German Folk - Des Geyers schwarzer Haufen (English translation)

German Folk – Des Geyers schwarzer Haufen

English translation

German

Original lyrics

Des Geyers schwarzer Haufen

Wir sind des Geyers schwarzer Haufen, heia hoho

Und wollen mit Tyrannen raufen, heia hoho

[Refrain:]

Spieß voran, drauf und dran

Setzt aufs Klosterdach den roten Hahn

Spieß voran, drauf und dran

Setzt aufs Klosterdach den roten Hahn

Wir wollens dem Herrn im Himmel klagen, kyrieleys

Daß wir den Pfaffen nicht dürfen totschlagen, kyrieleys

[Refrain]

Uns führt der Florian Geyer an, trotz Acht und Bann

Den Bundschuh führt er in der Fahn',

Hat Helm und Harnisch an

[Refrain]

Als Adam grub und Eva spann, kyrieleys

Wo war denn da der Edelmann? kyrieleys

[Refrain]

Des Edelmannes Kindelein, heia hoho

Das schicken wir in die Höll’ hinein, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Des Edelmannes Töchterlein, heia hoho

Soll heute uns’re Buhle sein, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Nun gilt es Schloß, Abtei und Stift, heia hoho

Uns gilt nichts als die Heil’ge Schrift, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Das Reich und der Kaiser hören uns nicht, heia hoho

Wir halten selber das Gericht, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Ein gleich’ Gesetz das wollen wir han’, heia hoho

Vom Fürsten bis zum Bauersmann, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Wir woll’n nicht länger sein ein Knecht, heia hoho

Leibeigen, frönig, ohne Recht, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Bei Weinsberg setzt es Brand und Stank, heia hoho

Gar mancher über die Klinge sprang, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Sie schlugen uns mit Prügeln platt, heia hoho

Und machten uns mit Hunger satt, heia hoho

[Refrain]

Geschlagen ziehen wir nach Haus, heia hoho

Uns’re Enkel fechten’s besser aus, heia hoho

[Refrain]

English

Translation

Geyer's black hordes

We are Geyer's black hordes, Heia Ho (1)

And want to fight the tyrants, Heia Ho (1a)

(Refrain:) Pike ahead ! on the verge !

Get the red rooster up the monastery

We want to implore the good Lord in heaven, kyrieleis

He won't let us kill these worthless priests. kyrieleis

Florian Geyer is our captain, even though an outlaw(1b)

The tied shoe he carries in his flag (2)

Wearing helmet and harness.

When Adam farmed and Eve spun flax, Kyrieleis

Well tell me, where was the nobleman ? Kyrieleis

The offspring of the nobleman, Heia Ho

We will send straight to hell !, Heia Ho

The daughter of the nobleman, Heia Ho

Shall be our harlot for today, Heia Ho (3)

Tell every castle, abbey and chapter, Heia Ho

We keep no vows, only holy writ, Heia Ho

Both Kaiser and Reich hear not our cause, Heia Ho

We shall be our own court of law, Heia Ho

The same lawbook for every man, Heia Ho

From the Prince down to the farmer-man, Heia Ho

We will no longer be your pawns, Heia Ho

In serfdom, drudgery, without rights, Heia Ho

At Weinsberg there is arson and bad blood, Heia Ho (4)

And some were put right to the sword, Heia Ho

They beat us flat with clubs, Heia Ho

And made us sick with famine, Heia Ho

Bruised and beaten we stagger back home, Heia Ho

Our grandchildren will put up a better fight, Heia Ho

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His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all
who play stringed instruments and pipes. (Genesis 4:21)

Submitted by

SaintMark on 2016-08-22

Author's comments:

(1) Florain Geyer of Giebelstadt, franconian nobleman and knight, was a leader in the peasant rebellion during the German Peasants' War.
(1a) In this version by "die Streuner" this line reads "wir wollen mit Pfaff und Adel raufen" meaning "we want to meddle with priest and nobleman."
(1b) Bann, Kirchenbann or "Anathema" was the hardest punishment one could undergo from the church, issued by the pope and people believed their souls would be sent into eternal hellfire. "Acht" or "Reichsacht" was a decree issued by the worldly ruler of a principality, that declared a person "vogelfrei" (outlaw). Everybody was free to kill him or forward him to jurisdiction, which mostly meant death or at least a very long prison sentence.
(2) the "Bundschuh" movement (tied shoe) was a loosely linked series of localized peasant rebellions in SW germany between 1493 and 1517 and part of the German Peasants' War.
(3) Buhle, an archaic german word for "lover"
(4) Weinsberg, a municipality near Heilbronn, a city in swabia, South Germany.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weinsberg