LL-L "Songs" 2004.01.13 (03) [E]

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Fri Feb 13 18:42:09 UTC 2004 

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

Subject: Songs

Folks,

As many of you already know, I am interested in literature and songs that
have inter-Lowlandic connections.  In literature there are of course the
medieval works of Reynard the Fox and of Till Uylenspeghel that come in
several versions from what are now French Flanders (Flemish) to Northern
Germany (Lowlands Saxon/Low German), and which versions are the original
ones is apparently still debatable.  Among songs there is the  already
discussed example of the Lowlands Saxon ballad “Burlala,” apparently derived
from a Flemish song (“Pierre-lala,” see
http://www.tandemtour.net/poetisch/frameset.html). Lately I have come across
a few Lowlands Saxon songs that I happen to know to have Dutch equivalents
(which I might share at a later date).  Especially among Lowlands Saxon sea
shanties there are several that are derived or inspired by British or
American ones (some of which I might share later too).

Recently I came across a Lowlands Saxon sailors’ song whose contents right
away struck me as rather “Dutch,” not only because of the historical events
it talks about but also because of the use of rare words like _kleyn_ ~
_klayn_ for ‘small’ (usually _lüt_) for rhyme’s sake:

De sülwern Flott

1.
   Hebbt ji von de sülwern Flott woll all hört,
   Die sülwern Flott von Spanien?
   De harr di veel spanische Maten an Bord
   Un Sülver un Gold von Oranien.

   Refrain:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein, Piet Hein sin Nam is klein.
      |: Sin Daten, de sünd grot, :|
      Un he hett wunnen de sülwern Flott.
      Un he het wunnen, ja wunnen
      De sülwern Flott.
2.
   Seggt jem dor Piet Hein nich dat eenfache Word:
   Ji Jüngelken von Oranien,
   Nu klipp man mal ran an dat spanische Bord
   Un rullt mi de Maten von Spanien!

   Refrain:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein, Piet Hein sin Nam is klein.
      |: Sin Daten, de sünd grot, :|
      Un he hett wunnen de sülwern Flott.
      Un he het wunnen, ja wunnen
      De sülwern Flott.
3.
   Se slögen de Spaniers düchtig to Schann,
   Kladdert nich de Jungs as de Rotten ran
   Un slögen se sik nich as de Löwen?
   In Spanien geev't veel Bedröwen.

   Refrain:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein, Piet Hein sin Nam is klein.
      |: Sin Daten, de sünd grot, :|
      Un he hett wunnen de sülwern Flott.
      Un he het wunnen, ja wunnen
      De sülwern Flott.
4.
   Kem dor noch 'nmal een sülwern Flott,
   Seggt, wüllt ji ehr wedder so drapen?
   Oder wüllt ji, Jungens, wüllt ji, bi Gott,
   In juer Hängematt slapen?

   Refrain:
      Dat Bloot, dat hett woll Moot.
      |: Sünd wi ok nich groot, :|
      Wi würdn gewinnen de sülwern Flott,
      Un würdn gewinnen, gewinnen
      De sülwern Flott.

My ANS (Algemeyne Neddersassische Schryvwys') transliteration:

Dey sülvern vlot

1.
   Hebt jy von dey Sülvern Vlot wol al höyrd,
   Dey Sülvern Vlot von Spaanjen?
   Dey har dy veel Spanische maten an bourd
   Un sülver un gold von Oraanjen.

   Refreng:
      Pyt Hayn, Pyt Hayn, Pyt Hayn! Syn naam is klayn.
      |: Syn daten, dey sünd groot, :|
      Un hey het wunnen dey Sülvern Vlot.
      Un hey het wunnen, ja, wunnen
      Dey Sülvern Vlot.
2.
   Segt jem daar Pyt Hayn nich dat eynvache woyrd:
   “Jy jüngelken von Oraanjen,
   Nu klipt man maal ran an dat Spanische bourd.
   Un rult my dey maten von Spaanjen!”

   Refreng:
      Pyt Hayn, Pyt Hayn, Pyt Hayn! Syn naam is klayn.
      |: Syn daten, dey sünd groot, :|
      Un hey het wunnen dey Sülvern Vlot.
      Un hey het wunnen, ja, wunnen
      Dey Sülvern Vlot.
3.
   Sey slöygen dey Spaanjers düchtig tou schand.
   Kladdert nich dey jungs as dey rotten ran,
   Un slöygen sey sik nich as dey löywen?
   In Spaanjen geev’ ’t veel bedröyven.

   Refreng:
      Pyt Hayn, Pyt Hayn, Pyt Hayn! Syn naam is klayn.
      |: Syn daten, dey sünd groot, :|
      Un hey het wunnen dey Sülvern Vlot.
      Un hey het wunnen, ja, wunnen
      Dey Sülvern Vlot.
4.
   Keym daar noch ’n maal eyn Sülvern Vlot,
   Segt, wült jy eer wedder so drapen?
   Oder wült jy, jungens, wült jy, by God,
   In juer hengemat slapen?

   Refreng:
      Dat bloud, dat het wol moud.
      |: Sünd wy ook nich groot, :|
      Wy wöyrd’n gewinnen dey Sülvern Vlot,
      Un wöyrd’n gewinnen, gewinnen
      Dey Sülvern Vlot.

