Edelweiss (song)
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"Edelweiss" is a Rodgers and Hammerstein song from musical and film The Sound of Music, in which it was sung as a defiant statement of Austrian nationalism in the face of the Third Reich. It is named after the Edelweiss, the white flower found high on Alpine hills. The great popularity of the song has led many Americans to believe that it is the official national anthem of Austria.[1] In actuality, Austria's official anthem is "Land der Berge, Land am Strome". The edelweiss, however, is the Austrian national flower [citation needed].
The music was written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and was the final song that the great duo wrote together as it was the final song that Hammerstein wrote before he died.
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[edit] Lyrics
- Edelweiss, edelweiss,
- every morning you greet me.
- Small and white, clean and bright,
- you look happy to meet me.
- Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow,
- bloom and grow forever.
- Edelweiss, edelweiss,
- bless my homeland forever.
[edit] American church use
During the 1970s in America, the song became a popular tune with which to sing the benediction at a Christian church. At a United Methodist Women's Conference, revised lyrics for the song were handed out with instructions stating that the benediction was to be sung to the tune of Edelweiss. The trend spread quickly across different denominations of Christianity, and it is still very common to hear the benedictory lyrics ("May the Lord, Mighty God") sung to an organ or piano accompaniment of the song from the Sound of Music.
[edit] Modified (Benediction) lyrics
- May the Lord, mighty God,
- bless, preserve you and keep you.
- Give you peace, perfect peace,
- courage in every endeavor.
- Lift up your eyes and see His face,
- and His grace forever.
- May the Lord, mighty God,
- bless, preserve you and keep you!"
[edit] Legal debate
Recent debate has centered around the legality of this; the parent company holding the rights to Rodgers and Hammerstein's music has explicitly stated that they will prosecute congregations who continue to use the song without permission.[2]
