Seven songs to learn by tomorrow

picture from www.sengers.ch


I just received the songs we'll be singing at the lantern walk tomorrow night. God help me. They are all in Swyzerdütsch!

My neighbor was sweet enough to bring them over this morning along with some turnips to carve for the children's Laterne.
(And if she's reading this, "HALLO! DANKE VIELMAL.")

Luckily, a couple of the songs we are familiar with...in English... of course the English versions of these songs are different than the high German versions. And then I must add that the Swiss German versions are even more different, even so from the high German, including different notes. Is it too much to ask that they use the same notes?

We're going to spend the day working on it... in between writing and cleaning and cooking and blowing our noses...

Here's but one of the songs.
I think it says something about a turnip light... and when the wind blows the light out, you go home. But ask me how to pronounce these words, and my eyes go round and my mouth drops open.

Rääbeliechtli, Rääbeliechtli, wo gahsch hii?
I die tunkli Nacht, ohni Sterneschy.
Da mues mys Liechtli sy.

Rääbeliechtli, Rääbeliechtli, wo bisch gsii?
Dur d Straass duruuf un s Gässli ab.
Gäll, Liechtli, lösch nüd aab.

Rääbeliechtli, Rääbeliechtli, wänn gasch hei?
Wänn de Büswind blaast
und mer s Liechtli löscht,
dann gann i wider hei.

Seven songs. Many with multiple verses. I'm only freaking out a little bit.


The above turnip lantern is borrowed from the Swiss Räbechilbi site. For more turnips, go visit the site HERE. They are amazing!

If you know the author/copyright owner of the Rääbeliechtli song, please let me know so I can give them full credit. Thanks!