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Oh My Rosemary
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Wikipedia article
'Oh My Rosemary' was one of the most popular Polish soldier songs from time of First World War and its aftermath conflicts like the Polish-Soviet War. It was found in nearly all of the contemporary song collections. There is no uniform text, as there were several variations.
The text of the song is a variation of older folksongs of unknown authorship,Andrzej Romanowski: Rozkwitay pki biaych r.... T. II. Warszawa: Czytelnik, 1990, p. 22. . and there were records of the more common version being known at least in 1913. Micha Sokolnicki: Rok czternasty. Londyn: Gryf Publications, 1961, p. 44 45.
The most common version of the war time has been attributed to, or perhaps simply written down and published (in 1915), by the poet . Another poet credited with at least partial authorship (likely of the last three segments) was . Music has been composed by . All three of them were members of the Polish Legions in World War I.
Lyrics
: Blossom, oh my rosemary
: I'll visit the girl, I'll visit the only one
: I'll ask her.
: And if she tells me she doesn't love me
: Uhlans are recruiting, riflemen are marching
: I'll enlist.
: They'll give me a bay horse
: And a sharp sabre, and a sharp sabre
: For me to carry.
: They'll give me an overcoat
: And high boots, and high boots
: With spurs.
: They'll give me an uniform in dark grey
: So that I don't long for, so that I don't long for
: My home.
: They'll give me a canteen full of vodka
: So that I don't long for, so that I don't long for
: The girl.
: They'll give me a medallion with Holy Mary
: For her to protect me, for her to protect me
: Far away near Moscow.
: They'll lead us out of trenches, with bayonets fixed
: Bayonet will sting me, death will kiss me
: But not you.
References
Category:1915 songs
Category:Songs of World War I
Category:Polish-language songs
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