In Taberna quando sumus

The song 'In Taberna quando sumus' is part of the larger collection known as 'Carmina Burana,' a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts from the 11th to 13th centuries. Although 'Carmina Burana' is often associated with the composer Carl Orff, who set a selection of the texts to music in 1936, the original poems were written by various authors, most of whom were Goliards—wandering scholars and clerics who satirized the Catholic Church and the moral order of the medieval period.

The lyrics of 'In Taberna quando sumus' translate to 'When we are in the tavern,' and the song vividly describes the activities and atmosphere of a medieval tavern. The patrons are unconcerned with the dirtiness of the floor as they rush to games and drinking. The song portrays a scene of indulgence and escapism, where money is the master and all social classes come together to drink. The verses enumerate the various reasons people drink, from the frivolous to the solemn, suggesting that in the tavern, all of life's complexities are drowned in wine.

The song also touches on themes of equality and universality in the act of drinking. From the servant to the master, the soldier to the clergy, everyone drinks together, blurring social distinctions. The repetition of 'bibit' (Latin for 'drinks') emphasizes the communal and relentless nature of the activity. The final verses serve as a cautionary reminder that such excessive revelry is fleeting and can lead to poverty and exclusion from the righteous, yet the tone remains celebratory, ending with a jubilant 'Io!'—a Latin exclamation of joy.