What are you listening to?

Four Last Songs -- lyrics in German and English

1. "Frühling" (Hermann Hesse) composed on July 20, 1948

In dämmrigen Grüften
träumte ich lang
von deinen Bäumen und blauen Lüften,
Von deinem Duft und Vogelsang.

Nun liegst du erschlossen
In Gleiß und Zier
von Licht übergossen
wie ein Wunder vor mir.

Du kennst mich wieder,
du lockst mich zart,
es zittert durch all meine Glieder
deine selige Gegenwart!

Spring

In shadowy crypts

I dreamt long

of your trees and blue skies,

of your fragrance and birdsong.

Now you appear

in all your finery,

drenched in light

like a miracle before me.

You recognize me,

you entice me tenderly.

All my limbs tremble at

your blessed presence!

2. "September" (Hermann Hesse) composed on September 20, 1948

Der Garten trauert,
kühl sinkt in die Blumen der Regen.
Der Sommer schauert
still seinem Ende entgegen.

Golden tropft Blatt um Blatt
nieder vom hohen Akazienbaum.
Sommer lächelt erstaunt und matt
in den sterbenden Gartentraum.

Lange noch bei den Rosen
bleibt er stehn, sehnt sich nach Ruh.
Langsam tut er
die müdgeword'nen Augen zu.

September

The garden is in mourning.

Cool rain seeps into the flowers.

Summertime shudders,

quietly awaiting his end.

Golden leaf after leaf falls

from the tall acacia tree.

Summer smiles, astonished and feeble,

at his dying dream of a garden.

For just a while he tarries 

beside the roses, yearning for repose.

Slowly he closes

his weary eyes.

3. "Beim Schlafengehen" (Hermann Hesse) composed on August 4, 1948

Nun der Tag mich müd' gemacht,
soll mein sehnliches Verlangen
freundlich die gestirnte Nacht
wie ein müdes Kind empfangen.

Hände, laßt von allem Tun,
Stirn, vergiß du alles Denken.
Alle meine Sinne nun
wollen sich in Schlummer senken.

Und die Seele, unbewacht,
will in freien Flügen schweben,
um im Zauberkreis der Nacht
tief und tausendfach zu leben.

Going to sleep

Now that I am wearied of the day,

my ardent desire shall happily receive 

the starry night

like a sleepy child.

Hands, stop all your work.

Brow, forget all your thinking.

All my senses now

yearn to sink into slumber.

And my unfettered soul 

wishes to soar up freely 

into night's magic sphere

to live there deeply and thousandfold.

4. "Im Abendrot" (Joseph von Eichendorff) composed on May 6, 1948

Wir sind durch Not und Freude
gegangen Hand in Hand;
vom Wandern ruhen wir
nun überm stillen Land.

Rings sich die Täler neigen,
es dunkelt schon die Luft.
Zwei Lerchen nur noch steigen
nachträumend in den Duft.

Tritt her und laß sie schwirren,
bald ist es Schlafenszeit.
Daß wir uns nicht verirren
in dieser Einsamkeit.

O weiter, stiller Friede!
So tief im Abendrot.
Wie sind wir wandermüde--
Ist dies etwa der Tod?

At sunset

We have through sorrow and joy

gone hand in hand;

From our wanderings, let's now rest

in this quiet land.

Around us, the valleys bow

as the sun goes down.

Two larks soar upwards

dreamily into the light air.

Come close, and let them fly.

Soon it will be time for sleep.

Let's not lose our way

in this solitude.

O vast, tranquil peace,

so deep in the evening's glow!

How weary we are of wandering -

Is this perhaps a hint of death?
 
Last session brought me back to this one...

"Children Of The Grave"


G'day Azur,

I woke up with a riff going around and around in my head a couple of weeks ago that took all morning to figure out from what song.

Finally nailed it down to 'High Speed Dirt' -


Which turns out to be about a comet :shock:

''Dropping all my weight, going down full throttle
The pale horse awaits like a genie in a bottle
Fire in my veins faster as I go
I forgot my name, I'm a dirt torpedo ''


Rock on :cool2:
 
Never forget that despite and BECAUSE of the environment we've chosen for growth, that we should celebrate and be thankful to be able to meet it full on.

:cool:


We were born to be alive
We were born to be alive

Born, born to be alive
(Born to be alive)
Yes we were born
Born
Born
(Born to be alive)

People ask me why
I never find a place to stop
And settle down, down, down
But I never wanted all those things
People need to justify
Their lives, lives, lives

Yes we were born, born
Born to be alive
(Born to be alive)
Yes we were born
Born
Born
(Born to be alive)

It's good to be alive
To be alive
To be alive
It's good to be alive
To be alive
To be alive

It's good to be alive

Time was on my side
When I was running down the street
It was so fine, fine, fine
A suitcase and an old guitar
It's something I need to occupy
A mind like mine

Yes we were born, born
Born to be alive
(Born to be alive)
Yes we were born
Born
Born
(Born to be alive)

Yes we were born, born
Born to be alive
(Born to be alive)
Yes we were born
Born
Born
(Born to be alive)

Yes we were born, born
Born to be alive
(Born to be alive)
Yes we were born
Born
Born
(Born to be alive)

Born
Born to be alive
(Born to be alive)
Yes we were born
Born
Born
(Born to be alive)

Born
Born to be alive
 
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