World War 2 Songs and Poems

[Mary]

Hi you guys.
Now how are you on World War 2 songs and poems.
I would love to hear, if you can do that with this site, your songs and read your poems.
Mary
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK [:X]

[andyo2000]

This is one of my favorites

Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle, flew,
And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God
- John Magee, RAF

It does rhyme, but in a weird way. 1 and 3, 2 and 5, and 4 and 6. If you read it out loud, it sounds just fine though.

[Mary]

John
Thanks for that.
More of the same please chaps.
I shall save them to word and then enjoy them at my pleasure
Mary
[:X]

[GregP]

Anyone know all the words to the old Air Corps song "Bless Tham All"?

One verse was:

"Bless them all, bless them all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Bless the instructors that taught us to dive,
They say that we're lucky that we're still alive,
And if our engine should stall,
We're in for one hell of a fall,
No roses or violets for flat-footed pilots,
So come on now lads belss tham all."

[Corsarius]

I do recall a song.. went to the tune of 'the church's one foundation'

We are the heavy bombers
We fly through endless Sh**
Through flak and concentrations
And occasionally we're hit
But when we drop our bollocks
We do not give a damn
The bombs may wreck the goods yard
But they f*** up poor old Hamm.

There were a few other verses, but amongst them goes:

And when the weather's shitty
And the winds are all to hell
The navigator's balls up
and the R/T's Balls as well
We think of all the popsies
We've laid in days gone by
And curse the stupid bastards
Who taught us how to fly

There is more in a book I own, but I'll have to find it, as I don't think it's where I live now!

[i16stealth]

I'm not sure that anyone here speaks russian, but... I want to publish one of the ww2 soviet songs.

The March of Moscow's defenders
Ìàðø çàùèòíèêîâ Ìîñêâû

 àòàêó ñòàëüíûìè ðÿäàìè
Ìû ïîñòóïüþ òâåðäîé èäåì.
Ðîäíàÿ ñòîëèöà çà íàìè,
Çà íàìè - ðîäèìûé íàø äîì.

Ïðèïåâ:

Ìû íå äðîãíåì â áîþ çà ñòîëèöó ñâîþ,
Íàì ðîäíàÿ Ìîñêâà äîðîãà.
Íåðóøèìîé ñòåíîé, îáîðîíîé ñòàëüíîé
Ðàçãðîìèì, óíè÷òîæèì âðàãà!

Íà ìàðøå ðàâíÿþòñÿ âçâîäû
Ãóäèò ïîä íîãàìè çåìëÿ,
Çà íàìè - ðîäíûå çàâîäû
È êðàñíûå çâåçäû Êðåìëÿ.

Ïðèïåâ.

Äëÿ ñ÷àñòüÿ ñâîèìè ðóêàìè
Ìû ñòðîèëè ãîðîä ðîäíîé.
Çà êàæäûé ðàñêîëîòûé êàìåíü
Îòïëàòèì ìû ñòðàøíîé öåíîé.

Ïðèïåâ.

Íå ñ÷åñòü áîãàòûðñêóþ ñèëó,
Ìîãó÷ íàø îòïîð îãíåâîé.
Çàãîíèì ôàøèñòîâ â ìîãèëó
 òóìàííûõ áîÿõ ïîä Ìîñêâîé.

Ïðèïåâ:
Ìû íå äðîãíåì â áîþ çà ñòîëèöó ñâîþ,
Íàì ðîäíàÿ Ìîñêâà äîðîãà.
Íåðóøèìîé ñòåíîé, îáîðîíîé ñòàëüíîé
Ðàçãðîìèì, óíè÷òîæèì âðàãà!

[Paolo Tagliaferri]

I don't ever have the correct charset ... [V]

[tenmmike]

THE STUKA LIED.(english at the bottom)......Viel schwarze Vögel ziehen
Hoch über Land und Meer,
Und wo sie erscheinen, da fliehen
Die Feinde vor ihnen her.
Sie lassen jäh sich fallen
Vom Himmel tiefbodenwärts.
Sie schlagen die ehernen Krallen
Dem Gegner mitten ins Herz.

Refrain:
Wir sind die schwarzen Husaren der Luft,
Die Stukas, die Stukas, die Stukas!
Immer bereit, wenn der Einsatz uns ruft,
Die Stukas, die Stukas, die Stukas!
Wir stürzen vom Himmel und schlagen zu.
Wir fürchten die Hölle nicht und geben nicht Ruh,
Bis endlich der Feind am Boden liegt,
Bis England, bis England, bis Engeland besiegt-
Die Stukas, die Stukas, die Stukas!

