Song of Vilja

[hart...@athenet.net]

Hi,
I have the André Rieu album with "Song of Vilja" on it and would love to
find the proper lyrics. It was written by Franz Lehár for the operreta
"The Merry Widow"
or "Die Lustige Witwe" in German.

Thanks for any help, it is a beautiful melody and I hope the words
match!
Jan

[Erin Wilson]

I hope this is what you want, Jan.

This is from the score of "The Merry Widow" and it's called "Tanz und Vilja-Lied"

(got it from ye olde library)

erin

---

The Merry Widow
Tanz und Vilja-Lied
written by Franz Lehįr

If you'll indulge us for a little while
We'll share with you a sample of the way
We'd celebrate our Sov'reign's natal day
If we were back in Petrovenia
Ah.. Ah..
Hei-a-ho
Mivelimo da-se da-se ve-li-mo!
Hei-a-ho
Mivelimo da-se da-se ve-li-mo!
Hei! Hei!
Gaily hailing our noble King now,
Hei! Hei!
Loudly, proudly we shout and sing now
Gaily hailing our noble King now,
Lightly, sprightly, we dance and spring now
Mivelimo da-se da-se ve-li-mo!
Our folk songs tell of spirit maids
Who haunt our woods, our glens and glades.
We call them "Vilias" in our tongue
Here's one such song that's often sung
There once was a Vilia, a wild woodland sprite
It chanced that a huntsman beheld her one night
Transfixed by this vision, he gazed more and more
Bewildered by feelings he'd ne'er felt before
Trembling with intense desire
Yet troubled by a sense of dread
Soul on fire with a poignant sigh, he said
"Vilia, O Vilia, my wild woodland sprite.
Let me embrace thee, my dream of delight
Vilia, O Vilia, so love-sick am I
Love me or lovelorn I die!"
Vilia, O Vilia, my wild woodland sprite,
Let me embrace thee, my dream of delight
Vilia, O Vilia, so love-sick am I
Love me or lovelorn I die!"
The wood nymph extended her hand then and there
And guided the youth to her pinescented lair.
He wondered, perchance, if his reason had flown
As kiss followed kiss of a sweetness unknown
Then, bewstowing on last kiss
Quite suddenly she turned and fled.
Gone was bliss! Once again he sighed and said
"Vilia, O Vilia, my wild woodland sprite.
Let me embrace thee, my dream of delight
Vilia, O Vilia, so love-sick am I
Love me or lovelorn I die!"
"Vilia, O Vilia, my wild woodland sprite,
Let me embrace thee, my dream of delight
Vilia, O Vilia, so love-sick am I
Love me or lovelorn I die!"

hart...@athenet.net wrote:
>
> Hi,
> I have the André Rieu album with "Song of Vilja" on it and would love to

> find the proper lyrics. It was written by Franz Lehįr for the operreta