Donna Donna, once introduced by Joan Baez: the song was a political statement in Israel during WWII to encourage resistance vs. Nazi racism … read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Donna.
below: me playing the melody on different guitars…
lyrics written by Aaron Zeitlin, translation by Kevess & Schwartz, the music was composed by Sholom Secunda
title=”Auschwitz/Birkenau” – photo by stevieboyuk, click on the picture to enter his galleries on Flickr
Itzhak Katzenelson, who performed the protest song, was killed by the Nazis in Auschwitz 1944. – Lyrics, written by Aaron Zeitlin:
1
“On a wagon bound for market
There’s a calf with a mournful eye.
High above him there’s a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky.
2
“Stop complaining,” said the farmer,
“Who told you a calf to be?
Why don’t you have wings to fly with
Like the swallow so proud and free?”
3
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
Never knowing the reason why.
But whoever treasures freedom,
Like the swallow has learned to fly.”
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this was one of my most visited blog posts in 2012 – and still appearing in the daily SEARCH of my blog
https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/donna-donna-history-of-a-song/
comments there:
1 – anonymous:
Not so much anti-Nazi as anti-passivity. Pro-resistance… or just pro flying the hell out of Germany.
2 – Chris Breebart
I know this song since a camp in 1972. I like it and actually it was one of the first songs I played on guitar. To me it was a bit melancholic but reading about the true story makes me realize there is an extra depth behind the lines.
my latest instrumental version with bottleneck technique:
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