Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics from a song dad sang in my yo
From: kytrad
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 06:09 PM

Across the fields of gold and green
A young boy's head is plainly seen

A-hoo-ya, hoo-ya, hoo-ya-ya
Swiftly flowing Labe (repeat these 2 lines)

O no, 'tis not a young boy's head-
'Tis Ifka's castlespires instead!

A-hoo-ya, etc.

This also is Czech, I think. I learned it at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina, long ago in my youth!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics from a song dad sang in my yo
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 06:11 PM

Is that all of it, Jean? There is nothing on the web.

Subject: Origins: Lyr Req: Above a plain??
From: itsRena
Date: 09 Feb 06 - 03:21 PM

Another one of my favorites is what I remember calling 'Above a Plain'

I just signed up as a member yesterday after reading through all the 'Old Girl Scout Songs' thread. All the information has been very helpful with the song research that I'm doing. I'm not a girl scout but a 1960's campfire girl from Camp Nawakwa in So. Cal. As a [I went by 'Sam'] campfire girl I see that we all love & sing many of the same songs.



Here is how I sing it:

Above a a plain of golden and green
a young boy's head is planely seen

Awh, who-yah-who-yah-who-yah-yah
swiftly flowing water
Awh, who-yah-who-yah-who-yah-yah
swiftly flowing water (la-beh-e) sp?

But notice not his lifted head
'tis Ifka's castle spire instead

Awh, who-yah-who-yah-who-yah-yah
swiftly flowing water
Awh, who-yah-who-yah-who-yah-yah
swiftly flowing water (la-beh-e)sp?

---I sing it in rounds---

Thanks again for your help!
rena

Subject: ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 02:54 AM

Hi, Rena - I found it at the Four Winds Camp Songbook, but then I verified the text from a songbook called Happy Meeting: Folk Songs from Czechoslovakia (World Around Songs).

Above a Plain (Swiftly Flowing Labe)
(Czech Marching Tune)
(arranged by Fjeril Hess and Lilian Jackson)

Above a plain of gold and green,
A young boy's head is plainly seen

Chorus:
Huya, huya, huya,ya, Swiftly flowing water
Huya, huya, huya,ya, Swiftly flowing Labe.

But no, 'tis not his lifting head,
'Tis Ifca's castle spires instead.
(Chorus)

For our pleasure it was made,
This gray old building deep in shade.
(Chorus)


"Labe" is the Elbe River (it's "La-be," two syllables).

The song is included as "Swiftly Flowing Labe" in The Ditty Bag a songbook compiled in 1946 by Janet E. Tobitt. This translation originally appeared in The Song Book of the Y.W.C.A., 1926.

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Click to play

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I'm still looking for River in My Heart, but no cigar there.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyr Req/ADD: Above a plain??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 01:22 PM

MIDI added. This Google Search will take you to some castles along the Labe River. This one is particularly notable.

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Click to play

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,Robin 'Arty"
Date: 26 Jan 07 - 01:50 PM

Hi Sam, I think we know each other. Seeing as how it's been a year since you were on this site, you might not find my message, but "hi". Remember the Mt. Whitney trip? I have some photos.

I answered your "River' song question a couple of weeks ago, but now I have found this other thread. There is no personal message feature here, so please look for me at:
http://www.ganeshahighschool.com/
Type Nawakwa in the search window.

Robin (Arty)

---

Hi, Robin - I sent Sam an e-mail. I can't release e-mail information, but I can do that much for you.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,itsrena
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 10:53 PM

hey Robin,

couldent find a search window. . . checkout clubhouserecords.com. . . the site is not very up to date but all the info is correct you can get ahold of me there.

bye,rena

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 07 - 05:43 PM

Rena/Sam~ Found your photo... yep, that's you! We were at Nawakwa together several summers. The biggie, of course, was the backpacking trip along the John Muir trail and up Mt. Whitney. (I have photos and a scanner!)   I was friends with Laurie, who you probably remember. The last time I saw you, you were working in a shop at the Montclair Plaza and I was home from college for a few days.

Joe~ THANKS so much!

~Robin / Arty

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,Robin 'Arty'
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 06:31 PM

Rena~

I remember that you brought a guitar to camp that inspired many of us to get guitars of our own. Thank you for that. I loved singing rounds when we had enough people to maintain the parts.

Your version of Rise! (Up O Flame) is awesome. I've been hearing it in my head all day while running errands. I also love Paddle. Very lovely. Lots of them are goodies, but those are sticking with me for now.

