Marry Me, Mother lyrics and meaning

Žanyk mani, motula
Žanyk man jaunucį.
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Žamyk mani jaunucį.

Kad nenori žanycie,
Laisk vaiskelin tarnaucie,
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Laisk vaiskelin tarnaucie.

Pasidirbsiu tris trūbas,
Visas tri medziniuotas.
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Visas tris medziniuotas.

Vienu trūbu trūbysiu
Iš atšlaimo jodamas.
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Iš atšlaimo jodamas.

Untrų trūbų trūbysiu
Pulkely stovėdamas.
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Pulkely stovėdamas.

Traciu trūbu trūbysiu,
Kad motulė užgirstų.
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Kad motulė užgirstų.

Kad motulė užgirstų
Po sodų vaikščiodama
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Po sodų vaikščiodama.

Po sodų vaikščiodama,
Ašaralas liedama.
Oi, šermukšni, šermukšni,
Ašaralas liedama.

Marry Me, Mother — second version lyrics

Žanyk manį, motula, žanyk manį jaunucį
Oi šermukšni, šermukšni, žanyk manį jaunucį

Kad nenori žanycie, laisk vaiskelin tarnaucie
Pasidirbsiu tris triūbas, visas tris medziniuotas
Vienų triūbų triūbysiu iš atšlaimo jodamas
Antrų triūbų triūbysiu pulkely stovėdamas
Trecių triūbų triūbysiu kad motulė užgirstų
Kad motulė užgirstų po sodų vaikščiodama
Po sodų vaikščiodama ašaralas liedama

Marry Me, Mother: song interpretation

This song, with the refrain "oh rowan," can be understood as a song of conscription and a mother's longing. At the beginning the son asks his mother to marry him off, and if she does not want to, then to let him serve in the army. This request can be read as a young man's pressure toward either marriage or military service.

He then promises to make three wooden trumpets and sound them at three different moments: while riding out from the yard, while standing in the troop, and so that his mother might hear while walking through the orchard. These images can be understood as his wish that his mother know of him.

The mother hears the trumpet, walks through the orchard, and sheds tears. These images can be read as the mother's longing for her departed son. This is one possible meaning, but the motifs of mother-son bond and wartime longing are clear in the song.

Marry Me, Mother: symbols and phrases

Request to be married off
The son's request that his mother marry him off or let him serve. It marks the young man's pressure.
Three wooden trumpets
The three trumpets he will make. They mark a means of communication with the mother.
Trumpeting at three moments
While riding out, standing in the troop, and so the mother hears. It marks the wish to be remembered.
Mother weeping in the orchard
The mother hearing the trumpet and shedding tears as she walks through the orchard. She marks maternal longing and mourning.

Marry Me, Mother: song history

"Marry Me, Mother," with the refrain "oh rowan, rowan," combines features of the military-historical song and the family song. At the beginning the son asks his mother to have him married, and if she does not want to, to let him serve in the vaiskas, the army; such a choice between marriage and military service is a common formula in departure-to-war songs.

The exact place and time of recording are not given on the page, so the song is discussed through genre features. The motif of three wooden trumpets, sounded three times, while riding out from the yard, while standing in the troop, and so that the mother may hear, creates a farewell-to-home image. The ending, in which the mother walks through the orchard shedding tears, strengthens the themes of wartime longing and mourning. The rowan of the refrain is often associated in songs with the homestead and protection.

sources

  • Lietuvių liaudies dainynas, vols. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
  • D. Krištopaitė. Lietuvių karinės-istorinės dainos, Vilnius 1956
  • Lietuvių liaudies dainų katalogas, 6 vols., Vilnius 1972-1986

Marry Me, Mother: sources