A Look at "Die Schwarze Barbara"

Thanks to the author of the article, Jürgen Menck, and
Monika Hall for this lovely photo of Young Heino.

You may have heard Heino sing "Die Schwarze Barbara" but did you know that what you heard is actually a censored version of the original song, "Am Wald in der Schenke zum Kürassier"? Or did you even know what it's all about in the first place? Join us and compare the original lyrics by Wolfgang Kummer with Heino's version (credited to Kummer, Mohr, Jung and Schatz).

We found Kummer's lyrics in this Volkslied collection .
The lyrics of Heino's version were copied directly from the 1975 recording of the song.

1st verse, original version:

Am Wald in der Schenke "Zum Kürassier"
Pocht zur Nachtzeit durstig an.
Und es öffnet die schwarze Barbara
Und es schenkte der große Johann!
Schenk' ein, Johann!
Dein Krätzer brennt und raubt mir den Verstand.
|: Wär' deine schwarze Tochter nicht,
Du hätt'st mich nie gekannt. :|

At night the narrator (N) arrives at the "Cuirassier's Inn". He finds the wine to be awful but he stays anyway because he likes the inn-keeper's black-haired daughter, Barbara.

1st verse, Heino's version:

Im Wald in der Schenke "Zum Kürassier"
Klopf zur Nachtzeit durstig ich an.
Es öffnet die schwarze Barbara,
Es schenkt ein der grobe Johann.
Schenkt ein, schenkt ein,
Herr Wirt, schenkt ein!
Dein Krätzer brennt und raubt mir den Verstand.
|: Wär' deine schwarze Tochter nicht,
Du hätt'st mich nie gekannt. :|

It's almost the same as in the original, except that the inn is located inside the forest rather than on it's edge, and the inn-keeper is referred to as "rude Joe" instead of "big Joe". (Both may be appropriate.)

Chorus, Heino's version only:

Ja, ja, die Schönste auf der Welt
Ist meine Barbara
Was mir an ihr gefällt,
Das ist ihr schwarzes Haar!
Sie hat so himmel-, himmel-, himmelblaue Augen
Und einen purpurroten Mund.
Ja, ja, sie ist so wunderbar,
Die schwarze Barbara!

N suggests that the combination of black hair, blue eyes and red lips makes Barbara the most beautiful girl in the world. This is of course debatable, but we may concede that it is probably hard to capture the charms of a beautiful lady in a song.

2nd verse, original version:

Am Wald in der Schenke "Zum Kürassier"
Schließt der Schankwirt rasselnd das Tor.
Und die Uhren, sie schlagen Mitternacht,
Und ich steige die Stiegen empor.
Gut' Nacht, mein Kind,
So weine nicht und zieh dein Fenster zu.
|: Da draußen weht der Wind im Wald
Und rauscht ein Lied dazu. :|

Now it's getting piquant! The inn closes at midnight and N goes upstairs. The rest of the verse leaves room for interpretation: Instead of heading for his own room, N apparently visits someone he calls "my child". He tells that person to stop crying and close the window. Finally he indicates that he is doing something at which the wind accompanies him with a song(!)

2nd verse, Heino's version:

Im Wald in der Schenke "Zum Kürassier"
Schließt der Schankwirt rasselnd das Tor.
Die Uhren, sie zeigen auf Mitternacht,
Und ich steige die Stiegen empor.
Läßt Du mich ein ins Kämmerlein?
Dann schließen wir die Türe leise zu.
|: Da draußen weht der Wind so kalt
Und rauscht sein Lied dazu. :|

Heino's N is considerably more gallant. He actually asks the lady politely if he may enter her chamber. He wisely suggests to close the door while he seems to take no objection to the window staying open. Then the wind sings his song again...

3rd verse, original version:

Lebt wohl in der Schenke "Zum Kürassier",
Auf dem Schanktisch steht noch das Glas.
Und hinter dem Fenster schläft Barbara
Und träumt wohl dies und wohl das.
Lebt wohl, Herr Wirt,
Der Wein war schlecht, ergaunert war mein Geld.
|: Doch um die Zeche, Barbara,
Hab' ich euch wohl geprellt. :|

N leaves the inn for good while Barbara is still dreaming "about this and that" (doubtlessly meaning himself. He must be a true stud!) He complains about the wine again and even claims that the inn-keeper practically stole his money. He considers it an adequate requital that he has not "paid" Barbara.

... and Heino's version:

Will Heino's N put up with the bad wine to see his Barbara again? We guess so but we can't be sure, as he prefers not to elaborate on that matter. In other words, there is no third verse in this version. Instead, the chorus is presented one more time (for the fourth time altogether). Barbara's future can only be bright since the song ends with a shouted "ja" (yes), relieving all doubt about N's attitude towards his lover.