LL-L: "Songs" (was "Online resources") LOWLANDS-L, 26.APR.2000 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 26.APR.2000 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Songs

Dear Lowlanders,

You may be interested to know that among the Low Saxon (Low German) songs
listed at http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/platt.html there are three sea
shanties that are bilingual: Low Saxon (Low German) and English:

De Hamborger Veermaster [The Four-Masted Ship from Hamburg]
http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/Lieder/ickheffm.html

De Hoffnung [The "Hope"]
http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/Lieder/dehoffnu.html

De Runner von Hamborg [The Hamburg Runner]
http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/Lieder/deseegei.html
(Based on the American shanty "Roll the Cotton Down")

The shanty "Ik keem vun de Reis'" ["I Returned from the Voyage"]
(http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/Lieder/ikkeemvu.html) also has the chorus
"Hool boys, hool!", which must be derived from English "Haul, boys, haul!"

This type of shanty was very common among German sailors.  The solo was sung
in Low Saxon, the chorus in English.  I assume that many of these shanties
were derived from or inspired by English language ones.  It would be
interesting to find out if some of them were new creations in which singing
the chorus in English had become standard form.

The shanty "Flying P-Line"
(http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/Lieder/wifohrt.html), by the way, starts off
in Low Saxon and then goes on in German, and it seems to refer to a British or
American shipping line.

"De blaue Flagge weiht" ["The Blue Flag is Flying"] is a pirates' song that
appears to be rather old, showing signs of Middle Low Saxon, though it also
appears to be somewhat Germanized:

1.
|: De blaue Flagge weiht, :|
Wi arndt dort, wo de Koopmann sieht.
  Refrain:
  Mord unde Brand!
  Den leewen Gott to Fründe
  Un aller Welt Fiand!

2.
|: Un bring en Koopmannsschipp :|
Von Ost un Westen War' uns mit,
  Refrain

3.
|: Wi drinkt, wi drinkt sin' Win, :|
Sin Schipp un Last mutt unse sin!
  Refrain

4.
|: Un heet' up't letzt: God Nacht! :|
Up't letzt gelacht is best gelacht!
  Refrain

My translation:

1.
|: The blue flag is flying, :|
We profit where the merchant goes [?].
  Chorus:
  Murder and arson!
  Friend to the dear Lord
  And fiend to all the world!

2.
|: And should a merchant's ship :|
Bring us goods from east and west,
  Chorus

3.
|: We'd drink, we'd drink his wine! :|
His ship and freight, they must be ours!
  Chorus

4.
|: In the end we'd say farewell! :|
He who laughs last does laugh best!
  Chorus

Enjoy!

Reinhard/Ron

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