Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor

Subject: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 09:35 PM

Sadie Damascus sang this song today, and I think I've heard Arlene Immerman sing it. Sadie said this is NOT a version of "O Death," but I dunno - heck, it's a Conversation with Death, isn't it? Sadie said she got the song from Deborah Sandler, so I asked Deborah for the lyrics. Here's her response. Anybody know anything more about this, or the German song/tale it came from?

I don’t actually know the title of the song. I just call it the Death Song. I got it from the singing of Pete Cooper, when he used to sing and perform with Holly Tannen - way back in the day. It is apparently an adaptation of an old German folk tale. I can’t remember if he was the one who set it to music or not.

Anyway, here are the words:

DEATH SONG

If you don’t believe me, friends, that’s fine,
But last night I sat drinking wine.
Death came in without a sound,
Death came in and he sat him down.

Chorus:
Hop hop hop hop, fa la la la,
Don’t you believe that Death was there?
Hop hop hop hop fa la la la la la, la la la la la la la.

He shook the robe back from his head,
His face a skull, his eyes flashed red.
“Put down that bottle, you’ve had your spree,
Put down that bottle and come with me!”

Chorus

“Well, Death, I’d gladly heed your call,
But I have scarcely lived at all.
Alone I sit here every night,
I drink and read by candlelight.”

Chorus

“I’ve studied hard now, many’s the year,
Medicine shall be my career.
To you, dear Death, if I may live,
Half my patients to you I’ll give.”

Chorus

“Very well,” says Death, “It’s agreed.
A long life, Doctor, you may lead.
Serve me of your own free will,
Until of life you have had your fill.”

Chorus

He took the glass in his long bony hand.
“Here’s a health to the plague in every land!
Here’s a health to sickness in every town!”
And then he drained the glass and he smashed it down!

Chorus (twice)

I didn’t know other people were singing this song too! It’s probably getting folk processed all over the place. These words are true to the way I learned it - I don’t think the words or tune have been changed at all from how I originally heard it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: cnd
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 07:08 PM

Are we sure Holly Tannen and Peter Cooper is the right reference? Their recording, titled "Conversation with Death" (listen) is a pretty standard rendition of O Death, as recorded by Ralph Stanley, among others. Cooper's solo recording, which can be heard on Dave Arthur's Return Journey (click) is also not it, though I can only find a 33 second sample at the moment.

Subject: RE: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Oct 21 - 04:30 AM

I'm not giving up on this sucker. I emailed Holly Tannen. Hope she can set us straight.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: GUEST,Holly
Date: 29 Oct 21 - 04:43 PM

Hi Joe, Sadie, and Arlene, CND, Mudkittens and Pete!

Lorbass – Wie Es Uns GefälltHi Joe, Sadie, and Arlene ( and Pete!)

Pete and I had this album when we lived in Yorkshire. We liked Der Tod and he may have translated it - I don’t remember.
Pete, over to you?

Happy (?) Day of the Dead,


HollyLabel:        Burlington – BURL 004
Format:        Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:        UK
Released:        1979
Lorbass

A3                Der Tod
Lyrics By – Lessing*
Music By – Anonymous

Pete and I had this album when we lived in Yorkshire. We liked Der Tod and he may have translated it - I don’t remember.
Pete, over to you?

Happy (or at least Grateful) Day of the Dead,


Holly

Subject: ADD: Der Tod (Lessing)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Oct 21 - 05:58 PM

Ah, schönen Dank, Holly!


DER TOD
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Gestern, Brüder, könnt ihrs glauben?
Gestern bei dem Saft der Trauben,
(Bildet euch mein Schrecken ein!)
Kam der Tod zu mir herein.

Drohend schwang er seine Hippe,
Drohend sprach das Furchtgerippe:
Fort, du teurer Bacchusknecht!
Fort, du hast genug gezecht!

Lieber Tod, sprach ich mit Tränen,
Solltest du nach mir dich sehnen?
Sieh, da stehet Wein für dich!
Lieber Tod verschone mich!

Lächelnd greift er nach dem Glase;
Lächelnd macht ers auf der Base,
Auf der Pest, Gesundheit leer;
Lächelnd setzt ers wieder her.

Fröhlich glaub' ich mich befreiet,
Als er schnell sein Drohn erneuet.
Narre, für dein Gläschen Wein
Denkst du, spricht er, los zu sein?

Tod, bat ich, ich möcht' auf Erden
Gern ein Mediziner werden.
Laß mich: ich verspreche dir
Meine Kranken halb dafür.

Gut, wenn das ist, magst du leben:
Ruft er. Nur sei mir ergeben.
Lebe, bis du satt geküßt,
Und des Trinkens müde bist.

O! wie schön klingt dies den Ohren!
Tod, du hast mich neu geboren.
Dieses Glas voll Rebensaft,
Tod, auf gute Brüderschaft!

Ewig muß ich also leben,
Ewig! denn, beim Gott der Reben!
Ewig soll mich Lieb' und Wein,
Ewig Wein und Lieb' erfreun!


Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
(* 22.01.1729, † 15.02.1781)

Oliver Steller singt Gotthold Ephraim Lessing - Der Tod

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do0idjhWyHo

Subject: RE: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Oct 21 - 06:02 PM

DEATH (Google Translation)

Yesterday, brothers, can you believe it?
Yesterday by the juice of the grapes
(Imagine my horror!)
Death came in to me

Threateningly he swung his hip,
The fearful skeleton spoke threateningly:
Away, you dear Bacchus servant!
Gone, you've drank enough!

Dear death, I said with tears,
Should you long for me
See, there is wine for you!
Dear death spare me!

Smiling, he reaches for the glass;
He smiles on the base,
On the plague, health empty;
He smiles and restores it.

I happily believe I freed myself
When he quickly renews his drone.
Fool for your glass of wine
Do you think he is talking about being loose?

Death, I asked, I would like to be on earth
Happy to be a medic.
Leave me alone: ??I promise you
My sick half for it.

Well if that is, may you live:
Calls he. Just be devoted to me.
Live until you kissed enough
And are tired of drinking.

O! how beautiful this sounds to the ears!
Death, you reborn me.
This glass of grape juice
Death, to good brotherhood!

I have to live forever
Eternal! because, by the God of the vines!
I shall love and wine forever,
Enjoy wine and love forever!


I'll clean this up later, but it shows that the lyrics Deborah gave me are not far from the original.

Subject: RE: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Oct 21 - 02:09 AM

Robert Rodriquez says he knows this as a German folktale from Grimm called "godfather death.". He also wonders if it is connected to "The Cockerham Devil," recorded by Roberts and Barrand.

Lots of stuff to explore here. I'm not sure that I agree with Robert's connections, but he gave me some good stuff to look into.

Subject: RE: Origins: Death Song / Death and the Doctor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 21 - 08:40 PM

And an email from Pete Cooper:

Hi Holly, Joe etc

I translated the text in 1979 or 1980 from the German of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and Holly improved a couple of lines in the second and third verses. I sang it as a song for a while to a melody I made up, but can no longer remember. I wonder where Deborah heard me singing it. I don’t recall it being in our performing repertoire for very long. How strange that it should have this afterlife!

Best wishes

Pete