Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Afternoon Matinee: Protest - The Internationale (in English)

Performed by Billy Bragg

[Note: Today is International Workers' Day/May Day. I could think of no better song to post on this day, though I have posted it before. The Internationale is one of those songs that stirs great emotion in me. ~ Trey]





Stand up, all victims of oppression
For the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
For you have nothing, if you have no rights
Let racist ignorance be ended
For respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Unless enjoyed by one and all

So come brothers and sisters
For the struggle carries on
The Internationale
Unites the world in song
So comrades come rally
For this is the time and place
The international ideal
Unites the human race

Let no one build walls to divide us
Walls of hatred nor walls of stone
Come greet the dawn and stand beside us
We'll live together or we'll die alone
In our world poisoned by exploitation
Those who have taken, now they must give
And end the vanity of nations
We've but one Earth on which to live

So come brothers and sisters
For the struggle carries on
The Internationale
Unites the world in song
So comrades come rally
For this is the time and place
The international ideal
Unites the human race

And so begins the final drama
In the streets and in the fields
We stand unbowed before their armour
We defy their guns and shields
When we fight, provoked by their aggression
Let us be inspired by like and love
For though they offer us concessions
Change will not come from above

So come brothers and sisters
For the struggle carries on
The Internationale
Unites the world in song
So comrades come rally
For this is the time and place
The international ideal
Unites the human race
~ from Lyric Wiki ~

1 comment:

  1. The Lyrics are good but I don't really like sound of the song itself (at least the English version).

    The Hymn of the Soviet Union is still undoubtedly the best anthem of all time.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtU3vUOa2sw

    La Marseillaise isn't far behind.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K1q9Ntcr5g

    Ive always found the Star Spangled Banner to be quite boring and uninspiring. Probably because it's so slow paced.

    ReplyDelete

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