Højt på en gren en krage


Country of origin: Denmark
Type: långdans
Formation: line of dancers (couples not necessary), with R hand over own chest, holding L hand of neighbour on the right, neighbour's L arm tucked under own R arm, and own L hand on L neighbour's chest.
Step: vikivakka
Music: [PDF file], [midi file]

Danish text:

Højt på en gren en krage
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Højt på en gren en krage sad

Så kom en hæslig jæger,
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Så kom en hæslig jæger hen

Han skød den stakkels krage,
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Han skød den stakkels krage ned

Nu er den stakkels krage,
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Nu er den stakkels krage død

Og da et år var gået,
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Og da et år var gået hen

Da var den krage atter,
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Da var den krage atter levende

Så blev de alle glade
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Så blev de alle glade igen

English translation:

High on a branch a crow
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
High on a branch a crow sat

Along a gruesome hunter
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Along a gruesome hunter came

He shot the poor crow
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
He shot the poor crow down

Now the poor crow is
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Now the poor crow is dead

And after a year was gone
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
And after a year was gone by

Then the crow was resurr..
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Then the crow was resurrected

And all the people were glad
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
And all the people were glad again

English scanning version:

High in a tree a cuckoo
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
High in a tree a cuckoo sang

Along a ruthless hunter
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Along a ruthless hunter came

He shot the singing cuckoo
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
He shot the singing cuckoo down

And now the singing cuckoo was
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
And now the singing cuckoo was dead

But after one whole year had gone
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
But after one whole year had gone by

Again the cuckoo in the tree
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
Again the cuckoo in the tree sang.

And all the people loved it so
Simsaladim bam basala dusala dim
And all the people loved it so much.

Note: In the original German this was a political protest song, the singing cuckoo was a metaphor for freedom, and the hunter a metaphor for repression.


Based on <http://www.ugle.dk/hoejt_paa_en_gren_en_krage.html>
Expanded Danish version by Pastor Elisabeth Arendt, Toronto, 2011-09-21
English scanning version largely by Peter Renzland, Toronto, 2012-02-26
Description and translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville 2011-10-15, rev. 2012-08-03


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