O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast
(O säh' ich auf der Heide dort)
Music: Felix Mendelssohn "Volkslied" Op. 63 No.5
German Text: Ferdinand Freiligrath
O, säh ich auf der Heide dort
im Sturme dich
mit meinem Mantel vor dem Sturm
beschützt ich dich!
und kommt mit seinem Sturme je
dir Unglück nah
dann wär dies Herz dein Zufluchtsort
gern teilt ich´s ja!
O, wär ich in der Wüste die
so braun und dürr
zum Paradiese würde sie
wärst du bei mir!
Und wär ein König ich, und wär
die Erde mein
du wärst in meiner Krone doch
der schönste Stein!
[Felix Mendelssohn]
O säh ich auf der Heide dort, Op. 63 No. 5
Felicity Lott & Ann Murray
Original Text: Robert Burns
O, wert thou in the cauld blast
on yonder lea, on yonder lea,
My plaidie to the angry airt,
I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee,
Or did Misfortune's bitter storms
Around thee blaw, around thee blaw,
Thy bield should be my bosom,
To share it a', to share it a'.
Or were I in the wildest waste,
Sae black and bare, sae black and bare,
The desert were a Paradise,
If thou wert there, if thou wert there.
Or were I monarch of the globe,
Wi' thee to reign, wi' thee to reign,
The brightest jewel in my crown
Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.
O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast
Carol Laula
(In standard English)
O, were you in the cold blast
on yonder meadow, on yonder meadow,
My plaid to the angry direction,
I would shelter you, I would shelter you,
Or did Misfortune's bitter storms
Around you blow, around you blow,
Your shelter should be my bosom,
To share it all, to share it all.
Or were I in the wildest waste,
So black and bare, so black and bare,
The desert were a Paradise,
If you were there, if you were there.
Or were I monarch of the globe,
With you to reign, with you to reign,
The brightest jewel in my crown
Would be my queen, would be my queen.
Jessie Lewars
one of the last poems Robert Burns wrote, for the young girl
who nursed him in his dying days. She was Jessie Lewars and was
only 18 years of age when Burns died.
Of all the women in Robert Burns’s life, Jessie Lewars, was
the closest to the poet at the end of his life. She helped nurse
Burns in his final illness and later looked after his sons
following Burn's death and his wife, Jean's subsequent illness.
Burns was most appreciative and composed several pieces in her praise,
the most famous being this “O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast”.
The tune was originally set to 'Lennox Love to Blantyre' - Jessie's favorite.
In the new lyrics, Burns pledges to shelter and protect Jessie,
just as she did onto him and his family in real life.
Tune: Lennox Love to Blantyre
Jessie Lewars
one of the last poems Robert Burns wrote, for the young girl
who nursed him in his dying days. She was Jessie Lewars and was
only 18 years of age when Burns died.
Of all the women in Robert Burns’s life, Jessie Lewars, was
the closest to the poet at the end of his life. She helped nurse
Burns in his final illness and later looked after his sons
following Burn's death and his wife, Jean's subsequent illness.
Burns was most appreciative and composed several pieces in her praise,
the most famous being this “O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast”.
The tune was originally set to 'Lennox Love to Blantyre' - Jessie's favorite.
In the new lyrics, Burns pledges to shelter and protect Jessie,
just as she did onto him and his family in real life.
Tune: Lennox Love to Blantyre