The German Lyrics for Edelweiss

The German Lyrics for 'Edelweiss' If youre a fan of the The Sound of Music, then you probably have the words to Edelweiss memorized. But if you only know the song in English, its time to learn how to sing it in  German. Edelweiss is more than just a sweet song from a classic musical. Its also a good  example of how songs are translated into different languages. Though it was written in English for a 1959 American musical set in Austria  that was adapted as a movie in 1965, German lyrics werent written until later. It might surprise you to learn that the translation isnt exact; in fact, its not even close, except in the general sentiment. Before we get into the translation, heres some background on the song. Edelweiss Isnt German or Austrian The first thing you should know about Edelweiss is that its not an Austrian or German song. The only thing German about it is its title and the alpine flower itself. The song was written and composed by two Americans:  Richard Rodgers  (music) and  Oscar Hammerstein II  (lyrics). Hammerstein had a German heritage- his grandfather, Oscar Hammerstein I, was born in what is now Poland to a German-speaking Jewish family- but the song is strictly American. In the film, Captain von Trapp (played by  Christopher Plummer) sings an emotional version of Edelweiss, a resounding, memorable rendition that may have contributed to the false idea that its the Austrian national anthem. The second thing  to know about  Edelweiss is that it, like The Sound of Music, is virtually unknown in Austria. Although Salzburg, Austria, bills itself as The Sound of Music City, customers for The Sound of Music tours include very few Austrians or Germans. Edelweiß der Liedtext (Edelweiss Lyrics) Music by Richard RogersEnglish Lyrics by  Oscar HammersteinDeutsch: UnknownMusical: The Sound of Music Edelweiss is a very simple song no matter which language you choose to sing it in. Its a great way to practice your German with a tune that you probably already know. Both the German and English lyrics are below. Notice how each language uses the songs rhythm and has  the same or nearly the same number of syllables per line. Both sets of lyrics have a romantic feel, not only in the meaning of the words  but also in how they sound. German Lyrics English Lyrics Direct Translation Edelweiß, Edelweiß, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Edelweiss Du grà ¼ÃƒÅ¸t mich jeden Morgen, Every morning you greet me You greet me every morning, Sehe ich dich, Small and white, I see you, Freue ich mich, clean and bright I am looking, Und vergess' meine Sorgen. You look happy to meet me. And I forget my worries. Schmà ¼cke das Heimatland, Blossom of snow Decorate the home country, Schà ¶n und weiß, may you bloom and grow, Beautiful and white, Blà ¼hest wie die Sterne. Bloom and grow forever. Flourishing like the stars. Edelweiß, Edelweiß, Edelweiss, Edelweis, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Ach, ich hab dich so gerne. Bless my homeland forever. Oh, I love you so much. An  Example of How Songs Are Translated In translating songs, how they sound and flow with the music is more important than an exact transliteration of the words. Thats why the German translation is significantly different from  Hammersteins English lyrics. We dont know who wrote the German lyrics for Edelweiss, yet he or she did a good job of retaining the meaning of Hammersteins song. Its interesting to compare all three versions side by side so we can see how musical translations work.