Wenn tausend Blitze flammen,
Wenn rings sie Gefahr bedroht,
Sie halten stets eisern zusammen,
Kameraden auf Leben und Tod!
Wenn Beute sie erspähen,
Dann wehe ihr allemal,
Nichts kann ihren Augen entgehen,
Den Stukas, Adlern gleich aus Stahl!

Refrain:

Tod säen sie und Verderben
Rings über des Feindes Land.
Die Spuren sind Trümmer und Scherben
Und lodernder Himmelsbrand.
Es geht schon in allen Landen
Ihr Name von Mund zu Mund.
Sie schlagen die Werke zuschanden,
Die Schiffe schicken sie auf Grund.

Refrain:



The Stuka Song. (freely translated)

Many black birds roam
Highly over country and sea,
And where they appear, there flees
The enemies away from them.
They let themselves fall suddenly
From the sky down to the ground.
They strike with their claws
The opponent in the middle in the heart.

Refrain:
We are the black Hussars of the sky,
The Stukas, the Stukas, theStukas!
Always ready, when duty calls us,
The Stukas, the Stukas, the Stukas!
We fall from the sky and slam shut.
We aren't afraid of hell and will not give in,
Until finally the enemy is laying in the soil,
To England, to England, untill England is defeated,
The Stukas, the Stukas, the Stukas!

When thousand lightnings flame,
Our sirenes threaten with danger,
They always hold together like iron,
Comrades in life and death!
If booty is present,
Then everybody knows,
Nothing can escape their eyes,
The dive bombers, as eagles equal but from steel!

Refrain:

They are spoiling and sow death
Sirenes over the enemy country.
The tracks are rubble and pieces of broken glass
And blazing sky fire.
It goes already into all landing
Their name goes from mouth to mouth.
They strike the factories to nothing,

[i16stealth]

quote:Originally posted by Admin

I don't ever have the correct charset ... [V]


In English transcription it looks like that (I suppose it'll be very hard to read):


V ataku stal'ny'imi ryadami
My'i postup'yu tverdoy idem.
Rodnaya stolica za nami,
Za nami - rodimy'iy nash dom.

Chorus:

My'i ne drognem v boyu za stolicu svoyu,
Nam rodnaya Moskva doroga.
Nerushimoy stenoy, oboronoy stal'noy
Razgromim, unichtojim vraga!

Na marshe ravnyayutsya vzvody'i
Gudit pod nogami zemlya,
Za nami - rodny'ie zavody'i
I krasny'ie zvezdy'i Kremlya.

Chorus.

Dlya schast'ya svoimi rukami
My'i stroili gorod rodnoy.
Za kajdy'iy raskoloty'iy kamen'
Otplatim my'i strashnoy cenoy.

Chorus.

Ne schest' bogaty'irskuyu silu,
Moguch nash otpor ognevoy.
Zagonim fashistov v mogilu
V tumanny'ih boyah pod Moskvoy.

Chorus:

My'i ne drognem v boyu za stolicu svoyu,
Nam rodnaya Moskva doroga.
Nerushimoy stenoy, oboronoy stal'noy
Razgromim, unichtojim vraga!

[CAPILATUS]

Hi, everyone!
It's funny to read above. I16stealth, I do understand Russian by the way...
Unfortunately my English is not perfect as to translate Russians songs or ever it would be stupid to make a direct translation, as should be opened the meaning... Though there are really some dheartfelt songs. Mmmmm...

Dear Mary! Having nothing to sing you see below, please - it's not from WWII but it's definatley about...

There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I...

Sure you know it's from!

[Corsarius]

Capitalus, you have to stop listening to your pink floyd tapes before posting.

Some lines of a song to the tune 'my darling clemintine'

comes a-fighter comes a-fighter
comes a junkers 88
hurry archie hurry archie
or you'll be too f***ing late

We are down now we are down now
And no thanks to sentinel two
Our results sir, thanks to met, sir
Our results we leave to you

(once again this is just a snippet of a song I used to know off by heart)

[CAPILATUS]

Ooops - I will do ... [:I] :D

[i16stealth]

quote:Originally posted by CAPILATUS


Unfortunately my English is not perfect as to translate Russians songs or ever it would be stupid to make a direct translation, as should be opened the meaning... Though there are really some dheartfelt songs. Mmmmm...


