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War Babies

Al Jolson
Language: English



Related Songs

Hello Central! Give Me No Man's Land
(Al Jolson)


‎[1916]‎
Parole di Ballard Mcdonald e Edward Madden.‎
Musica di James F. Hanley.‎

Dall’interprete di Hello Central! Give Me No Man's Land, un’altra canzone “strappalacrime” – come si usava ‎all’epoca – eppure molto diretta e cruda nella sua descrizione dell’orrore della guerra. Strofe che mi ‎hanno ricordato le immagini di “Germania Anno Zero” di Roberto Rossellini, girato proprio sulle ‎macerie di Berlino tra il 1947 ed il 1948:‎

Germania Anno Zero


E anche la locandina ‎che pubblicizzava l’esibizione di Al Jolson non scherzava affatto: un gruppo ‎di piccoli orfani di guerra tutti in fila sullo sfondo di un villaggio distrutto…‎

Al Jolson Locandina


Considerato che era il 1916 e ci si trovava quindi nel pieno del primo conflitto mondiale, mi pare ‎proprio che non ci fosse niente di meglio per risollevare il morale alle truppe e a tutti quanti! ‎
Per questo credo che “War Babies” trovi posto a buon diritto fra le CCG/AWS.
Forsaken, alone, amid tumbled down stone, ‎
In the dust of what once was a home, ‎
Two little tots lay, as the close of the day ‎
Cast its shadow o'er Heaven's blue dome, ‎
From afar in the gloom came the cannon's dull boom, ‎
The roar of its shells filled the air, ‎
And it lulled them to rest tightly held ‎
to the breast of the mother who died for them there

Little war babies, our hearts ache for you,‎
Where will you go to, and what will you do?‎
Into a world full of sorrow you came,‎
Homeless and helpless, no one knows your name.‎
Gone is the mother love tender and true,‎
Gone is your dead daddy, too;‎
But you’ll share in the joys
Of our own girls and boys,‎
War babies, we’ll take care of you

While sitting some night by your fireside bright, ‎
With the children you love and adore, ‎
Just let your thoughts roam to that tumbled down home ‎
That once stood in the pathway of war, ‎
As the vision appears, you can see thru your tears ‎
The two little tots all alone, ‎
Will you wait till they plead for the things that they need? ‎
Just suppose those two babes were your own

Little war babies, our hearts ache for you,‎
Where will you go to, and what will you do?‎
Into a world full of sorrow you came,‎
Homeless and helpless, no one knows your name.‎
Gone is the mother love tender and true,‎
Gone is your dead daddy, too;‎
But you’ll share in the joys
Of our own girls and boys,‎
War babies, we’ll take care of you

Contributed by Bartleby - 2011/9/15 - 14:05




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