Folk War Songs-Dances From Your Country

[Foxy]

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[Vrijbuiter]

I love this one. Houzee !!!

MERCK TOCH HOE STERCK

[YOUTUBE]Q_2auYMS-VM[/YOUTUBE]

Merck toch hoe sterck nu in 't werck sich al steld,
Die 't allen tijd' so ons vrijheit heeft bestreden.
Sie hoe hij slaeft, graeft en draeft met geweld,
Om ons goet en ons bloet en onse steden.

Hoor de Spaensche trommels slaen!
Hoor Maraens trompetten!
Siet hoe komt hij trecken aen,
Bergen te bezetten.

Berg op Zoom hout u vroom,
Stut de Spaensche scharen;
Laat 's Lands boom end' sijn stroom
Trouwlijck doen bewaren!
--

't Moedige, bloedige, woedige swaerd
Blonck en het klonck, dat de vonken daeruijt vlogen.
Beving en leving, opgeving der aerd,
Wonder gedonder nu onder was nu boven;

Door al 't mijnen en 't geschut,
Dat men daeglijcx hoorde,
Menig Spanjaert in sijn hut
In sijn bloed versmoorde.

Berg op Zoom hout sich vroom,
't Stut de Spaensche scharen;
't Heeft 's Lands boom end' sijn stroom
Trouwlijck doen bewaren!
--

Die van Oranjen quam Spanjen aen boord,
Om uijt het velt als een helt 't geweld te weeren;
Maer also dra Spinola 't heeft gehoord,
Trekt hij flux heen op de been met al sijn heeren.

Cordua kruijd spoedig voort,
Sach daer niet te winnen,
Don Velasco liep gestoord:
't Vlas was niet te spinnen

Berg op Zoom hout u vroom,
't Stut de Spaensche scharen;
't Heeft 's Lands boom end' sijn stroom
Trouwlijck doen bewaren!

[Ilya.S]

[YOUTUBE]Wxy3awZZrgs[/YOUTUBE]
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[Ushtari]

Vallja e Rugoves/The Rugova dance - North albanian/illyrian folk

[YOUTUBE]3YimVAEkBGU[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]q2J8LO-3UAo[/YOUTUBE]

[The Ripper]

Not from my country, but I really like this Latvian war song:

[YOUTUBE]ByDYQk5eybU[/YOUTUBE]

I wish I knew the lyrics. Perhaps one of our resident Latvians can help us out?

[Treffie]

Our most famous one is `Men of Harlech`

Originally called `Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech`, it is traditionally said to describe events during the seven year long siege of Harlech Castle. Commanded by Constable Dafydd ap Ieuan, the garrison held out in what is the longest known siege in the history of the British Isles. The song gained international recognition when it was featured prominently in the 1964 film Zulu.

[YOUTUBE]UYxeWnX8CN0[/YOUTUBE]

March ye men of Harlech bold, Unfurl your banners in the field,
Be brave as were your sires of old, And like them never yield!
What tho' evry hill and dale, Echoes now with war's alarms,
Celtic hearts can never quail, When Cambria calls to arms.

By each lofty mountain, By each crystal fountain,
By your homes where those you love Await your glad returning,
Let each thought and action prove, True glory can the Cymru move,
And as each blade gleams in the light, Pray "God defend the right!"

Clans from Mona wending, Now with Arvon blending,
Haste with rapid strides along The path that leads to glory,
From Snowdon's hills with harp and song, And Nantlle's vale proceeds a throng,
Whose ranks with yours shall proudly vie, "And nobly win or die!"

March ye men of Harlech go, Lov'd fatherland your duty claims,
Onward comes the Saxon foe, His footsteps mark'd in flames;
But his march breeds no dismay, Boasting taunts we meet with scorn,
Craven like their hosts shall flee Like mists before the morn.

On the foemen dashing, Swords and bucklers clashing;
Smite with will their savage band Nor think of e'er retreating:
But with a firm unflinching hand, In blood quench ev'ry burning brand,
And for each roof tree cast away A Saxon life shall pay.

Thus each bosom nerving, From no danger swerving,
Soon shall the invader feel The doom of fate rewarding;
They firmly grasp the flashing steel, And as ye strike for Cymru's weal,
Be this your cry, till life's last breath - "Our Liberty or Death!"

Original lyrics

Wele goelcerth wen yn fflamio
A thafodau tân yn bloeddio
Ar i'r dewrion ddod i daro
Unwaith eto'n un
Gan fanllefau tywysogion
Llais gelynion, trwst arfogion
A charlamiad y marchogion
Craig ar graig a g ryn.

Arfon byth ni orfydd
Cenir yn dragywydd
Cymru fydd fel Cymru fu
Yn glodfawr ym mysg gwledydd.
Yng ngwyn oleuni'r goelcerth acw
Tros wefusau Cymro'n marw
Annibyniaeth sydd yn galw
Am ei dewraf ddyn.

Ni chaiff gelyn ladd ac ymlid
Harlech! Harlech! cwyd i'w herlid
Y mae Rhoddwr mawr ein Rhyddid
Yn rhoi nerth i ni.
Wele Gymru a'i byddinoedd
Yn ymdywallt o'r mynyddoedd!
Rhuthrant fel rhaeadrau dyfroedd
Llamant fel y lli!

Llwyddiant i'n marchogion
Rwystro gledd yr estron!
Gwybod yn ei galon gaiff
Fel bratha cleddyf Brython
Y cledd yn erbyn cledd a chwery
Dur yn erbyn dur a dery
Wele faner Gwalia'i fyny
Rhyddid aiff â hi!

[Nglund]

[YOUTUBE]Giuh8lXAk4E[/YOUTUBE]

The oldest of the virgins, She was a vandal lass.
I showed my mighty weapons, And she showed me her Ass!

(Chorus)

"Oh, We Are Beowulf’s Army, Each A Mighty Thane!! We’ll pummel your asses, and ravage your lasses, And do it all over Again!!!"

The fattest of the virgins, I knew her for a whore.
I gave her all me codpiece, Still Wanted More!

(Chorus)

Her sister was from Norway, She costs 20 Croats.
She showed me there were more ways, And went to sold me oats!

(Chorus)

Their mother was from Iceland, And she was mighty Hot.
She needed a whole damn iceberg
To cool her burning Twat!

(Chorus)

...

[askra]

3 war songs in Sardinian language

Dimonios (Demons)
the Anthem of Sassari's Brigade written in 1915 (the most decorated brigade of italian army in the WWI)

[YOUTUBE]mHzaxMjzdG4[/YOUTUBE]

Procurad''e Moderare

the song of sardinian revolution against the feudalism and the House of Savoy, written in 1794, when the French supported sardinians against the invasors (infact Jean-Paul Marat, one of the French revolution's leader was half sardinian)

[YOUTUBE]VAAToFLgbPg[/YOUTUBE]

and another battle folk song:

[YOUTUBE]3UvB_IoOof8[/YOUTUBE]

[lI]

Post videos of war songs and dances from your country. A brief translation of the lyrics would be highly appreciated.

My personal favorite is this one, it's from Northern Lithuania but it sounds way better when some fiery Dzukians chime in like in this recording:
http://youtu.be/9Z7UvGFC5Jo?t=35m36s
The brother rides of to a war
Leaving behind
His old mother
Who's crying sorrowfully
- Don't you cry, dear mother
You white lily!
I will bring you back
A silken scarf
Refrain: "sėdauto, you rue, sėdauto"



Here's three Lithuanian songs about the wars with Swedes:


A brother will ride off, sodauto
To Riga town, sodauto
- What will you, dear brother, sodauto.
What will you bring me back, brother, sodauto.
From Riga town, sodauto.
- I will bring you back, sodauto.
A precious ring of gold, sodauto.
Refrain: "A little bee in the garden, sage wavering, sodauto"



Oh, ye rowan, where did you grow amidst the misfortunes?
Where did you grow in the midst of troubles and moss?
Oh, dear mother, why did you bring me up?
Why did you bring me up and sent me to a war?
You've sent me to war and made me three trumpets:
The first one I blew as I was riding of the court
The second one I blew as I was riding through the yard
The third one I blew as I joined the battle
My horse pranced, the whole crowd looked up
A drove of stout Swedes swarmed in
As we stood in the field we hewed out all the Swedes
Our Chodkevičius is strong, a true king


Oh meadow, you dear meadow!
My lads, we shall reap the hay,
Then we shall ride off towards Riga -
Dear lads, Riga is a splendid town!
The battle stands against us as a wall!
Dear lads, the bullets are buzzing like bees,
The battle is falling around us like a wall!
The blood is pouring like water,
The dogs are striding like lions...

[Mikula]

Well, there are a serious theme but I would like to be a bit funny and off-topic, now.
Next clip is not folk song but made by Czech pub-rock band Tři sestry (Three Sisters).
name of the song is O straslive vojne s Turkem (About the horrible war with Turks).

There are singing about guys sitting in the pub, when messenger informed them about the aproaching Turkish forces.
They continued to drink and next day went to the battlefield. But Turks overnumbered them and they lost. Some of them saved their lives and run away, some were captured and enslaved. The captured ones send leters home that are serving at galley as rowmen, or in harem as eunuchs.
Enjoy!