Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook

[Mieke]

The Big Sunflower

Woorden en muziek door Bobby Newcomb
Uit 1868

Dit beginnummer van Billy Emerson, de bekende minstreel, dit vrolijke liedje was pa's zorgenlied. Hij zong het als de sneeuwstormen de wereld buiten het raam in een witte waas veranderde en de sneeuw zo hoog opblies dat het door alle gaten en kieren kroop zodat hij 's morgens iedereen uit moest graven.

Vrolijk, maar niet te snel

There is a charm I can't explain,
About a girl I've seen,
My heart beats fast when she goes past
In a dark dress trimmed in green.
Her eyes are bright as evening stars,
So loving and so shy,
And the folks all stop and look around
Whenever she goes by.

refrein:
Oh, I am as happy as a big sunflower
That nods and bends in the breezes,
And my heart is as light as the wind
that blows the leaves from off the treeses

As days passed on and we became
Like friends of olden times,
I thought the question I would pop
And ask her to be mine.
But the answer I received next day,
How could she treat me so?
Instead of being mine for live
She simply answered "no"

refrein:
Oh, I am as happy as a big sunflower
That nods and bends in the breezes,
And my heart is as light as the wind
that blows the leaves from off the treeses

I went next day dressed in my best
This young girl for to see,
To ask her if she would explain
Why she had shaken me.
She said she really felt quite sad
To cause me such distress;
And when I said "won't you be mine?"
Of course she answered "yes".

refrein:
Oh, I am as happy as a big sunflower
That nods and bends in the breezes,
And my heart is as light as the wind
that blows the leaves from off the treeses

[Mieke]

The Gum-Tree Canoe

woorden door S.S. Steele
Muziek door A. F. Winnemore
Uit 1847

Een ouderwets liedje, dit lied wordt ook wel "Tombigbee River" genoemd. Toen het tijd was voor Laura om te gaan slapen in de huifkar, begon de viool aan een lang swingend ritme. Toen haar ogen zich sloten leek ze weg te glijden over een eindeloze zee prairiegras naar het geluid van "Row away, row o'er the waters so blue."

Een vrolijke deuntje

On Tombigtree River so bright I was born,
In a hut made of husks of the tall yellow corn,
And there I first met with my Julia so true,
And I rowed her about in our gum-tree Canoe.

Refrein:
Singing row away, row
O'er the waters so blue
Like a feather we sail
in our gum-tree Canoe.

All the day in the filed the soft cotton I hoe,
I think of my Julia and sing as I can go,
Oh, I catch her a bird with a wing of true blue,
And at night sail her around in our gum-tree Canoe.

Refrein:
Singing row away, row
O'er the waters so blue
Like a feather we sail
in our gum-tree Canoe.

With my hands on the banjo and toe on the oar,
I sing to the sound of the river's soft roar,
While the stars they look down at my Julia so true
And dance in her eye in our gum-tree Canoe.

Refrein:
Singing row away, row
O'er the waters so blue
Like a feather we sail
in our gum-tree Canoe.

One night the stream bore us so far away
That we coulnd't come back so we thought we'd just stay.
Oh, we spied a tall ship with a flag of true blue,
And it took us in tow with our gum-tree Canoe.

Refrein:
Singing row away, row
O'er the waters so blue
Like a feather we sail
in our gum-tree Canoe.

[Mieke]

A Railroad Man for Me

Woorden en muziek zijn traditioneel uit de USA.

Een "liefdesliedje" welke een goed voorbeeld is van Amerikaanse folklore.
Bij het Zilvermeer ontmoetten Laura en Lena elkaar iedere morgen en avond om de koeien te melken. Ze lieten de koeien drinken en verzetten de pinnen naar vers gras. Ze molken de koeien en zongen. Soms zongen ze zachtjes over het trouwen van een spoorwegman.

In vrolijk tempo

I wouldn't mary a farmer,
He's Always in the dirt,
I'd rather marry a railroadman
who wears a striped shirt!

Refrein:
Oh, a railroad man, a railroad man,
A railroad man for me!
I'm going to marry a railroad man,
A railroader's bride I'll be!

I wouldn't marry a blacksmith,
He's Always in the black,
I'd rather marry an engineer
That throws the throtle back.

Refrein:
Oh, a railroad man, a railroad man,
A railroad man for me!
I'm going to marry a railroad man,
A railroader's bride I'll be!

[Mieke]

My Heart is Sair

Barbary Allen

Woorden en muziek komen origineel uit het Engels.

