The Ring of Nibelung (abridged)
Words by Mary E. LaMarca
TTTO Barret’s Privateers by Stan Rogers

Oh, the year was 1876* How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, When Wagner with his pen did sing They cycle of songs they call “The Ring.” Chorus: Götterdἃmmerung! I was told The Nibelung made a ring of gold, You’ll feel the fire, Shed some tears When the Valkyries ride with their steel brassieres And the voice of Siegfried fills your ears. Now, Albrerich was the Nibelung king How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, When Loge and Wotan, sly and bold, Stole back from him the Rhinemaidens’ gold. Chorus: Oh, when Sigmund came to Hunding’s hall, How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, For his outlawry he was forced to pay When he got his sister in the family way. Chorus: The Valkyries rode from Valhalla high How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, When Brünnhilde became her dad’s defier, He put her on a mountain on a flaming pyre. Chorus: Now, Fafner lived in a dank, dark cave How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, Young Siegfried came to call one day And with his new-forged sword the dragon did slay Chorus: He sucked on his thumb and the birds did speak How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, Siegfried leapt the flames on the word of a dove And he and Brünnhilde sang duets of love Chorus: But the lovers soon fell on the curse of the ring How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, Siegfried had a little drink and forgot his wife’s name In the end, then, everything goes up in flames. Chorus: So here I sit in the twenty-third tier How I wish I was in Bayreuth now, A fortune small I’ve been forced to pay And to catch the bloody opera tales four whole days Chorus: