BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Polish Culture Polish soldier songs.

Some time ago, when I told you about Independence of Poland (11th November), I mentioned 'Soldier songs' that are very often performed on that day...
To give you example on what I am talking about, here are some links to youtube and the songs that are very popular...

CLICK THE SONG TITLE TO SEE THE VIDEO!

ROTA

The words were written by Maria Konopnicka and published for the first time in 1908. In 1910 the song (with music by Feliks Nowowiejski) was for the first time performed publicly - it was still the period when Poland was not independent and did not exist on the map.
Since 1919 Rota became the hymn of Polish scouts who also fought during the war for independence of their country. After the end of WW II (when Poland eventually became independent) Rota competed with 'Mazurek Dabrowskiego' to become the national anthem.

The song starts with words...

"We will not leave the land from which we derive,
We will not let our language be forgotten,
We are Polish nation, Polish people
The Royal descentdants of Piast (dynasty)
We will not let the enemy get advantage of us

So help us God, so help us God"

ROZSZUMIALY SIE WIERZBY PLACZACE

Another soldier song... it goes:

"The Weeping Willows started to hum,
The girl started to cry aloud,
She raised her eyes shining from tears,
Thinking of soldier difficult fate

Oh willows do not hum for us,
Sorrow that tears the heart,
Do not cry my beloved one,
As it is not bad in underground army..."

O MOJ ROZMARYNIE

The song was probably written during the First World War. It is one of the most popular and beautiful Polish soldier songs. It tells about a boy he plans to devote his life to the army in case his girl does not love him...

This is archival recording and comes from 1930'.

The song goes...

"Oh bloom my rosemary,
Oh bloom my rosemary,
I will go to my girl, to my only one,
And I will ask.

And if she replies - I don't love you,
And if she replies - I don't love you,
The Uhlans recruit, Sharpshooters march,
I'll go with them."

MY PIERWSZA BRYGADA

The song was created among the soldiers led by Jozef Pilsudski (in the First World War). It was also one of the songs proposed to become national anthem. Some people even wanted to merge it with 'Mazurek Dabrowskiego'.
The recording comes from 1930.

The Chorus goes like:

"We, the first brigade,
The bunch of shooters,
On the pyre we threw,
Our life fate, on the pyre"

SERCE W PLECAKU

Although most of the Polish patriotic songs are very serious and sad, this is one of the most joyful songs that I know. The title is translated as a 'heart in a bagpack'.
The song was written in 1933 for a day of a soldier. It was especially popular during WW II (within underground army soldiers).

The song starts:

"It ran out of a young chest,
In a big pain and dillema,
And followed the army,
somebody's heart in love,

A soldier marched the road,
He pitied the small heart,
So he hid it in the bagpack,
And continued marching,

Chorus:
This song, this only one,
I am singing for you girl,
Maybe also somebody else's heart
is in love and dillema,

Maybe you love secretly,
And you miss and cry every night,
This song, this only one,
I am singing for you girl."

Is there a site or place to download the soldier songs?

Thanks........ Kuba

Kuba, I'll try to find some pages with free downloads. I am sure there are some - especially that many songs were recorded years ago and are not anymore under 'author's right's protection.

As soon as I find something, I'll post it here.

Greets

Hello Kuba, I found the website where I found some soldier songs to download... They are far from perfect (as they are archivals) but you will find some of the titles that I mentioned:

http://monika.univ.gda.pl/~literat/media/index.htm

'Rozkwitaly paki bialych roz'
'O moj rozmarynie'
'Pierwsza brygada'

ETC. :))))

I found this one while viewing yours. Not a soldier song but looks like the man is enjoying himself. Who knew a hip grandpa (dziedek) Love it!!!!!

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