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Lyrics explained

Started by Bluenose, September 21, 2018, 01:23:08 PM

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Bluenose

I posted "I am Australian" in the Music that moves me thread just before.  It occurred to me that the song is full of cultural references that may not be immediately apparent to non-Australians.  So here it is with explanations for what I think might not be obvious:

I Am Australian
Bruce Woodley / Dobe Newton

I came from the dream-time
From the dusty red-soil plains
I am the ancient heart
The keeper of the flame
I stood upon the rocky shores
I watched the tall ships come
For forty thousand years I've been              The latest scientific evidence is that the Aboriginals
The first Australian                                       have been here at least 60,000 years, possibly 80-100 thousand
I came upon the prison ship
Bowed down by iron chains
I bought the land, endured the lash
And waited for the rains
I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife
On a dry and barren run                              A run is a land holding, particularly for running stock
A convict, then a free man
I became Australian
I'm the daughter of a digger                        Diggers were originally the men of the gold rushes, later
Who sought the mother lode                       the term was used for Aussie soldiers of WWI, then WWII
The girl became a woman                            especially those of Gallipoli and the western front in WWI
On the long and dusty road                          nowadays any Australian soldier may be referred to as "digger"
I'm a child of the Depression
I saw the good times come
I'm a bushie, I'm a battler                            A bushie is one who lives way out in the country, a battler is an
I am Australian                                            ordinary bloke who has to work hard to make a living
We are one, but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We'll share a dream and sing with one voice
"I am, you are, we are Australian"
I'm a teller of stories
I'm a singer of songs
I am Albert Namatjira                                   Albert was our most famous Aboriginal artist*
And I paint the ghostly gums                         Ghost gums are common in the red centre near waterholes, they have vivid white trunks
I'm Clancy on his horse                                 Clancy of the Overflow is a famous character in Two of Australia's most famous poems**
I'm Ned Kelly on the run                                Ned Kelly was an infamous bush ranger in the 19th century
I'm the one who waltzed Matilda                   Waltzing Matilda is old slang for tramping about the outback with your
I am Australian                                              bedroll (swag) or your Matilda, over your shoulder, looking for work
I'm the hot wind from the desert
I'm the black soil of the plains
I'm the mountains and the valleys
I'm the drought and flooding rains                  This is an allusion to a poem "My Country" by Dorothea Mackellar***
I am the rock, I am the sky                           The Rock is universally understood over here to be Uluru/Ayers Rock
The rivers when they run                               Many of our inland rivers only flow during floods
The spirit of this great land
I am Australian
We are one, but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We'll share a dream and sing with one voice
"I am, you are, we are Australian"
We are one, but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We'll share a dream and sing with one voice
"I am, you are, we are Australian"
"I am, you are, we are Australian"

* Albert Namatjira has personal significance for me.  My grandfather was an artist who painted in oils and was the only artist to have a joint exhibition with Albert.  I grew up with stories about painting out in the desert with Albert.  I almost feel like he was one of the family.

** Two of our most well known poems are Clancy of the Overflow and The Man From Snowy River, both by A.B. (Banjo) Paterson

*** My Country is an iconic poem about Australia, one of the most well known lines is that it is a land of drought and flooding rains.
+++ Divide by cucumber error: please reinstall universe and reboot.  +++

GNU Terry Pratchett


Ecurb Noselrub

Now explain this:

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred
Down came the troopers One Two Three
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman sprang in to the billabong
You'll never catch me alive said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

xSilverPhinx

Cool thread, Bluenose!

Probably one of the most famous Brazilian songs is 'The Girl From Ipanema'.


A Garota de Ipanema
Tom Jobim & Viní­cius De Moraes

Olha, que coisa mais linda,
Mais cheia de graça,
É ela, menina, que vem e que passa,
Num doce balanço, a caminho do mar.

Moça do corpo dourado,
Do sol de Ipanema,
O seu balançado
É mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda
Que eu já vi passar

Ah, por que estou tão sozinho?
Ah, por que tudo é tão triste?
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha,
Que também passa sozinha.

Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa,
O mundo sorrindo
Se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo
Por causa do amor.

Translation:

The Girl from Ipanema

Look, what a beautiful sight,
So filled with grace,
It's her, this girl who comes and who goes,
With a sweet swing, on her way to the sea.

Girl with a golden body
From the sun of Ipanema,
Her swing
Is more than a poem,
It's a sight more beautiful
Than I have ever seen pass by.

Ah, why am I so alone?
Ah, why is there so much sadness?
Ah, this beauty that exists,
This beauty that is not only mine,
That also passes by alone.

Ah, if she only knew,
That when she passes by,
The world smiles,
Becomes filled with grace,
And becomes more beautiful,
Because of love.

