[Александрович]

В этой теме будет размещаться американские военные марши и гражданские песни созданные или популярные во время Второй Мировой войны.
Начну с "Chattanooga Choo Choo", которая впервые прозвучала в фильме "Серенада Солнечной долины". Так уж сложилось, что пластинка с ней поступила в продажу 7 декабря 1941 года. Через 2 месяца было продано 1200000 копий записи.

Текст песни. (Reveal)

Why do robins sing in December,
Long before the springtime is due?
And even though it's snowing,
Violets are growing,
I know why and so do you.
Why do breezes sigh ev'ry evening,
Whispering your name as they do?
And why have I the feeling
Stars are on my ceiling?
I know why and so do you.
When you smile at me,
I hear gypsy violins;
When you dance with me,
I'm in heaven when the music begins.
I can see the sun when it's raining,
Hiding ev'ry cloud from my view;
And why do I see rainbows
When you're in my arms?
I know why and so do you.

[Qebedo]

Blood on the Risers ("Кровь на стояке")

Spoiler (expand)

He was just a rookie trooper and he surely shook with fright,
He checked off his equipment and made sure his pack was tight;
He had to sit and listen to those awful engines roar,
"You ain't gonna jump no more!"
(CHORUS)
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,
With a rifle on his back as he's falling through the sky
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,
And he ain't gonna jump no more!
"Is everybody happy?" cried the Sergeant looking up,
Our Hero feebly answered "Yes," and then they stood him up;
He jumped into the icy blast, his static line unhooked,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock,
He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful drop,
The silk from his reserve spilled out and wrapped around his legs,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
The risers wrapped around his neck, connectors cracked his dome,
Suspension lines were tied in knots around his skinny bones;
The canopy became his shroud; he hurtled to the ground.
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
The days he'd lived and loved and laughed kept running through his mind,
He thought about the girl back home, the one he'd left behind;
He thought about the medicals, and wondered what they'd find,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
The ambulance was on the spot, the jeeps were running wild,
The medics jumped and screamed with glee, rolled up their sleeves and smiled,
For it had been a week or more since last a 'chute had failed,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
He hit the ground, the sound was "SPLAT", his blood went spurting high;
His comrades, they were heard to say "A hell of a way to die!"
He lay there, rolling 'round in the welter of his gore,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
(slowly, solemnly; about half the speed of the other verses)
There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon the chute,
Intestines were a-dangling from his paratrooper suit,
He was a mess, they picked him up and poured him from his boots,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
(CHORUS)
And at the gates of heaven, to Saint Peter he shall tell a tale,
One more soldier reporting sir! I've served my time in hell,
Saint Peter will just smile and say you have served your country well,
And he ain't gonna jump no more.,
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,
Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,
And he ain't gonna jump no more!

Жутковатая песенка американских воздушных десантников - про новичка, который не смог открыть парашют и брякнулся. Короче, заканчивается беседой со св. Петром в раю... Гимн американских ВДВ. Поется на мотив "Боевого гимна республики" времен ГВ в США, оттуда и взят рефрен "Славься, славься, алиллуйя", переделанный на "славься, славься, что за способ умереть".

[Александрович]

"White Christmas".
Эта песня впервые была исполнена Бингом Кросби в рождество 1941 года в радиопередаче NBC. Она 11 недель занимала 1-е место в американских хит-парадах 42 года. очередной всплеск популярности пришёлся на 1945 и 1946 годы. В результате потребовалось перезаписать песню из=за износа оригинальной матрицы.

Текст песни. (Reveal)

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white.

[Qebedo]

The Sinking of the Reuben James (Потопление "Рубена Джеймса")

Spoiler (expand)

Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James
Manned by hard fighting men both of honor and fame?
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

Tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names,
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?
What were their names, tell me, what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James

Well, a hundred men went down in that dark watery grave
When that good ship went down only forty-four were saved.
'Twas the last day of October we saved the forty-four
From the cold ocean waters and the cold icy shore.

It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we watched for the U-boats and waited for a fight.
Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared
And they laid the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor.

Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright
In the farms and in the cities they're telling of the fight.
And now our mighty battleships will steam the bounding main
And remember the name of that good Reuben James.

Конвойный корабль "Рубен Джеймс" стал первым американским судном, потопленным во время Второй мировой войны - 31 октября 1941 года торпедирован немецкой подлодкой. Известный кантри-певец Вуди Гатри сразу же откликнулся этой песней.

[Flamma]

Оригинал в исполнении Энн Шелтон.

Музыка Джимми Макхью, слова Гарольда Адамсона.

Spoiler (expand)

Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Though there's one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer

What a show, what a fight
Yes we really hit our target for tonight

How we sing as we limp through the air
Look below, there's our field over there
With our full crew aboard
And our trust in the Lord
We're comin' in on a wing and a prayer

One of our planes was missing
Two hours overdue
One of our planes was missing
With all its gallant crew
The radio sets were humming
We waited for a word
Then a noise broke
Through the humming and this is what we heard

Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Though there's one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer

What a show, what a fight
Yes we really hit our target for tonight

How we sing as we limp through the air
Look below, there's our field over there
With our full crew aboard
And our trust in the Lord
We're comin' in on a wing and a prayer
With just one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer.

[Qebedo]

И еще одна моя любимая песня.

Rolling Down To Old Maui (Поворачиваем обратно к Старому Мауи)

А капелла:

С музыкой, современная обработка:

Spoiler (expand)

It's a damn tough life full of toil and strife
We whalermen undergo.
And we don't give a damn when the gale is done
How hard the winds did blow.
For we're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
With a good ship, taut and free
And we don't give a damn when we drink our rum
With the girls of Old Maui.

(chorus)
Rolling down to Old Maui, me boys
Rolling down to Old Maui
We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to Old Maui.