The only reason I haven't publish the English version of the song is
a shortage of poetic talents... Capitalus, we need an English,
Russian-speaking poet!

[P38Kid]

Please forgive the length of this one

When you hear a whistle in the sky
And see those twin tails streaking by,
You know that you have one less chance
Of ever making an advance.

When you started this war in thirty-nine,
There was no P-38 assembly line.
When you bombed Pearl Harbor in forty-one
That assembly had just begun.

When that line really began to move
You knew that we were in the groove.
When they first hit Africa in forty-two,
You began to think that you were through.

Now we are turning them out faster and faster
The sooner to bring you disaster.
Every one that leaves the assembly line
Helps to shorten your allotted time.

We use them for the camera ship
Because their speed gives you the slip,
And when the photographs they take,
Our bombers follow in their wake.

They escort bombers far and wide,
And on every mission tan your hide.
From the rooftops to the stratosphere,
Of all your planes they are the peer.

The Zero, it was sure well named,
For when the Lightnings' guns are aimed,
The pilot gives them one quick burst,
There's nothing there, the Zeros cursed.

Over in Europe it's just the same,
Focke-Wulfs and Messerschmitts are fair game.
Our pilots chase them from the sky
And make of Goebbels' boasts a lie.

For every time their five guns roar,
The Axis rats die by the score.
Fork'tailed terrors of the air,
They make our enemies despair.

[Lightning]

Well done P-38 Kid! That's the first time I've heard that one. I like it a lot. I don't have it in front of me right now, but when I get a chance, I'll submit one I know you'll like. It's titled "An Escort of P-38s."

By the way, There is an organization you might be interested in. It's "The P-38 National Association." They have a great website. I'm going there now.

[Lightning]

As promised:


Oh,Hedy Lamarr is a beautiful gal
And Madeline Carroll is, too;
But you'll find, if you query, a different
theory
Amongst any bomber crew.
For the loviest thing of which one
could sing.
(This side of the heavenly gates)
is no blonde or brunette of the
Hollywood set,
But an escort of P-38s...


Sure, we're braver than hell; on the
ground all is swell--
In the air it's a different story.
We sweat out our track through the
fighters and flak;
We're willing to split up the glory.
Well, they wouldn't reject us , so
Heaven protect us
And,until all this shooting abates,
Give us the courage to fight 'em-- and
one other small item--
An escort of P-38s.


The foregoing was written by a B-17 gunner in North Africa. It originally appeared in the US Army paper "Stars and Stripes" in 1943.

That brave gunner was lost in action on a later bombing mission. God bless him and keep him.

[Joe]

quote:Originally posted by GregP

Anyone know all the words to the old Air Corps song "Bless Tham All"?

One verse was:

"Bless them all, bless them all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Bless the instructors that taught us to dive,
They say that we're lucky that we're still alive,
And if our engine should stall,
We're in for one hell of a fall,
No roses or violets for flat-footed pilots,
So come on now lads belss tham all."

[Joseph A. Rehyansky]

quote:Originally posted by GregP

Anyone know all the words to the old Air Corps song "Bless Tham All"?

One verse was:

"Bless them all, bless them all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Bless the instructors that taught us to dive,
They say that we're lucky that we're still alive,
And if our engine should stall,
We're in for one hell of a fall,
No roses or violets for flat-footed pilots,
So come on now lads belss tham all."

[ChrisMcD]

"Bless em all" appears to have a very complex history!!

http://www.fredgodfreysongs.ca/Songs/Bless_em_all.htm

I thought it was a British Army song!

Bless 'em all, bless 'em all
The long and the short and the tall
Bless all the sergeants and W.O. Ones
Bless all the corp'rals and their blinking sons
For we're saying good-bye to them all
As back to the barracks we crawl
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean
So cheer up my lads Bless 'em all,

My favourite wartime song is 70 Squadron.

One of the RAF bomber squadrons based at Fuka, which flew constantly to bomb Benghazi composed a song about it called ‘The Mail Run Melody’, which was sung to the tune ‘Clementine’.

Here are some of the verses:

Down the flights each ruddy morning,
Sitting waiting for a clue,
Same old notice on the flight board,
Maximum effort—Guess where to.


Chorus:

Seventy Squadron, Seventy Squadron,
Though we say it with a sigh,
We must do the ruddy Mail Run,
Every night until we die.


