Submitted by Maiko Heller on Mo, 07/25/2011 - 19:23
30
Schwefelhölzle
Matches

Schwefelhölzle, Schwefelhölzle,

Schwefelhölzle muss ma ha1),

dass ma alle Augenblick

a Feurle mache ka.

Mädle, seid doch nicht so stolz,

braucht ihr doch a Schwefelholz.

Wenn ihr wollt a Süpple koche,

müsst ihr doch a Feurle mache,

müsst ihr Schwefel ha.

Lalala…

 

Schwefelhölzle…

Eiser Hans, der arme Tropf,

rennt sich z’ Nacht a Loch in Kopf,

um net allet anez’renne,

müsst er bloß a Lichtle brenne,

müsst er Schwefel ha.

Lalala…

 

Schwefelhölzle…

Wenn der Fuchs de Winter spürt,

und der Abend länger wird,

will der Handelsmann nit schlafe

und der Künstler no was schaffe,

müss mer Schwefel ha.

Lalala…

Matches, matches,

matches you need,

so any moment,

you can make a fire.

Girls, don’t be that proud,

you do need a match.

If you want to cook some soup,

you do have to make a fire,

you do need a match.

Lalala…

 

Matches …

Eiser Hans, the poor guy,

gets a hole in his head at night;

not to run against everything,

he just needs to make some light,

he’d need a match.

Lalala…

 

Matches …

When the fox can feel the winter,

and the night gets longer,

the salesman doesn’t want to sleep,

and the artist still wants to create,

you’d need a match.

Lalala…

1) haben (to have)

This song has been sung in the border area of Germany and France (Alsace, Baden) since about 1840. Actually, the lyrics are written in strong dialect, so this song is not widely-spread – mostly in Austria and Southern Germany. To a certain degree, the lyrics are advertizing slogans of a match seller that wanders from door to door to sell his matches.