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OT Historys Most Popular Soldiers Song

D

Dean

Well-known Member
The link below is to an English version of Lili Marlene by Vera Lynn, the most populaar soldiers song of WWII, and, therefore, the history of mankind.

The song, originally written in prose during WWI was set to music in the 1930s and originally recorded in German by Lale Andersen. (I find the original German version most haunting.) It was subsequently recorded in dozens of languages and adorded by soldiers on both sides of all European fronts.

Those of you with a curisoty of history may wish to google it for additional information.

Dean
Vera Lynn Lili Marlene
 
One song that borrowed the tune of Lili Marlene was "D-Day Dodgers", supposedly written by British troops in Italy in response to a statement by Lady Astor that any man not in Normandy was a "D-Day dodger". Wikipedia has a good article about the song (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day_Dodgers). Here's a link to one version of "D-Day Dodgers"; you need to listen through to the last verse to appreciate the sad irony of the song.
D Day Dodgers
 

That's interesting. I always had the impression the music and verse both dated from WWI. My father was in WWI and I don't remember him ever mentioning that song, and he was musically inclined, had a good bass voice and played the banjo.

KEH
 
Not the same era but I still have an old 45 rpm by Sgt.Barry S "Green Beret" As a kid I recall one of my classmates sang it for talent hour. I stiil like to hear "White cliffs of Dover" by Vera Lynn as well.
 
Not the same era but I still have an old 45 rpm by Sgt.Barry S "Green Beret" As a kid I recall one of my classmates sang it for talent hour. I stiil like to hear "White cliffs of Dover" by Vera Lynn as well.
 
Yup, Vera Lynn was the the most popular for the soldiers. There will always be an England is another popular song. As far as the Germans go, they were scared when they heard the bag pipes because it meant the troops were coming after them.
 
Dame Vera Lynn is still with us.

She was imenesly popular during WWII.

There are many of her recordings posted on utube.

Dean
 
His album came out about Feb "65, when I was in Special Forces language school. He put on a show for us when I was overseas, 66-67. He left the Army, became a Soldier of Fortune, fought in Central America, and died from his wounds, about two years later.
 
Jerry, it was written in German, of course it rhymes in German. Like pretty much any song, it rhymes better and makes more sense in its native tongue. I find the original German to be much sadder than the English lyrics. For example, in German "uns wieder sehen" translates as "until we see each other again", but it is also a form of "goodbye". That double meaning is missing in the various English versions.

Other popular English songs that are better in their original German include "Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht") and the pop song "99 Red Balloons" (Neun und Neunzig Luftballoons").
 
I'm extremely dissapointed ! ! I clicked on the
link and got a political ad, for Wisconsin's
Governor Scott Walker..soon to be recalled, I
hope and pray ! ! !
 
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