Once more we sail with a northerly gale
Through the ice and wind and rain.
Them native maids, them tropical glades,
We soon shall see again.
Six hellish months have passed away
On the cold Kamchatka Sea,
But now we're bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to Old Maui.

chorus

Once more we sail with a northerly gale
Towards our island home.
Our mainmast sprung, our whaling done,
And we ain't got far to roam.
Our stu'n's'l bones/booms is carried away
What care we for that sound?
A living gale is after us,
Thank God we're homeward bound.

chorus

How soft the breeze through the island trees,
Now the ice is far astern.
Them native maids, them tropical glades
Is a-waiting our return.
Even now their big brown eyes look out
Hoping some fine day to see
Our baggy sails runnin' 'fore the gales
Rolling down to old Maui.

Старая песня китобоев, ходивших от острова Мауи (Гавайи) к Камчатке. Про "мозольный и тяжелый труд", который надоел, и пора обратно на Старый Мауи - к рому и девкам! В 1938 году она была переделана певицей Джоанной Колкорд и исполнена а капелла, без мелодии. Но после войны мелодия к ней "вернулась".

[Qebedo]

This is The Army, Mr. Jones (Это армия, мистер Джонс)

Spoiler (expand)

A bunch of frightened rookies were list'ning filled with awe
They listened while a sergeant was laying down the law
They stood there at attention, their faces turning red
The sergeant looked them over and this is what he said
This is the Army, Mister Jones!
No private rooms or telephones
You had your breakfast in bed before
But you won't have it there any more
This is the Army, Mister Green!
We like the barracks nice and clean
You had a housemaid to clean your floor
But she won't help you out any more
Do what the buglers command
They're in the Army and not in a band
This is the Army, Mister Brown!
You and your baby went to town
She had you worried but this is war
And she won't worry you anymore

Армия у США до войны была маленькая и профессиональная. Посему когда с началаом войны в нее попали новобранцы "из глубинок и трущоб", для них это было как путешествие в неведомые миры...

[Qebedo]

Две песни на один мотив - веселая и не очень...

When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Когда Джонни вернется домой)

Spoiler (expand)

When Johnny comes marching home again
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give him a hearty welcome then
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The men will cheer and the boys will shout
The ladies they will all turn out
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.
The old church bell will peal with joy
Hurrah! Hurrah!
To welcome home our darling boy,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The village lads and lassies say
With roses they will strew the way,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.
Get ready for the Jubilee,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give the hero three times three,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The laurel wreath is ready now
To place upon his loyal brow
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.
Let love and friendship on that day,
Hurrah, hurrah!
Their choicest pleasures then display,
Hurrah, hurrah!
And let each one perform some part,
To fill with joy the warrior's heart,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.

Johnny I hardly knew ye (Джонни, тебя не узнать!)

Традиционная версия:

"Жесткая" роковая обработка:

Spoiler (expand)

While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo
While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo
While goin' the road to sweet Athy
A stick in me hand and a tear in me eye
A doleful damsel I heard cry,
Johnny I hardly knew ye.
With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and guns and drums
The enemy nearly slew ye
Oh my darling dear, Ye look so queer
Johnny I hardly knew ye.
Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that looked so mild
When my poor heart you first beguiled
Why did ye scadaddle from me and the child
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye.
Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run
When you went to carry a gun
Indeed your dancing days are done
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye.
I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home
All from the island of Sulloon
So low in the flesh, so high in the bone
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg
Ye're an armless, boneless, chickenless egg
Ye'll have to be put with a bowl out to beg
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.
They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again
But they never will take my sons again
No they'll never take my sons again
Johnny I'm swearing to ye.

Первая песня была написана во время ГВ в США, и повествует о том, как встретят дома вернувшихся героев, и настанет всеобщий рай... Вторая - пародия на первую (циничная и жестокая), ставшая одной из самых известных антивоенных песней мира. Женщина встречает бывшего возлюбленного, убежавшего после рождения их ребенка в армию и попавшего в переплет на "острове Силон": "Джонни, тебя не признать! Где твои ноги, руки, глаза, нос?.."
Оба варианта, естественно, благодаря своему содержанию были особо популярны и во время мировой войны.

[Qebedo]

The Yellow Rose of Texas (Желтая роза Техаса)

Spoiler (expand)

There's a yellow rose in Texas, that I am going to see,
No other darky [sic] knows her, no darky only me
She cryed [sic] so when I left her it like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, we nevermore will part.

[Chorus]

She's the sweetest rose of color this darky ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds,they sparkle like the dew;
You may talk about your Dearest May, and sing of Rosa Lee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas beats the belles of Tennessee.

When the Rio Grande is flowing, the starry skies are bright,
She walks along the river in the quite [sic] summer night:
She thinks if I remember, when we parted long ago,
I promised to come back again, and not to leave her so. [Chorus]

Oh now I'm going to find her, for my heart is full of woe,
And we'll sing the songs togeather [sic], that we sung so long ago
We'll play the bango gaily, and we'll sing the songs of yore,
And the Yellow Rose of Texas shall be mine forevermore. [Chorus]

Песня, которую отважные "тексаксцы" сочинили после победы в 1834 году при Сан-Хасинто. С тех пор это популярный военный марш - особенно, естественно, среди солдат из "Тексакса".

[Qebedo]

Remember Pearl Harbor (Помните Пёрл-Харбор!)

Собственно, всё в названии - патриотичный песняк 1942 года, который призывает "помнить Пёрл-Харбор!" так, как "помнили Аламо!" (эту фразу, по легенде, кричали тексакские солдаты во время битвы при Сан-Хасинто, после чего клич "Помни Аламо!" превратился в "военно-патриотический мэм", вроде "за родину, за сталина!").