Songs My Mother Taught Me Lyrics and Text Translation

Composed in 1880, within a set of songs called the Gypsy Songs, Dvorak's "Songs My Mother Taught Me" is one of the most famous and beloved songs of the set. Its memorable melody is both sad and optimistic. The texts are poems written by Adolf Heyduk in German. (Watch a YouTube video of Dvorak's "Songs My Mother Taught Me.")

German Text

Als die alte Mutter mich noch lehrte singen,
tränen in den Wimpern gar so oft ihr hingen.
Jetzt, wo ich die Kleinen selber üb im Sange,
rieselt's in den Bart oft,
rieselt's oft von der braunen Wange.

English Lyrics (by Natalia Macfarren )

Songs my mother taught me,
In the days long vanished;
Seldom from her eyelids
Were the teardrops banished.
Now I teach my children,
Each melodious measure.
Oft the tears are flowing,
Oft they flow from my memory's treasure.