Hamborger Veermaster
Encyclopedia
´De Hamborger Veermaster´ (Standard German
: ´Der Hamburger Viermaster´, English
: Hamburg's four-master) is a famous sea shanty
sung in Low German
. It is partly in English
(an adaptation of the shanty "The Banks of the Sacramento") and partly in Low German
. It was – and is still sometimes, in particular in Northern Germany
–, the historical geographical distribution of Low German, sung as a work song.
Some claim that the "four-master" was the Hamburg America Line
sailing ship
Deutschland which at that time was used in transatlantic emigrant transport, but it is unclear whether any specific vessel is in fact referred to. In any case, this is in marked contrast to "The Banks of the Sacramento", which follows a similar pattern but deals with a fast and seaworthy ship travelling the Clipper route
and taking "never more than seventy days" "[f]rom Limehouse
Docks to Sydney Heads
"http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/sea-shanty/Banks_of_the_Sacramento.htm.
Standard German
Standard German is the standard variety of the German language used as a written language, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas...
: ´Der Hamburger Viermaster´, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Hamburg's four-master) is a famous sea shanty
Sea shanty
A shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...
sung in Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
. It is partly in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(an adaptation of the shanty "The Banks of the Sacramento") and partly in Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
. It was – and is still sometimes, in particular in Northern Germany
Northern Germany
- Geography :The key terrain features of North Germany are the marshes along the coastline of the North Sea and Baltic Sea, and the geest and heaths inland. Also prominent are the low hills of the Baltic Uplands, the ground moraines, end moraines, sandur, glacial valleys, bogs, and Luch...
–, the historical geographical distribution of Low German, sung as a work song.
Some claim that the "four-master" was the Hamburg America Line
Hamburg America Line
The Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft was a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg, Germany during...
sailing ship
Sailing ship
The term sailing ship is now used to refer to any large wind-powered vessel. In technical terms, a ship was a sailing vessel with a specific rig of at least three masts, square rigged on all of them, making the sailing adjective redundant. In popular usage "ship" became associated with all large...
Deutschland which at that time was used in transatlantic emigrant transport, but it is unclear whether any specific vessel is in fact referred to. In any case, this is in marked contrast to "The Banks of the Sacramento", which follows a similar pattern but deals with a fast and seaworthy ship travelling the Clipper route
Clipper route
In sailing, the clipper route was the traditional route sailed by clipper ships between Europe and the Far East, Australia and New Zealand. The route ran from west to east through the Southern Ocean, in order to make use of the strong westerly winds of the Roaring Forties...
and taking "never more than seventy days" "[f]rom Limehouse
Limehouse
Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff to the west and Millwall to the east....
Docks to Sydney Heads
Sydney Heads
Sydney Heads , is the entrance to Port Jackson in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.North Head and Quarantine Head are to the north, South Head and Dunbar Head are to the south. Middle Head, Georges Head and Chowder Head are to the west and within the bay...
"http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/sea-shanty/Banks_of_the_Sacramento.htm.
Text
| German lyrics | Literal English translation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Verse 1 | |||
| Refrain | |||
| There's plenty of gold, so I am told, | There's plenty of gold, so I am told, | ||
| Verse 2 | |||
| Verse 3 | |||
| De Kombüs weer vull Lüüs, de Kajüt weer vull Schiet, | |||
| Verse 4 | |||
| Verse 5 | |||
| Verse 6 | |||
External links
- Hamborger Veermaster with Text and midi files (in German)