Als e gitarr - after the poem by André Weckmann
When I was living in Strasbourg I came across the poetry of André Weckmann, one of the most important proponents of the Alsacien language as a cultural force.
I chose his touching poem Als e gitarr to sing at a concert in support of the Green Party back in 1977 (they got ten percent of the vote that year) and Mr Weckmann himself was in the audience. He enjoyed my rendition (although he considered my pronunciation of the language a little "American" !).
Several years later, back in England, I recorded it, having translated the spoken parts into English but keeping the sung parts in Alsacien.
This is the recording - spoken part in chest voice and sung part in alto, with simple guitar accompaniment:
Download: Als e gitarr (mp3)
(Excuse the idiosyncratic spelling of the Alsacien, I no longer have the original and am basing it on memory!)
[narrator]
Do you remember?
You were sitting together on the banks of the old university
Do you remember?
behind you stood that great naked bearded statue
was it an ancient god or a philosopher?
Do you remember?
You were wearing that flowery miniskirt over your soft legs
and the boy beside you lay his face on your suntanned arm
Do you remember?
it was on the banks of the old university
and your lips would murmur:
[girl]
| ich ben dini gitarr ich ben d'wies vun dine nintzehn jahr ich ben dini gitarr ich ben d'wies vun dine nintzehn jahr heerscht de akoord en moll wie metall siede un holtz metall wie siede, siede wie metall und warmes dunkles holtz ich ben dini gitarr ich ben d'wies vun dine nintzehn jahr brün leiyet d'sunn uff minere hüt griyen leiyet die weyer en mim bleck wis steht e berike vor minere dür ich ben d'wies vun dine nintzehn jahr ich ben dini gitarr . . . . |
I am your guitar I am the tune of your nineteen years I am your guitar I am the tune of your nineteen years listen to the chord in major mode like metal silk and wood metal like silk, silk like metal and warm, dark wood I am your guitar I am the tune of your nineteen years the sun colours my skin brown the pool colours my eyes green the birch tree stands white before my door I am the tune of your nineteen years I am your guitar |
[narrator]
Do you remember?
Once he saw the dark night blue in your velvet eyes
And you walked side by side along the dusty streets
of Alabama
Once he saw the sun's blond and the northern sky blue
And you walked side by side along the cold byways
of Prague
Do you remember?
He once saw you, chestnut brown
and your green eyes sparkled with golden stars
and you walked side by side through the old streets
of Paris
and your lips would murmur:
[girl]
| ich ben dini gitarr ich ben d'lieb vun dine nintzehn jahr heersht min dantze en duur wie metall siede un holtz so hall wie metall so fijn wie siede und warm wie dunkles holtz Enger wisser berike han mer uns gfunde En brüne sunne han mer gebade üss griene wasser han mer gedrunke ich ben d'lieb vun dine nintzehn jahr ich ben dini gitarr |
I am your guitar I am the love of your nineteen years listen to me dance in major mode like metal silk and wood as bright as metal as fine as silk and warm like dark wood We found ourselves beneath the white birch tree We bathed in the brown sun We drank of the green water I am the love of your nineteen years I am your guitar |
[narrator]
Do you remember?
You found each other
knew each other
then lost each other
who knows where?
was it on a barricade or in a war?
who knows where?
And the naked philosopher with the ancient beard
stands alone behind your bench
at the old university
and knows nothing more of you
than the end of your song:
[girl]
| d'wisse berike füle uffm stock d'brün sunne han de rotschin d'grieyene wasser sen vergeft un nix mehr esch gebleve vun uns als e gitarr |
The white birch rots where it stands The brown sun is red and dying The green waters are poisoned And nothing is left of us But a guitar |