Out we go on to dispersal,
To complete our Night Flying Test,
Rumour says we're going Northwards,
But we know we're going West.

Take off from the Western Desert
Fuka, 60 or 09 (Sixty or Oh-nine),
Same old Wimpy, same old aircrew,
Same old target, same old time.

‘Have you lost us Navigator?’
‘Come up here and have a look’,
‘Someone's shot our starboard wing off’,
‘We're alright then, that's Tobruk’. - in joke Tobruk was supposed to be friendly!!

Fifteen Wimpys on the target,
Two forced landed in the drink,
Another couple crashed on landing,
Ruddy Hell, it makes you think.

Snooping round the Western Desert,
With the gravy running low,
How I wish I could see Fuka,
Through the dust storm down below.

Trying to get your forty raids in,
Thirty-nine, now don't get hit,
If you don't, you go to Blighty,
If you do, (Well, never mind!)

Oh, to be in Piccadilly,
Selling matches by the score, - another 'in joke' this was what destitute disabled soldiers ended up doing
Then I shouldn't have to do that
Ruddy Mail Run any more.

found it at http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-3RAF-c3.html

[Nick Sumner]

Rather a sombre one I fear, but powerful and poigniant.

The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner by Randall Jarrell

From my mother's sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.

[i16stealth]

An English version of the popular pre-war Soviet song "Esli zavtra voina":


IF TOMORROW BRINGS WAR
English version by A. STEIGER

1.If tomorrow brings war,
If the foe should attack,
If he suddenly strikes to surprise us;
In defense of our land,
Our free Soviet land,
The whole people as one man will rise up.

Chorus:
On the land, in the skies, on the ocean;
Peals our song with a stern ringing might,
If tomorrow brings war,
Then tomorrow we march,
So today let’s be ready to fight!

2. If tomorrow brings war,
The whole land from Kronstadt
Out to Vladovostock will be ready.
At the summons to fight,
All the people will rise
And shall ruthlessly rout the invader.

3. Planes in squadrons will soar,
Our machine guns will fire,
Mighty tanks will go rumbling and rattle.
Fleets of warships will be sped,
And our infantry march into battle.

4. We’ve a hatred for war,
But our land we defend,
So we strengthen defensive resources.
Little blood will be shed,
When on enemy soil,
To the last we destroy hostile forces.

5. Rise ye People, arise,
And as(s)emble to march!
Beat the drums in a martial commotion!
Go Musicians, ahead!
Chorus Leaders ahead!
Sing our song with triumphant emotion!

6. The oppressed of the world
Find our Socialist Land
A great fortress, of strength in affliction.
Comrade Stalin’s with us,
And with iron, clenched hand
Voroshilov shall lead us to vict’ry.

[alyster]

From poems I like Japanese written poems, letters and quotes.

Also from songs I like
Estonian legion (http://www.wehrmacht.pri.ee/marsid/eestileegion.mp3)
Waffen-SS Suomi Marssi (http://www.wehrmacht.pri.ee/marsid/waffensssuomimarssi.mp3)


And I like Sgt. McKenzie

Original Scottish Version
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid

Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Ains a year say a prayer faur me
Close yir een an remember me

Nair mair shall a see the sun
For a fell tae a Germans gun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun


English Translation
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone

When they come I will stand my ground
Stand my ground I’ll not be afraid

Thoughts of home take away my fear
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears

Once a year say a prayer for me
Close your eyes and remember me

Never more shall I see the sun
For I fell to a Germans gun

Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone

Where before many more have gone

(PS. It was used in We Were Soldiers)

[ChrisMcD]

If it's Scottish quotes your after how about the Marquis of Montrose's toast to his men

“...He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
That puts it not unto the touch
To win or lose it all...”

[Redwings_10]

Hi all, I registered here quite a while ago and only got in a post or two before being sidelined by a major auto accident. So forgive the intrusion by a newbie but here goes...

(With apologies to Mr. Lighting...[8D])

Oh don't give me a P-38
for the props they will counter-rotate
she'll cough and she'll wheeze
as she heads for the trees
oh don't give me a P-38.

Just a quick little ditty my father taught me many years ago. In truth, I'm pretty enamoured with the Lightning but I thought it was a funny little tune.

