Sierra Madre lyrics

Lyrics to Sierra Madre, an Oktoberfest classic that will have you dreaming of Mexico

Slow-paced and emotion-charged Sierra Madre usually comes at the end of the night.

After everybody has drunk their obligatory three Maβ of beer and are in that happy-hazy state only a Bavarian beer festival can bring, this song starts, people link arms, sway and sing as loudly as they can "Sierra….Siera Madre del Sur!"

The song was written in 1970 by Wolfgang Roloff and Hans Hee, but it didn't become popular until about 20 years later when the Austrian band Zillertaler Schürzenjäger had it recorded and released. It's since become one of the most popular German-language folk songs.

sierra-madre-lyricsThe song, named after a Mexican mountain range, waxes lyrical on the romantic aspects of mountain farming: the first rays of morning sunlight, the satisfaction of finishing your toil after a long day, and so on and so on.
It's not something that we can all relate to exactly, but then sentimentality is contagious.
So, one more time please, "Sierra….."

The below video shows a performance of Sierra Madre inside the Hacker-Festzelt at the Munich Oktoberfest. See how the lights go down and everyobdy sparks up sparklers? This is done at the end of the very last evening of the festival.
Magic!

Lyrics to Sierra Madre

German Sierra Madre Lyrics

Wenn der Morgen kommt Und die letzten Schatten vergeh'n, 
Schau'n die Menschen der Sierra hinauf  zu den sonnigen Höh'n. 
Schau'n hinauf, 
Wo der weiße Kondor so einsam zieht, 
Wie ein Gruß an die Sonne 
Erklingt ihr altes Lied:


Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur,
Sierra, Sierra Madre, oh, oh, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre.

Wenn die Arbeit getan
Und der Abendfrieden beginnt, 
Schau'n die Menschen hinauf, 
Wo die Sierra im Abendrot 
brennt. 
Und sie denken daran, 
Wie schnell ein Glück oft 
vergeht, 
Und aus tausend Herzen 
Erklingt es wie ein Gebet.

Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur,
Sierra, Sierra Madre, oh, oh, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre


English Sierra Madre Lyrics (Translation)

Mountain Mother
When the morning comes and the last shadows slide away,
The people of the Sierra look up to the sunny skies.
Look up,
Where the white Condor flies so lonely,
Like a greeting to the sun
Their old song goes:


Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur,
Sierra, Sierra Madre, oh, oh, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre.

When the work is done,
And the quiet of the evening begins,
The people look up,
Where the Sierra burns in the red sunset,
And they think about,
How quickly happiness often withers,
And from a thousand hearts,
It sounds like a prayer.

Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur,
Sierra, Sierra Madre, oh, oh, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre del Sur, 
Sierra, Sierra Madre.

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