Introduction
One of the most popular tunes to inspire the revolutionary movement, "The Warsaw Song" served as a rallying cry for an international uprising of the working class. The relentless marching beat and minor key intensify the drama of the verse describing the malevolence of the oppressive forces. The shift to a major key as the lyrics proclaim "But we will rise up proudly and bravely" creates a feeling of optimism and hope of victory for the "sacred cause" of freedom. Note the effective invocation of religious imagery in this verse and in the refrain.
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"The Warsaw Song"
Verse 1:
Enemy whirlwinds are howling around us,
Spiteful dark forces do us oppress.
We've joined the foe in the mortal struggle,
An unknown fate awaits us.
But we will rise up proudly and bravely,
Under the banner of the workers' cause,
The flag of the people's greatest battle,
For a better world, for sacred freedom.
Refrain:
To battle bloody,
Holy and righteous
March, forward march,
Workers, all.
To battle bloody,
Holy and righteous
March, forward march,
Workers, all.
Verse 2:
We despise the crowns of the tyrants,
And honor the chains of the suffering folk.
Thrones washed with the blood of the people,
We will cover with the blood of our foe!
Merciless death to all oppressors!
All parasites of the toiling masses!
Vengeance and death to all kings-plutocrats
Our hour of victory is near at last.
Refrain:
To battle bloody,
Holy and righteous
March, forward march,
Workers, all.
To battle bloody,
Holy and righteous
March, forward march,
Workers, all.
Source:
Mp3 and Russian lyrics from http://english.sovmusic.ru/.
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