☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a girl who refuses to marry a count because she is poor and cannot support him.
- She waits for the right man who is compatible with her and is willing to become a nun if he doesn't come.
- The count, who rejected her, regrets his decision when he learns that she has gone to the convent.
- The song conveys the message that true love and character are more important than external values such as wealth and status.
- It is a story about the importance of honesty and decency in a relationship.
Interpretation
In the song 'Ich stand auf hohem Berge' by
Volkslieder, it is about a girl standing on a high mountain and seeing a little boat in the deep valley. In the boat are three counts. The youngest count offers the girl a drink from a Venetian glass and tells her that she would be beautiful enough if she were just a little rich. He also gives her a golden ring as a gift. However, the girl rejects the ring because she is poor and cannot wear it. She says she will wait for the right man who is compatible with her. If that man does not come, she wants to enter a convent and become a nun.
After some time, the count dreams of his beloved who has gone to the convent. He decides to ride on horseback and search for her. When he arrives at the convent, he sees her coming out in a white dress. She has already prepared for the convent by cutting her hair. She brings him a cup to drink and after he drinks it, he dies shortly after.
The song wants to tell us that we should not look for wealth and possession, but for an honest and decent partner. The girl in the song regrets rejecting the count when she learns that he died for her. Therefore, the song has a moral message that encourages us to seek love and character rather than external values such as wealth and status.