Oh du lieber Augustin
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"Oh du lieber Augustin" is a Viennese folk song. In 1679 the bubonic plague became epidemic in Vienna (see Great Plague of Vienna). Lieber Augustin was a popular street musician, who, according to legend, fell into a pit filled with bodies of plague victims, late at night when he was drunk. Augustin did not contract the disease, which may have been owed to the influence of the alcohol. The story lives on in the song Oh du lieber Augustin.
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[edit] Text of the song
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- O, du lieber Augustin, Augustin, Augustin,
- O, du lieber Augustin, alles ist hin.
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- Geld ist weg, Mäd´l ist weg,
- Alles hin, Augustin.
- O, du lieber Augustin,
- Alles ist hin.
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- Rock ist weg, Stock ist weg,
- Augustin liegt im Dreck,
- O, du lieber Augustin,
- Alles ist hin.
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- Und selbst das reiche Wien,
- Hin ist's wie Augustin;
- Weint mit mir im gleichen Sinn,
- Alles ist hin!
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- Jeder Tag war ein Fest,
- Und was jetzt? Pest, die Pest!
- Nur ein groß' Leichenfest,
- Das ist der Rest.
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- Augustin, Augustin,
- Leg' nur ins Grab dich hin!
- Oh, du lieber Augustin,
- Alles ist hin!
Text and melody: Marx Augustin (1679)
[edit] Another Version
Refrain:
Ach, du lieber Augustin,
Augustin, Augustin,
Ach, du lieber Augustin,
Alles ist hin!
1. Geld ist hin, Mädl ist hin,
Alles ist hin, Augustin!
Ach, du lieber Augustin,
Alles ist hin!
Refrain
2. Rock ist weg, Stock ist weg,
Augustin liegt im Dreck.
Ach, du lieber Augustin,
Alles ist hin!
Refrain
3. Und selbst das reiche Wien,
Hin ist's wie Augustin;
Weint mit mir im gleichen Sinn,
Alles ist hin!
Refrain
4. Jeder Tag war ein Fest,
Jetzt haben wir die Pest!
Nur ein großes Leichenfest,
Das ist der Rest.
Refrain
5. Augustin, Augustin,
Leg' nur ins Grab dich hin!
Ach, du lieber Augustin,
Alles ist hin!
[edit] Translation
Refrain:
O, my dear friend Augustin
Augustin, Augustin,
O, my dear friend Augustin,
I just can't win!
1. Money's gone, girlfriend's gone,
I just can't win, Augustin!
O, my dear friend Augustin,
I just can't win!
Refrain
2. Coat is gone, staff is gone,
Augustin lies in the dirt.
O, my dear friend Augustin,
I just can't win!
Refrain
3. Even that rich town Vienna,
Broke is like Augustin;
Shed tears with thoughts akin,
I just can't win!
Refrain
4. Every day was a feast,
Now we just have the plague!
Just a great corpse's feast,
That is the rest.
Refrain
5. Augustin, Augustin,
Lay down in your grave!
O, my dear friend Augustin,
I just can't win!
REMARK:
The phrase O (or, alternatively, Ach) du lieber Augustin does literally mean "(Oh you) dear Augustin", but should probably be best translated as "Oh (you) poor Augustin!", since it most likely refers to the author himself. "Ach, du liebe(r)..." used to be a very common phrase of commiseration in German. (Note the approximately equivalent phrase "Oh dear (me)!" in English which also conveys an element of - more or less disagreeable - surprise, nothing to do with the adjective "dear".)
To preserve the rhythm of the song, perhaps "Oh you poor old Augustin" could be used.
[edit] ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION
O, my poor old Augustin
Augustin, Augustin,
O, my poor old Augustin,
I just can't win!
Money's gone, girlfriend's gone,
nothing left to go on!
O, my poor old Augustin,
I just can't win!
Coat is gone, staff is gone,
I am in the dirt alone.
O, my poor old Augustin,
I just can't win!
Even rich Vienna town,
she, too, has fallen down,
shedding tears with thoughts akin:
I just can't win!
Each day was holiday,
Now we just have the plague!
Nothing but a feast of death,
That is the rest.
Augustin, Augustin,
there's your grave, just fall in;
oh, my poor old Augustin,
I just can't win!
(The translation above is the intellectual property of the author. For terms of use, please refer to the author.)
