Auf der Lüneburger Heide

The song Auf der Lüneburger Heide ("On the Lüneburg Heath") was composed in 1912 by Ludwig Rahlfs based on a poem from the collection Der kleine Rosengarten ("The Little Rose Garden") by Hermann Löns.

It is often played at folk festivals in this region of north Germany and is also frequently part of the repertoire of local choral societies.

It gained fame outside the Lüneburg Heath as a result of the 1951 film Grün ist die Heide ("Green is the Heath") with Kurt Reimann as the singer and the 1972 film of the same name in which Roy Black sings the heathland song. Various musicians have publicised their own interpretations of the song, for example the tenor Rudolf Schock on his CD Stimme für Millionen ("Voice for Millions"). The Slovenian industrial band Laibach used the song in 1988 on their cover version of the Beatles album Let It be, where under the title Maggie Mae, instead of the folk song used by the Beatles an unfamiliar version of Auf der Lüneburger Heide (first and third verses) may be heard.

Text and English translation

1. Auf der Lüneburger Heide In dem wunderschönen Land Ging ich auf und ging ich unter Allerlei am Weg ich fand Valleri Vallera ha ha ha Und Juheirassa :| Bester Schatz :| Denn du weißt :| es ja 2. Brüder laßt die Gläser klingen Denn der Muskateller Wein Wird vom langen Stehen sauer Ausgetrunken muß er sein Valleri . . . 3. Und die Bracken und die bellen Und die Büchse und die knallt Rote Hirsche woll'n wir jagen In dem grünen, grünen Wald Valleri . . . 4. Ei du Hübsche, ei du Feine Ei du Bild wie Milch und Blut Unsere Herzen woll'n wir tauschen Denn du glaubst nicht wie das tut Valleri . . .

1. On the Lüneburg Heath In that beautiful land I went up and I went down All sorts on the way I found Valleri Vallera ha ha ha And yoohirassah :| Dearest love :| For you know :| it sure 2. Brothers let our glasses clink For the Muscateller wine Will get sour from standing too long Every drop must be drunk up Valleri . . . 3. And the bracken and the barking And the rifle and the shot We are off to hunt red deer In the woods and forests green Valleri . . . 4. Oh my beauty, oh my fair one With your face of lilies and roses How we want to swap our hearts For you don't know how that feels Valleri . . .

See also

• Folk song
• Lüneburg Heath
• Folk music

External links

• Link with text and melody
• Auf der Lüneburger Heide by Paul Biste.
• Information about the poet Hermann Löns