De Runner from Hamburg
The Shanty De Runner from Hamburg is a traditional song that can be found in the repertoire of many “shanty choirs ”. It was written by the Hamburg workers 'poet Heinrich Schacht and describes the arrival of a ship in the port of Hamburg , where so-called runners come on board to sell the seafarers' supplies. The runners use alcohol (“Kööm un Beer”) and cigars, which they give out free of charge, as an incentive to buy.
Type, origin and content of the song
De Runner von Hamburg is a shanty that was sung to work. It is a so-called “long drag shanty”, more precisely a halyard or fall shanty . A “ halyard ” is a long rope that is used, for example, to set sails. The rhythm of the chant helps collaborate as it helps pulling the case simultaneously while all the men sing the chorus. Heinrich Schacht designed the text based on songs of this kind, the melodies of which sailors in the American ports of New Orleans or Mobile listened to from the colored dockworkers and made their own with their own texts. The melody of De Runner Hamburg is a widespread Worksong borrowed, which occurs in many variations, and often under his Refrain Roll the cotton down is sung.
text
The lake rises, the wind, the blast
Oh, Kööm and Beer for mi!
Janmaat, the Fleit is never wasted
Oh, Kööm and Beer for my
trip out of the quarters and all on deck
Oh, Kööm ...
De Ool fiert off the Marsseils
Oh, Kööm ...
Un when
we came to Hamborg Because all of the Runners stahn
Elias röppt, then you bust
Ik see di not tom eersten Mal
You certainly bruukst a neen hoot
Ik heff wake up from the neeste Mood
Un ook certain a pocket-
look Un een never panties, the bruukts you ook
Un ook een pray seep and tweet
Un then One pound to'm Amuseern
Wi is dat with a lütten Kööm
Un een cigar, that tastes
nice and afmustert, that is sometimes clear
Wi geihn vun board and roar hurray!
Explanations of words
"Kööm." - eigtl Kom called caraway schnapps , the term is used in northern Germany to other varieties clear, strong alcohol, "Janmaat" - a sailor, "Fleit" - od flute vagina, "verbaast." - od intimidated, confused. , "Fiert" - v. let go of a line.
Sailor slang
The text describes the processes on a ship that has left the North Sea and is heading for Hamburg up the Elbe . The crew is called with the nautical wake-up call " Reise " (from English: rise ) from their rooms, the "Quartier", on deck. Meanwhile, the captain, known as “Ool” (flat for age), takes care of recovering the upper sails, the topsails . When the ship loses speed, the "runners" come on board. The word “runner” was used for men who went about all kinds of - sometimes dodgy - mobile businesses. It is related to the English expression "rum runner", which was used for alcohol smugglers and also for black markers. As the song shows, the Hamburg runners came on board before arriving and sometimes take advantage of the situation of the seafarers. On the one hand, by giving them alcohol, on the other hand, by persuading them to need certain things in order to look good on shore leave: sailors, who had often not set foot in the country for many months during the time of sailing, knew the current fashion Not. However, one of the sailors on board the ship that is being sung about is familiar with the "runners". He is referred to as “Elias”, an expression for a far-sighted sailor that goes back to the biblical prophet Elijah .
Versions
- Hannes Wader has on his album Wader sings shanties one of Hein Hoop arranged version with the title added "Kom un Beer för mi".
literature
- Jochen Wiegandt: At the corner there is a young man with a Tüdelband ... Hamburg song book and lexicon. 3. Edition. Dölling and Galitz Verlag, Hamburg 2001, ISBN 3-935549-13-X .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Eva High Rath, Rumold high Rath: Langenscheidt Lilliput Low German. Langenscheidt, Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-468-19905-9