Perspectives from an English Historian who just happens to be Gay, Catholic, and a Democratic Socialist. Now back in the UK after 20 years of living in the United States. The Blog is eclectic in covering all these sides of my Life. Follow on Twitter at PaulBHalsall
Friday, May 01, 2009
Two Songs for May Day
The Red Flag [Wikipedia here]
The workers' flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead;
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold
Their life-blood dyed its every fold.
CHORUS:
Then raise the scarlet standard high;
Beneath its folds we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.
The Internationale [Wikipedia here]
Arise ye starvelings [or workers] from your slumbers
Arise ye criminals of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
and at last ends the age of cant.
Now away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise!
We'll change forthwith [or henceforth] the old conditions
And spurn the dust to win the prize.
CHORUS
Then come comrades rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale
Unites the human race. (repeat).
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4 comments:
what a condescending set of words!
But then, my wife's Latvian grandmother thought the same of the inscription on the Statue of Liberty.
Which are condescending? I quite like The Red Flag.
sorry, meant the verse of; the Internationale.
Steve it has never sung well in English, which is why I gave the Wikipedia link wherein are some modern variants - especially Billy Braggs' version.
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