For me, this is one of crucial Czech folk songs. I heard it for the first time from a friend of mine somewhere in the fields… a pity that it wasn’t on a hill.

One might think that the first two stanzas don’t have anything in common with the the following ones, but don’t be mistaken, it’s just one story in two acts.

A loose translation of the Czech lyrics:

To whom belong those horses in the yard, in the yard
And why doesn’t anyone plough with them, plough with them?
Whom would they belong to – they’re mine, they’re mine
To my love they will bring me in a while, in a while.

Hey, my horses, say I, get going, get going,
Sleeping will I be soon with my love, with my love,
And we surely wouldn’t say prayers, say prayers,
After our wedding in a church, in a church.

On a hill, there she stood, crying loud, crying loud,
Oh, Jesus Maria, calling out, calling out,
Oh, Jesus Maria, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Tell me, is it going to be a boy, be a boy?

He will be a cobbler, if it’s a boy, it’s a boy
Making shoes for dancing, beautiful, beautiful,
And if it’s a girl, then she will be, she will be
Just a pretty daisy like I am, like I am.

live recording
live recording

instructional recording – 170bpm
instructional recording – 170bpm

instructional recording – 90bpm
instructional recording – 90bpm

SCORES – PDF  MSCZ
SCORES – with diminished chords for advanced players – PDF  MSCZ

Article, scores and recordings by Jindra Kelíšek
Published on 24/7/2013