. Elvis Presley, who – as a GI – was stationed in Southern Germany after World War II, was thrilled by this song. After his return to the US, he arranged it as a chanson and was very successful with this version of the folk song all over the world.