Culture: Maastricht Carnival song 2006: “Mie Fietske” English translation
Maastricht Carnival song 2006: My bike
Refrain:
What a misery, such a bad luck
My brand new bike is gone
It wasn’t nicked, it wasn’t stolen
But the municipality has taken my bike away
Is that good? Is that nice?
What am I to do without a bike?
Oh dear, I have such grief
Can someone tell me where my bicycle is?
Verse:
The other day I bought myself a bicycle, a new fashioned kind
With snazzy colours and a nifty bell
I went and tried it out, in the centre of town
And I parked it against a little tree
And although I did not go far away at all
Now I have lost my brand new bike.
(Free translation by Crossroads)
This song’s theme refers to Maastricht’s city council new policy of removing wrongly parked bicycles in the city centre. See article below:
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Fine for wrongly parked bicycles abolished
Leaving bicycles anywhere in the city centre of Maastricht except in the allotted spaces remains prohibited, but the regulations that were introduced last June have been relaxed. Cyclists no longer need to pay a fine of 25 euros when their bicycles have been taken away by the city council of Maastricht. They may collect their bicycles free of charge from the Kesselskade. Owners will also first receive a warning (a label will be stuck to the bicycle) before the vehicle is removed.
The fine was abolished because it is outweighed by the administrative costs involved. Last Thursday there was a public hearing between the city council and the Cyclists’ Union. By relaxing the measure, the city council gives in to the union’s greatest objection. The latter repeated with emphasis during the meeting that there is a lack of bicycle racks. Especially on the Vrijthof, the Market and the Onze Lieve Vrouwe square, facilities are insufficient. However, random checks by the city council showed that at any time there were still racks available. Nevertheless, the city council has decided to no longer remove bicycles parked beside the racks, because sometimes others have taken these from the racks in order to park their own. The city council also intends to increase awareness of the free bike parking facilities under the Vrijthof.
Source: Observant 19 January 2006
Original version in Limburg dialect:
Teks: Noël Fabry, Meziek: Raymond de Pauw
Refrein :
Wat ‘ne elend, wat ‘n pech
Mie gans nui fietske dat is weg
‘t is neet geklajd, ‘t is neet gestole
meh de gemeinte is mie fietske weg goon hole
Is dat noe sjiek? Is dat noe sjoen?
Wat moot iech zoonder fietske doen?
Mieljaar, wat höb iech noe e leid
Kin iemes miech vertèlle boe mie fietske steit?
Koeplèt:
Iech koch miech lès e fietske, zoe nuierwèts model
mèt vaan de hippe kleure en mèt ‘n sjieke bel
Iech ging ‘t oetperbere, zoe midde in de stad
En höb ‘t bij e buimke eve neergezat
En ouch al leep iech gaar neet wied
Mie nui fietske bin iech kwiet !
Dutch version:
Refrein :
Wat een ellende, wat een pech
Mijn heel nieuwe fietsje dat is weg
‘t is niet gejat, ‘t is niet gestolen
Maar de gemeente is mijn fietsje weg gaan halen
Is dat nou Sjiek? Is dat nou Sjoen?
Wat moet ik zonder fietsje doen?
Miljaar, wat heb ik nu een leed.
Kan iemand mij vertellen waar mijn fietsje staat?
Couplet:
Ik kocht laatst een fietsje, zo’n nieuwerwets model.
Met van die hippe kleuren en met zo’n mooie bel.
Ik ging het uitproberen, zo midden in de stad.
En heb het bij een boompje even neergezet.
En ook al liep ik helemaal niet ver.
Mijn nieuwe fietsje ben ik kwijt.
More information
The Tempeleers, Carnival association of Maastricht