Deze oude ballade werd door de eerste kolonisten naar ons land gebracht. Er zijn vele variaties op de woorden en de muziek, maar in essentie blijft het verhaal hetzelfde.
Maanlicht scheen door het raam op het Zuiden en raakte Pa's handen en gezicht en de viool. Zijn handen bewogen zacht over de snaren terwijl hij zong.

Eenvoudig, in de stijl van een ballade.

In Scarlet town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin'
And ev'ry youth cried "well awa'"
Her name was Barbary Allen.

All in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swellin'
Young Johnnie Grove on his deathbed lay
For love of Barbary Allen.

He sent his man unto her then,
To the town where she did dwell in,
Saying "you must come to my master
If your name be Barbary Allen"

So slowly, slowly she came up,
And slowly she came nigh him;
And all she said when there she came,
"young man, I think you're dying."

He turned his face unto the wall,
And death was with him dealin'
"Adieu, adieu, to all my friends,
Adieu to Barbary Allen."

As she was walking o'er the fields,
She heard the bells aknellin',
And every stroke did seem to say
"Unworthy Barbary Allen."

When he was dead and laid in grave,
Her heart was struck with sorrow,
"O, Mother, Mother make my bed,
For I shall die tomorrow."

She on her deathbed as she lay
Begged to be buried by him,
And sore repened of the day
That she did e'er deny him.

"Farewell," she said, "ye Virgins all,
And shun the fault I fell in,
Henceforth take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbary Allen".

[Mieke]

Bonny Doon

Woorden door Robert Burns
Op een origineel Schots muziekje.
Uit 1792

In een brief geschreven in 1794 schreef Burns dat deze muziek "een aantal jaren geleden gecomposeerd was door een amateur die het speelde op de zwarte tonen van zijn clavicimbel.
Toen iedereen fijn samen aan het zingen was in het landmetershuis voelde Laura zich gelukkig, en ze was heel blij toen ze allemaal samen dit treurige liedje zongen.

Langzaam

Ye banks and braes of Bonny Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chaunt, ye little birds,
And I sae weary, full of care?
Ye'll break my heart, ye little birds,
That wanton through the flow'ring thorn,
Ye mind me of departed joys,
Departed never to return.

Oft have I roved by Bonny Doon,
To see the rose and woodbine twine,
And ilka bird sang of its love,
And fondly sae did I o' mine.
Wi' light soms heart I pu'd a rose,
Full sweet upon its thorny tree;
But my false lover stole the rose,
And left the thorn behind wi' me.

[Mieke]

Highland Mary

Woorden door Robert Burns
Origineel een schotse melodie
Uit 1799

Burns schreef aan zijn vriend George Thomson over het gedicht waarop dit lied is gebaseerd: "het beviel me, ik denk dat het mijn vrolijkste manier is". Het verscheen in Thomson's "scottish air" en was op de muziek van "Katherine Ogle" gezet.
Dit was Mary's favoriete liedje. "het is zoet", zei ze. "het is zoet maar verdrietig", zei Laura.

Ietwat langzaam

Ye banks and braes and streams around
The castle o' Montgomery
Green be your Woods and fair your flowers,
Your waters never drumlie!
There summer first unfalds her robes,
And there the langest tarry;
For there I took the last fareweel
O'my sweet Highland Mary.

How sweetly bloomed the gay green birk,
How rich the hawthorn's blossom,
As underneath their fragrant shade,
I clasped her to my bosom!
The golden hours on angel wings
Flew o'er me and my dearie;
For dear to me as light and life,
Was my sweet Highland Mary.

Wi' mony a vow and lock'd embrace,
Our parting was fu' tender,
And, pledging aft to meet again,
We tore oursels asunder;
But, oh, fell death's untimely frost,
That nipped my flower sae early!
Now green's the sod and cauld's the clay
That wraps my Highland mary!

Oh, pale, pale now those rosy lips
I oft ha'e kiss'd sae fondly!
And closed for aye the sparkling glance,
That dwelt on me sae kindly!
And mouldering now in silent dust,
That heart that lo'ed me dearly;
But still within my bosom's core
Shall live my Highland Mary.

[Mieke]

Lily Dale

Woorden en muziek door H.S. Thompson
Uit 1852

Dit lied is een favoriet klaaglied voor vertrekkende ongetrouwde vrouw. De melodie werd een terugkerend thema voor "schottische" met veel variaties, maar het werd ook gebruikt voor een prachtige pianoversie.
Het was kerstavond in het huis onder de grond bij Plum Creek. Pa stemde de viool, bestreek de stok en zong over sweet Lily Dale.