Apologies if I was wrong about you being on the Whitney trip. Wishful thinking on my part, wanting to find someone else from that adventure.

Robin

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: GUEST,ifcas castle
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 06:29 PM

I'm looking for some info on ifcas castle. everything I've searched has brought me right back in a circle. Is it a real castle ? My daughter and her choir are singing the song and would like some background on it . Please anyone with any info would be great. Even pics of the castle if there is one.

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 04:39 AM

I don't think we were ever able to tie down the significance of Ifca's castle. For that matter, I don't think we ever found Czech lyrics or a correct spelling of the Czech name of the castle.
http://www.czechcastles.com/ has lots of information about Czech castles - but not about this one.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 01:50 AM

WHAT???
Nobody knows this castle?
I was in the Czech Republic a couple years ago, but the only castle I saw was the big one in Prague. One Website says there are 2,000 castles in the Czech Republic, mostly in ruins.
It's a wonderful country to visit - I'll vouch for that.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing
From: GUEST,Guest, TLC
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 10:48 AM

My mother of Irish/Welsh/Cornish descent taught the song to us this way:

All the same as above but last part:

But, no, tis not a boy at all;
'Tis Ifgus (spelling is just phonetic) Castle spires so tall.

I have been looking for an Irish spelling for the castle and no luck in the Bristish Isles either.

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: Melissa
Date: 04 Aug 08 - 04:46 AM

We learned/taught 'no, tis not a boy at all' at camp.
..one of my favorite long rounds.

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 11 Aug 08 - 07:35 AM

When I was young, my mother sang this to me.   She told me it was hawaiian.

Dave

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,Elizabeth, Wisconsin
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 05:04 PM

This song is almost dangerous! You begin singing or humming it, and you can't stop. But you can't remember all of the words, so it drives you to distraction. Please, if anyone is sitting on those lyrics, let them out! I have begun to lean on The Happy Wanderer in the meantime, but would really appreciate knowing all the lyrics and historic background of Ifka's Castle.

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 04:24 PM

We sang it in girl scout camp long ago. Very pretty tune. I think I have seen the Czech words somewhere. mg

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,dogboysdad
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 10:29 PM

I remember this song from childhood. I have not heard it for 30+ years.

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 11:27 PM

Learned this in third grade in the 1950s. Imagine, a singing class in public school! Loved it then, love it now, but my mother once pointed out to me the illogic of the lyrics: not much resemblance between the head of a young boy and the spires of a castle. -- Katie Watts

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing Labe
From: GUEST,Felice
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 12:48 AM

I learned "Above a Plain" at Camp Barree, Hemlock Girl Scout Council's resident camp in Barree, PA in the 1970's. We were taught it as follows:

Above a plain of golden green
A young boy's head is plainly seen.

Refrain:
A hoya hoya hoya yaaa, swiftly flowing laaabeee
A hoya hoya hoya yaaa, swiftly flowing laaabeee.

Oh wo, 'til not his lifted head
'tis Ifca's castle's spires instead.

Refrain

And for our pleasure it was made
This grand old castle, deep in shade.

Subject: RE: Origins:/ADD: Above a Plain / Swiftly Flowing
From: Artful Codger
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 06:26 PM

The tune and chorus (at least) belong to this song, which is a Slovak (one source says Moravian) folk song, sometimes performed as a round:

IŠLA MARINA

Išla Marina do cintorína,
Šuhajček za ňou s holbičkou vína.
Huja, huja, hujajá, teče voda kalná,
Huja, huja, hujajá, teče voda z hor.

Počkaj, Marina, napij se vína,
Budeš červená ako malina.
Huja, huja...

Nechcem ja vína, ani pálenia,
Mala bych potom srdca bolenia.
Huja, huja...


Translation:
Mirina went to the cemetery;
A young man [following] after her with a mug of wine.
Huja, huja, huja-ja, the water flows muddy,
Huja, huja, huja-ja, the water flows from the mountains.

Wait, Marina, drink some wine
You'll be as red as the raspberry.

I don't want wine or brandy
Because then my heart would ache.

I haven't found a version anywhere close to the English translation. As is common when "translating" earthy folks songs for impressionable Girl Scouts, I suspect the authors considered a glancing resemblance to the original would suffice. Though it wouldn't surprise me if this song had a number of regional variants or additional verses.

Subject: Lyr Add: Isla Marina
From: Artful Codger
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 07:05 PM

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