《Beautiful Dreamer》《美丽的梦神》by 芙蓉里

《Beautiful dreamer》（美丽的梦神），是美国著名作曲家斯蒂芬·福斯特（Stephen Foster）大约在1862年创作的一首优美动人的抒情歌曲，充满梦幻色彩的动人旋律令人心驰神往。当时福斯特在纽约，经济拮据，生活贫困，在无人照料之下，日夜思念妻子珍妮，因而写出如此动人的歌曲。这是福斯特的最后一个作品，在他死后才出版。《美丽的梦神》不论是歌词还是旋律，都是其他思念亲友的歌曲所无法比拟的。这首具有民谣般风格的歌曲，也是福斯特创作的民谣歌曲中少有的三节拍歌曲。

"Beautiful Dreamer" is a parlor song by American songwriter Stephen Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864). It was published posthumously in March 1864, by Wm. A. Pond & Co. of New York. The first edition states on its title page that it is "the last song ever written by Stephen C. Foster, composed but a few days prior to his death."However, Carol Kimball, the author of Song, points out that the first edition's copyright is dated 1862, which suggests, she writes, that the song was composed and readied for publication two years before Foster's death. There are at least 20 songs, she observes, that claim to be Foster's last, and it is unknown which is indeed his last. 

The song tells of a lover serenading a "Beautiful Dreamer" who is oblivious to worldly cares and may actually be dead. Foster's works feature many dead young women, including his sister Charlotte and "Jeanie". Helen Lightner writes, "This sentimental ballad is folk-like in character with its repetitious but lovely melody and its basic harmonic accompaniment ... The quiet and calm of this mood is portrayed by the monotony of the arpeggiated accompaniment, by the repetitiveness of the melodic pattern, and by the strophic form itself."

《Beautiful Dreamer》

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;

Sounds of the rude world heard in the day

Lull’d by the moonlight have all pass’d away!

Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song

List while I woo thee with soft melody;

Gone are the cares of life’s busy throng

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
 

Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea

Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;

Over the streamlet vapors are borne

Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn

Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart

E’en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;

Then will all clouds of sorrow depart

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!