Every man desired her but her heart was not her own There was just one lover for her But he'd gone away to war never ever to return So this life held nothing for her. She would sit out where the Rhine was very deep Up upon a rock so high And she'd sing a little song and the people who would hear Would forget the danger near by.
Loreley, ley, ley, looks down on the river Rhine Where it flows just like a ribbon blue and wide Loreley, ley, ley, sitting in the bright sunshine While she combs her golden hair. Loreley, ley, ley, ships sail past her all day long If they see her they're enchanted by her song Loreley, ley, ley, many of those ships are gone But that was so long ago.
And her singing could be heard from so many miles away Like a sweet forgotten dream And the fishermen in boats passing at the break of day Were bewitched by what they'd seen, And so many boats were lost upon the rocks While their sailors stared at her But she always looked away As the river took them down Like she didn't even care.
Loreley, ley, ley, looks down on the river Rhine Where it flows just like a ribbon blue and wide Loreley, ley, ley, sitting in the bright sunshine While she combs her golden hair. Loreley, ley, ley, ships sail past her all day long If they see her they're enchanted by her song Loreley, ley, ley, many of those ships are gone But that was so long ago.
Then one day a sailor saw the Loreley And he said: "She will be mine!" And he set out with his crew mates upon the father Rhine But they also drank too much wine Wine, wine, wine, wine, here's to Loreley Who believes in fairy tales Wine, wine, wine, wine, give us lots of wine God help us if we fail.
And she sang her fateful song And she brushed her golden hair As the boat sank beneath the waves.
Loreley, ley, ley, looks down on the river Rhine Where it flows just like a ribbon blue and wide Loreley, ley, ley, sitting in the bright sunshine While she combs her golden hair. Loreley, ley, ley, ships are sailing to and fro And they still can hear her song from long ago Loreley, ley, ley, they can't see her anymore Sitting by the river. Loreley, ley, leeeeeeeeeeeeeeey, (unter dir da fließt der Rhein,) Wie ein blaues Band durch das weite schöne Land Loreley, ley, ley, du sitzt dort im Sonnenschein Und du kämmst dein goldenes Haar. Loreley, ley, ley, Schiffe zieh’n an dir vorbei, und wer dich dort sieht wird verzaubert durch dein Lied. Loreley, ley, ley, viele kehrten nicht mehr heim...