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Whirlwinds of Danger
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Wikipedia article
'Whirlwinds of Danger' (original Polish title: 'Warszawianka') is a Polish socialist revolutionary song written some time between 1879 and 1883. The Polish title, a deliberate reference to the earlier song by the same title, could be translated as either 'The Varsovian', 'The Song of Warsaw' (as in the Leon Lishner version) or "the lady of Warsaw". To distinguish between the two, it is often called "Warszawianka 1905 roku" ("Warszawianka of 1905"), after the song became the anthem of worker protests during the Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland (19051907), when 30 workers were shotAscher, Abraham (1994). 'The Revolution of 1905: Russia in Disarray', Stanford University Press, pp. 157158, during the May Day demonstrations in Warsaw in 1905.
According to one version, Wacaw wicicki wrote the song in 1879 while serving a sentence in the Tenth Pavilion of the Warsaw Citadel for socialist activity. Another popular version has it written in 1883, immediately upon wicicki's return from exile in Siberia. By the beginning of the next decade the song became one of the most popular revolutionary anthems in Russian-held Poland. The music was written by composer Jzef Pawiski, who was imprisoned together with wicicki, inspired partially by the January Uprising song "Marsz uaww".[http://www.bibliotekapiosenki.pl/Warszawianka_%28Smialo_podniesmy_sztandar_nasz_w_gore_%29 Biblioteka Polskiej Piosenki, Warszawianka]
Lyrics and variants
Its Russian version with altered lyrics, which removed any mention of Warsaw from the song, the "Varshavianka" (''), once experienced considerable popularity. Gleb Krzhizhanovsky is usually reported as the author of the Russian version and the moment of writing the text is thought to be 1897, when Krzhizhanovsky was imprisoned.
The Spanish song "To The Barricades" is set to the same tune. In East Germany, a German translation was created and used as a common piece of marching music by the Army; whilst France's 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment adopted the same music using different lyrics.
In 1924, Isadora Duncan composed a dance routine called 'Varshavianka' to the tune of the song.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87ZJkVZBbjM Varshavianka (1924)] Loyola University Chicago Department of Fine and Performing Arts]
An English version of the lyrics, originally titled "March Song of the Workers", but known more widely as "Whirlwinds of Danger", was written by Douglas Robson, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World[http://www.protestsonglyrics.net/Labor_Union_Songs/March-Song-Workers.phtml March Song of the Workers Protest Song Lyrics] in the 1920s. A London recording of this version by "Rufus John" Goss, made ca. 1925, is available online.[http://www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/bgate-gaster-3-2-9-2 Recording: "Whirlwinds of Danger", Sung by Rufus John] Exploring 20th century London] It was notably sung by Paul Robeson (only the first stanza)[http://www.sovmusic.ru/english/download.php?fname=warszaw1 Paul Robeson's performance of the Warszawianka] and Leon Lishner (full version, but with modified lyrics).[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Leon_Lishner_and_Friends/Songs_For_The_Dawn_Of_Peace/11_-_Varshavianka_The_Song_of_Warsaw_Poland Leon Lishner Varshavianka] A different version, which kept Robson's first stanza, but with the second and third completely rewritten by Randall Swingler, was published in 1938.Alan Bush and Randall Swingler, 'The Left Song Book'. Gollancz 1938. However, this version never achieved major popularity.
In 1936, Valeriano Orobn Fernndez adapted "Warszawianka" in Spanish as "A las Barricadas", which became one of the most popular songs of the Spanish anarchists during the Spanish Civil War.
In the early 2010s, Zin Lin, a Burmese student activist, wrote a Burmese version of the song based on the Spanish version.
Polish versions
English translations
Other versions
In films
*The first words of the Russian version served as a name for 1953 film 'Hostile Whirlwinds'.
*In 'Doctor Zhivago', an instrumental version of the song is played by the peaceful demonstrators in Moscow.
*The song, in version performed by The Red Army Choir, featured in the opening credits of 'The Jackal' (credited as "Warsovienne"), as well as in the submarine scene of 'Hail, Caesar!' (credited as "Varchavianka").
*The song, with altered lyrics, is used in the second episode of the 2018 Polish Netflix Series '1983'
Citations
See also
* Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland (19051907)
* "Warszawianka 1831 roku"
* "A las barricadas"
References
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