Zachtjes, langzaam en simpel

'Twas a calm, still night,
And the moon's pale light
Shone soft o'er hill and vale,
When friends mute grief
Stood around the deathbed
Of my poor lost Lily Dale.

Refrein:
Oh! Lily, sweet Lily, dear Lily Dale,
Now the wind rose blossoms
O'er her little green grave,
'Neath the trees in the flow'ry vale.

"I go", she said, "To the land of rest,
And ere my strenght shall fail,
I must tell you where
Near my own loved home,
You must lay poor Lily Dale."

Refrein:
Oh! Lily, sweet Lily, dear Lily Dale,
Now the wind rose blossoms
O'er her little green grave,
'Neath the trees in the flow'ry vale.

"Neath the chestnut tree,
Where the wild flowers grow,
And the stream ripples forth through the vale,
Where the birds shall warble
Their songs in the spring
There lay poor Lily Dale"

Refrein:
Oh! Lily, sweet Lily, dear Lily Dale,
Now the wind rose blossoms
O'er her little green grave,
'Neath the trees in the flow'ry vale.

[Mieke]

My heart is Sair for Somebody

Woorden door Robert Burns
Origineel Schotse muziek
Uit 1796

Er zouden echo's van sentiment naar het Jacobitisme in dit lied zijn, naar James Stuart, de Oude Voorstander, waarover wel eens gesproken werd als "Iemand (Somebody)".
Het huis op de prairie was vol van kerstplannen en -verrassingen; er waren popcornballen en kleine zakjes met snoep in netjes van roze muskietengaas. Toen zei pa, "Laten we eerst wat muziek maken voor we aan al deze goede dingen beginnen".


Langzaam, met uitdrukking

My heart is sair, I dare na tell,
My heart is sair for somebody,
O, I could wake a winternight,
A' for the sake o'somebody!

Refrein:
O, hone! for somebody!
Ohey! for somebody!
I could range the world around
For the sake of Somebody.

Ye pow'rs that smile on virtuous love,
O, sweetly smile on somebody.
Frae ilka danger keep him free,
And send me safe my somebody.

Refrein:
O hone! for somebody!
Ohey! for Somebody!
I would do, what would I not,
For the sake o'somebody?

[Mieke]

Kitty Wells

Woorden door Thomas Sloan, Jr.
Muziek dor Charles E. Atheron
Uit circa 1850

Vaak wordt dit lied ook "Katy Wells"genoemd en het lied werd meestal uit herinnering overgedragen waardoor verschillende versies ontstonden. Het werd vaak gezongen in de bewoonde gebieden van de USA.
Laura en Mary lagen lekker ingestopt in het onderschuifbed. Ma's handen waren druk bezig met naaien bij het lamplicht. Pa vette zijn laarzen in. Hij floot vrolijk tijdens het werken, daarna zong hij deze ballade.

Gemiddeld langzaam, met sentiment

You ask what causes me to weep,
Why he like others is not gay,
What makes the tear flow down his cheek
From early mont 'til close of day.
My story, dear friends, you shall hear,
For in my mem'ry fresh dwells,
'Twill cause you all to drop a tear
On het grave of my sweet Kitty Wells.

refrein:
The birds were singing in the morning,
And the myrtle and the ivy were in bloom,
And the sun o'er the hills was adawning,
"Twas then that I laid her in the tomb.

I never shall forget the day
That we together roamed the dells;
I kissed her cheek and named the day
That I should marry Kitty Wells.
But death came in my cabindoor
And took from me my joy, my bride,
And when I found she was no more,
Then I laid my banjo down and cried.

refrein:
The birds were singing in the morning,
And the myrtle and the ivy were in bloom,
And the sun o'er the hills was adawning,
"Twas then that I laid her in the tomb.

I often wish that I was dead
And laid beside her in the tomb;
The sorrow that bows down my head
Is silent in the midnight gloom.
The springtime has no charms for me
Though flowers are blooming in the dells,
For that bright form I do not see,
"Tis the form my sweet Kitty Wells.

refrein:
The birds were singing in the morning,
And the myrtle and the ivy were in bloom,
And the sun o'er the hills was adawning,
"Twas then that I laid her in the tomb.

[Gast]

Dat is grappig, er is een beroemde country zangeres die haar artiestennaam heeft vernoemd naar een heel oud liedje.
Inderdaad Kitty Wells.
(zie laatste liedje vorige pagina)

Ik ken dit liedje ook, maar heb nooit de link gelegd.
Kijk en luister hier maar eens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcTp2RhjLW4