[Jemiba]

Not poetically at all, but still a well known propaganda song,
especially in the circles of some kind of hooligans, I'm afraid :

Kamerad! Kamerad!
Alle Mädels müssen warten!
Kamerad! Kamerad!
Der Befehl ist da, wir starten!
Kamerad! Kamerad!
Die Losung ist bekannt:
Ran an den Feind!
Ran an den Feind!
Bomben auf Engelland!

Comrade, comrade !
The girls have to wait !
Tthe order is here, take off!
comrade, comrade !
The slogan we know :
Attack (the enemy) !
Attack (the enemy) !
Bombs on england !

The first version was "bombs on poland" in the refrain, but this
version probably is better known, because it was used for many
propaganda movies and film reports. As it didn't sound martially enough for Mr. Goebbels, the sound of bursting bombs was added to
the refrain ...

[Lightning]

Hi Redwings_10,

Oh, the pain, the pain! It hurts, Red, it really hurts! How could you be so cruel?

On a more serious note, I'm glad you're ok after your accident. I recognized your "nom de guerre" immediately, and, yes, it has been a while. I'm sure I speak for all here when I say welcome back.

Regards,
Lightning

[GregP]

I thought that was"

"Don't give me a P-39,
the one with the engine behind,
it'll tumble and roll and dig a big hole,
so don't give me a P-39!"

[alyster]

I was just searching for music and came across one intresting song [8D]
(It isn't from WW2 era, but from modern time [B)] )

quote:STUKA PILOT (FIGHT OR DIE) (http://www.tightrope.cc/White-Power-MP3s/stukapilot.mp3)

Clear the runways, man the planes, we're taking to the air
We're going behind enemy lines, to smash the devil's lair
It's a do or die mission not many will return
Orders have been given to make the enemy burn

The one-legged pilot takes to the air again
No matter what the cost we have to win

(chorus)
Rolling through the sky
Preparing for the dive
With only one thing in mind
Stuka pilot fight, (fight fight) or die
Descending into a thousand foot drop
The enemy's advance they must be stopped
So you give them all you've got
Stuka pilot, fight (fight fight) or die

Enemy squadron approaching at the crack of light
Man the guns, hold them strong, we're heading for a fight
One by one we're going to knock them to the ground
We'll be the worst nightmare that they have ever found

Shot down by enemies yet you still choose to fly
Stuka pilot, warrior to the Reich, a warrior of the sky

(chorus)
Rolling through the sky
Preparing for the dive
With only one thing in mind
Stuka pilot fight, (fight fight) or die
Descending into a thousand foot drop
The enemy's advance they must be stopped
So you give them all you've got
Stuka pilot, fight (fight fight) or die

Too bad that I later discovered this group is with racistic backround [xx(]

[Redwings_10]

quote:Originally posted by Lightning

Hi Redwings_10,

Oh, the pain, the pain! It hurts, Red, it really hurts! How could you be so cruel?

On a more serious note, I'm glad you're ok after your accident. I recognized your "nom de guerre" immediately, and, yes, it has been a while. I'm sure I speak for all here when I say welcome back.

Regards,
Lightning


Hi Lightning,

First, thank you for your kind words, it was a bit of a trial, two semi trucks collided head-on right in front of me on a two lane rural road. At the expense of my blue 2004 GTO and some broken bones I made it through, and at present, I seem to be fairly up and running again. Still kind of tough to sit at my desk for a full day so am only doing 1/2 to 3/4 type days, but hey, it could have been a lot worse.

As for the pain, take two aspririn and call me in the morning:)

Like I said, I like the P-38 a whole bunch, to me it is the epitome of the WWII twin engine fighter. (personal opinion I know, but hey, that's how I feel) Besides, it kept a family member safe and sound back in the day, how can I not have a soft spot for it?

GregP,

I had forgotten that one, thanks for bringing that back to the memory banks and along those lines using the same tune,

Don't give me an F-84...
She's nought but a ground loving whore...
She'll cough and she'll roar as...


Rats, seems I can't remember the rest of that one.[:I]

[Oli]

quote: Anyone know all the words to the old Air Corps song "Bless Tham All"?
Of course BLESS is the cleaned up version for civilian comsumption. I don't think I've ever heard a squaddy or an airman EVER say "bless 'em all". The original (AFAIK) was a four letter word starting with "F" and more succinctly states the common attitude towards sergeants, corporals and WO1s.....
There's a Tempest song kicking about on the net (probably from the official Tempest website, duh). But I'm not sure whether or not that was written post war. Just found it - post war: http://www.hawkertempest.se/sound.htm
oh well.