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German Christmas Carols:
“O Tannenbaum”

 
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O TANNENBAUM

See a short history of the “Tannenbaum” song below.
 

DEUTSCH
Musik: Volksweise
Text: Ernst Anschütz, 1824

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur
  zur Sommerzeit,
Nein auch im Winter, wenn
  es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich
  was lehren:
Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
Gibt Trost und Kraft
  zu jeder Zeit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Das soll dein Kleid
  mich lehren.

ENGLISH
Traditional melody
Literal English translation - HF

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How loyal are your leaves/needles!
You're green not only
  in the summertime,
No, also in winter when
  it snows.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How loyal are your leaves/needles!

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
You can please me very much!
How often has not at Christmastime
A tree like you given me such joy!
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,
You can please me very much!

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Your dress wants to
  teach me something:
Your hope and durability
Provide comfort and strength
  at any time.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
That's what your dress should
  teach me.

MORE > Traditional English lyrics for this carol

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ABOUT THIS CAROL

A Tannenbaum is a fir tree (die Tanne) or Christmas tree (der Weihnachtsbaum). Although most Christmas trees today are Fichten (spruce) rather than Tannen, the qualities of the evergreen have inspired musicians to write several “Tannenbaum” songs in German over the years. The best known version (above) was penned in 1824 by a Leipzig organist named Ernst Anschütz. The melody is an old folk tune. The first known “Tannenbaum” song lyrics date back to 1550. A similar 1615 song by Melchior Franck (1573-1639) goes: “Ach Tannebaum, ach Tannebaum, du bist ein edler Zweig! Du grünest uns den Winter, die lieben Sommerzeit.” - The English version above is a literal prose translation, not the traditional English lyrics for the song. There are at least a dozen English versions of this carol.

MORE > Traditional English lyrics for this carol

 
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