Gute Fische in dem Flüsschen Spree
sind bei Tische ein superber Diner,
aber mische nicht mit Kalbsfillet
So eines gibt nicht in der Spree
Gute Fische in dem Flüsschen Spree
sind bei Tische ein superber Diner,
aber mische nicht mit Kalbsfillet
So eines gibt nicht in der Spree
~
Hoffen wir auf einen großen Fang,
müssen wir arbeiten Tage lang,
Gutes Bier und guter Arbeitssang
sind dann besonders von Belang
Hoffen wir auf einen großen Fang,
müssen wir arbeiten Tage lang,
Gutes Bier und guter Arbeitssang
ergaben einmal doch nur Tang
~
Mit dem helle oder weißen Wein,
die Forelle schmeckt fantastisch fein
Frikadellen lässt der Fischer sein
Vielleicht doch nehmen sie im Rhein?
Ja sym Serb, to kóždom' praju
Njech mje khwali, hani, jodå, hej
Rodźeny sym w serbskim kraju hdźež
su ludźo khmani, jodå, hej
Good fish in the little river Spree
are a superb dinner at the table,
but don't mix with veal fillet
There's nothing like that in the Spree
Good fish in the little river Spree
are a superb dinner at the table,
but don't mix with veal fillet
There's nothing like that in the Spree
~
If we're hoping for a big catch,
we must work for days
Good beer and good work song
are especially important then
If we're hoping for a big catch,
we must work for days
Good beer and good work song
once yielded only seaweed
~
With light or white wine,
the trout tastes fantastically fine
The fisher leaves the meatballs alone
Perhaps they were caught in the Rhine?
I'm a Sorbian, I say this to everyone *
They may praise me, mock me, yes, hey
I was born in this Sorbian land where
people are capable, yes, hey
There's not really that much to explain here as far as I've gathered, it's just a song about some fishermen. The final verse in Sorbian is largely taken from a poem, "Ja sym Serb" by Jakub Šewčik, the exception being the "jodå, hej" closing every other line.
The title translates to "Sorbian Fisher Song". Sorbia is a region split between eastern Germany and western Poland. The Spree is a nearby river.
The last verse is in Sorbian, which is incredibly poorly documented online and therefore probably even worse documented when this was written. I've done my best to piece together what they're saying (it's part of a Sorbian poem from the early 1900s), the main exception being "jodå, hej" (added by the Swedes). "Hej" is usually just "hey", but I can't find anything for the first sounds except maybe something like "because of him/it" or "let him/it". Or "attack him/it" (for "joh da"). The interpretation I've kept here is that it may just be the emphatic "yes", "jodå", from Swedish.
11. Sorbisches Fischerlied
(Distributor Compilation)