The Hills of Ixopo - Kurt Weill, Frank Roane

There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills

These hills are grass covered and rolling

And they are lovely beyond any singing of it

About you there is grass and bracken

And you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya bird

The grass of the veld is rich and matted

You cannot see the soil

The grass holds the rain and mist

They seep into the ground

Feeding the streams in ev’ry clove

The clove is cool, and green

And lovely beyond any singing of it

But sing now about the lower hills.

Where you stand the grass is rich and matted

But th rich green hills break down

They fall to the vally below

And falling change

For they grow red and bare

They cannot hold the rain and mist

The streams run dry in the cloves

Too many cattle feed on the grass

It is not kept or guarded or cared for

It no longer keeps men, guards men, cares for men

The titihoya cries here no more