My rough translation:

The silver Fleet

1.
   Have you heard of the Silver Fleet,
   The Silver Fleet of Spain,
   That had many a mate/measures [?] aboard
   And silver and gold of Orange?

   Chorus:
      Pete Hein, Pete Hein, Pete Hein! His name though small,
      |: His deeds, they were indeed great, :|
      And he has captured the Silver Fleet.
      And he has captured, yeah, captured
      The Silver Fleet.
2.
   Did not Pete Hein then say the plain word:
   “You, me dear laddies of Orange,
   Pull up now alongside the Spanish board,
   And roll out the mates/measures [?] of Spain!”

   Chorus:
      Pete Hein, Pete Hein, Pete Hein! His name though small,
      |: His deeds, they were indeed great, :|
      And he has captured the Silver Fleet.
      And he has captured, yeah, captured
      The Silver Fleet.
3.
   They beat the Spaniards to a pulp.
   Did not the boys climb up like rats,
   And did they not fight like lions?
   There was much lamenting in Spain.

   Chorus:
      Pete Hein, Pete Hein, Pete Hein! His name though small,
      |: His deeds, they were indeed great, :|
      And he has captured the Silver Fleet.
      And he has captured, yeah, captured
      The Silver Fleet.
4.
   Should there be another Silver Fleet,
   Say, would you attack in like manner?
   Or would you, boys, would you, by God,
   Be sleeping in your hammocks?

   Chorus:
      Courage runs in our blood for sure.
      |: Though we are not great and mighty :|
      We would surely conquer the Silver Fleet,
      And would capture, would capture
      The Silver Fleet.

I have no idea who wrote this song.  Does anyone else?  At any rate, as you
can tell by the historical events, this is about a Dutch-Spanish naval
battle, and it is thus reasonable to suspect the song is based on a Dutch
one.  Indeed!  I found the following Dutch song, with which many of you are
probably familiar, based on a battle of 1628, the Dutch commander being Piet
Hein:

http://ingeb.org/songs/hebjevan.html
Tune: http://ingeb.org/songs/hebjevan.mid

_Matten_ (_maten_ in the LS version) turn out to refer to Spanish silver
coins.

The author is J.P. Heije (1809 - 1876), who wrote this in 1847.
http://www.nederlands.nl/nedermap/poezie/poezie/18719.html?zoekresultaat=ja

De Zilvervloot

1.
   Heb-je van de Zilveren Vloot wel gehoord,
   De zilveren Vloot van Spanje?
   Die had er veel Spaanse matten aan boord
   En appeltjes van Oranje!

   Refrein:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein, Piet Hein
      Zijn naam is klein,
      Zijn daden bennen groot:
      |: Die heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot! :|
2.
   Zei toen niet Piet Hein, met een aalwarig woord:
   'Wel jongetjes van Oranje,
   Kom klim reis aan dìt en dà t Spaanse boord,
   En rol me die mat van Spanje!'

   Refrein:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein, Piet Hein
      Zijn naam is klein,
      Zijn daden bennen groot:
      |: Die heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot! :|
3.
   Klommen niet de jongens als katten in 't want
   En vochten ze niet haast als leeuwen?
   Ze maakten de Spanjerds duchtig te schand,
   Tot in Spanje klonk hun schreeuwen:

   Refrein:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein, Piet Hein
      Zijn naam is klein,
      Zijn daden bennen groot:
      |: Die heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot! :|
4.
   Kwam er nu nog eenmaal zo'n Zilveren Vloot,
   Zeg, zou jelui nòg zo kloppen?
   Of zoudt gij u veilig en buiten schoot,
   Maar stil in je hangmat stoppen?

   Refrein

      'Wel! Neerlands bloed
      Heeft nog wel moed!
      Al bennen we niet groot,
      |: We zouen nòg winnen een Zilvervloot!' :|

My rough translation:

The Silver Fleet

1.
   Have you ever heard of the Silver Fleet,
   The Silver Fleet of Spain
   That had many silver coins aboard
   And apples of Orange?

   Chorus:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein,
      Piet Hein ... His name is small.
      His deeds are great, his deeds are great.
      |: They have captured the Silver Fleet! :|
2.
   Did Piet Hein then not speak an earnest word:
   “Well, you my dear laddies of Orange,
   Go on, climb up on the Spanish board,
   And roll the coins of Spain!”?

   Chorus:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein,
      Piet Hein ... His name is small.
      His deeds are great, his deeds are great.
      |: They have captured the Silver Fleet! :|
3.
   Didn’t the boys climb up the canvas like cats,
   And did they not fight like lions?
   They beat the Spaniard to a sorry state
   Till their screams could be heard in Spain.

   Chorus:
      Piet Hein, Piet Hein,
      Piet Hein ... His name is small.
      His deeds are great, his deeds are great.
      |: They have captured the Silver Fleet! :|
4.
   Should another Silver Fleet ever appear,
   Say, would you pull off the same?
   Or would you safely and well out of range
   Be lolling about in your hammocks?

   Chorus:
      Well, yes, Dutch blood,
      That blood does still have courage!
      Though we may not be big, may not be big,
      |: We’d surely capture a Silver Fleet! :|

Input would be welcome.

Enjoy!
Reinhard/Ron


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