O mein Papa

Oh, my Papa, to me he was so wonderful.
Oh, my Papa, to me he was so good.
No one could be so gentle and so lovable.
Oh, my Papa, he always understood.

Oh, my Papa, so funny, so adorable,
Always the clown so funny in his way.
Oh, my Papa, to me he was so wonderful.
Deep in my heart, I miss him so today.

Gone are the days when he would take me on his knee.
And with a smile, he'd change my tears to laughter.^[9]

Papa wie ein Pfeil
sprang hinauf auf die Seil,
eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp.
Er spreizte die Beine
ganz breit auseinand',
sprang hoch in die Luft
und stand auf die Hand.
Eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp.

Er lachte: "Haha, haha"
und machte: "Hoho hoho",
ganz sachte: "Haha haha"
und rief: "Eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp."

Er ritt auf die Seil
ganz hoch in die Luft
eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp.
Das konnte er machen
zwölfmal in ohne Müh';
er lachte dazu
und fürchtet sich nie.
Eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp,
eh la hopp, eh la hopp,
eh la hopp, eh la hopp.

Refrain:
—Oh, mein Papa war eine wunderbare Clown.
—Oh, mein Papa war eine große Kinstler.
—Hoch auf die Seil, wie war er herrlich anzuschau'n!
—Oh, mein Papa war eine schöne Mann.

—Ei, wie er lacht,
—sein Mund, sie sein so breit, so rot;
—und seine Aug'
—wie Diamanten strahlen.

—Oh, mein Papa war eine wunderbare Clown.
—Oh, mein Papa war eine große Kinstler.
—Hoch auf die Seil, wie war er herrlich anzuschau'n!
—Oh, mein Papa war eine schöne Mann.

Dann warf er sechs Bänder
hoch in die Luft
eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp.
Er ließ sie tanzen
im feirigen Licht
und strahlte glicklich
im ganzen Gesicht.
Eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp.

Er lachte: "Haha, haha"
und machte: "Hoho hoho",
ganz sachte: "Haha haha"
und rief: "Eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp, eh la hopp."

Er warf die sechs Bänder
hoch in die Luft
eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp.
Und alles das macht er
auf schwindlige Heh;
Papa war die Clou
von die ganz Soirée.
Eh la hopp, eh la hopp, eh la hopp,
eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp, eh la hopp
eh la hopp, eh la hopp.

Refrain^[10][11]

Papa, like an arrow,
jumped up onto the ropes.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop.
He spread his legs
apart very wide,
jumped high into the air,
and stood on his hand.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop.

He laughed, "haha, haha"
and went, "hoho, hoho"
very gently, "haha, haha"
and shouted, "Alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop."

He rode the ropes
very high in the air.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop.
He could do that
twelve times, effortlessly.
At this, he laughed
and was never afraid.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop.

Refrain:
—Oh, my Papa was a wonderful clown.
—Oh, my Papa was a great artist.
—High on the ropes, how wonderful it was to watch!
—Oh, my Papa was a beautiful man.

—Oh, how he laughed,
—his mouth so wide, so red;
—and his eyes
—shined like diamonds.

—Oh, my Papa was a wonderful clown.
—Oh, my Papa was a great artist.
—High on the ropes, how wonderful it was to watch!
—Oh, my Papa was a beautiful man.

Then, he threw six ribbons
high in the air.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop.
He made them dance
in the glowing light,
and beamed with happiness
all across his face.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop.

He laughed, "haha, haha"
and went, "hoho, hoho"
very gently, "haha, haha"
and shouted, "Alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop."

Then, he threw six ribbons
high in the air.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop.
And he does all of that
at dizzying heights,
Papa was the highlight
of the whole soirée.
Alley-oop, alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop,
alley-oop, alley-oop.

Refrain