I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Bluenose

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on September 21, 2018, 07:23:47 PM
Now explain this:

OK, but note that most of the slang is archaic and although universally understood by modern Aussies, not much of it is in the current vernacular.  :)

Waltzing Matilda

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,                      A swagman  is an itinerant, more or less like an American hobo. A billabong is a backwater or oxbow lake
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,                                    A coolibah tree is a common tree in Australia
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,         A billy is a tin pot with a wire handle used to boil water over a fire
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.                               Waltzing Matilda is carrying your swag (bedroll) over your shoulder while walking between stations (farms) looking for work

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong                 A jumbuck is a sheep
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag    Tucker is food, so a tucker bag is a food bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred             The squatters were the occupiers of Crown land to run sheep or cattle almost a landed gentry (the squatocracy)
Down came the troopers One Two Three                              Troopers were policemen, not generally considered to be of the best sort
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman sprang in to the billabong
You'll never catch me alive said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
+++ Divide by cucumber error: please reinstall universe and reboot.  +++

GNU Terry Pratchett


Bluenose

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on September 22, 2018, 01:08:57 AM
Cool thread, Bluenose!

Probably one of the most famous Brazilian songs is 'The Girl From Ipanema'.


Very interesting to see how the actual translation of the original Portuguese differs from the usual English version of this song.  I think I like the original better
+++ Divide by cucumber error: please reinstall universe and reboot.  +++

GNU Terry Pratchett


Dave

Quote from: Bluenose on September 22, 2018, 01:45:36 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on September 22, 2018, 01:08:57 AM
Cool thread, Bluenose!

Probably one of the most famous Brazilian songs is 'The Girl From Ipanema'.


Very interesting to see how the actual translation of the original Portuguese differs from the usual English version of this song.  I think I like the original better

Yes! The original is better. It may not rhyme or have the same rhythm in translation but it gets right into the 'feeling' far better.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Bluenose

Quote from: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:22:01 AM
Quote from: Bluenose on September 22, 2018, 01:45:36 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on September 22, 2018, 01:08:57 AM
Cool thread, Bluenose!

Probably one of the most famous Brazilian songs is 'The Girl From Ipanema'.


Very interesting to see how the actual translation of the original Portuguese differs from the usual English version of this song.  I think I like the original better

Yes! The original is better. It may not rhyme or have the same rhythm in translation but it gets right into the 'feeling' far better.

Well, I don't speak Portuguese but I like the sound of the original and I like the meaning as expressed in the translation better than the English version. Does that make sense?
+++ Divide by cucumber error: please reinstall universe and reboot.  +++

GNU Terry Pratchett


Ecurb Noselrub

Thanks for the Matilda interpretation.  I've know that song all my life, it seems.

Bluenose

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on September 22, 2018, 04:47:09 PM
Thanks for the Matilda interpretation.  I've know that song all my life, it seems.

My pleasure, but I bet you didn't know there was another version of this song, the "Queensland version", almost the same words but completely different melody.

+++ Divide by cucumber error: please reinstall universe and reboot.  +++

GNU Terry Pratchett


xSilverPhinx

The aria 'Nessun Dorma' came up elsewhere so I went and looked up the lyrics and their translation.

Original Italian lyrics: 

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o Principessa
Nella tua fredda stanza
Guardi le stelle che tremano
D'amore e di speranza!
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me
Il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
Quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà
Il silenzio che ti fa mia!
ll nome suo nessun saprà
E noi dovrem, ahimè! Morir! Morir!
Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò!
Vincerò! Vincerò!

Translation

None shall sleep,
None shall sleep!
Even you, oh Princess,
In your cold room,
Watch the stars,
That tremble with love
And with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
My name no one shall know,
No... no...
On your mouth, I will tell it,
When the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win!
I will win!
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


hermes2015

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 15, 2018, 12:50:39 AM
The aria 'Nessun Dorma' came up elsewhere so I went and looked up the lyrics and their translation.

Original Italian lyrics: 

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o Principessa
Nella tua fredda stanza
Guardi le stelle che tremano
D'amore e di speranza!
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me
Il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
Quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà
Il silenzio che ti fa mia!
ll nome suo nessun saprà
E noi dovrem, ahimè! Morir! Morir!
Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò!
Vincerò! Vincerò!

Translation

None shall sleep,
None shall sleep!
Even you, oh Princess,
In your cold room,
Watch the stars,
That tremble with love
And with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
My name no one shall know,
No... no...
On your mouth, I will tell it,
When the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win!
I will win!

What a coincidence! I was thinking of posting this today.
"Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se."
― Charles Eames

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: hermes2015 on October 15, 2018, 03:59:39 AM
What a coincidence! I was thinking of posting this today.

Really? That's a little spooky! :spooked:
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey