Sheet Music: Sarie Marais

TitleSarie Marais
Alternate titlesMy Sarie Marais
Take me back to the old Transvaal
Ellie Rhee
ComposerTraditional
InstrumentationFlute solo
KeyG major
RangeD4–D5
Time signature4/4
Tempo100 BPM
Performance time0:50
Difficulty leveleasy
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (46 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (401 kB)
Date added2014-09-03
Last updated2014-09-03
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 0.4 (below average)
Categories
American Civil War, Marches, Traditional/Folk

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Wednesday 3 September 2014

Tune of the Day: Sarie Marais

aka “Take me back to the old Transvaal”

This traditional Afrikaans folk song, created during the Anglo-Boer Wars (1880–1902), seems to take its tune from a song dating from the American Civil War called “Ellie Rhee” (itself perhaps a version of the traditional Irish song “Foggy Dew”).

My Sarie Marais is so far from my heart
But I hope to see her again
She lived in the area of Mooi-river
Before the war began

Oh bring me back to the old Transvaal
Where my Sarie lives
There by the maize
By the green thorn tree
There my Sarie lives

The melody was adopted in 1953 as the official march of the United Kingdom's Royal Marines Commandos and is played after the Regimental March on ceremonial occasions. The French Foreign Legion also sings the song, in its French translation.

Thanks to Ronald for suggesting this tune!