A friend in Germany sent me the link to a song, and I would like to share it with all my blogging friends. The lyrics are in German, sung by many famous European artists who all decided to not ask for any kind of pay or reimbursement to be able to participate in this powerful arrangement.
For us here in the US, the Ukraine war, like most wars, is far away. We hear and read about it, and we feel the impact financially, but overall we are watching it all from a safe distance.
“No, I will not give my sons” is the title of the song. A mother’s rebellion to let her two sons go to war. Powerful, thought-provoking, leaving us wanting to hear more.
The singer/songwriter Reinhard May, a very well-known artist in German-speaking countries and known as Frédérik Mey in France, releases a new album approximately every two years. So far he has released 27 -he is now in his late 70’s.
When he sings, people listen. I listened to him when I was a child and have followed his career over the years from far away.
The melody and the lyrics didn’t leave me alone and so I translated a bit so that some of my English-speaking friends might get to understand not just the vocals but perhaps also my feelings. I am not generally against war, some of them are necessary to stop men like Hitler, Mussolini, or Putin, but I am very much against senseless wars.
I thought about my Grandmother, who watched one son go to war when he was just a teenager. Taken right from the school bench, sent to the front in Russia, to fight for Hitler in World War II. My father survived, came back as damaged goods, and became a violent alcoholic, yet never talked about the time he spent on the front and in a Russian POW camp.
I thought about all the mothers in Ukraine who watch their sons fight for freedom and independence, something most of us take so much for granted.
Almost every soldier has a mother at home who worries every day, every hour until they come back home.
To listen to the song and read the lyrics at the same time in English, please turn on CC (Subtitles/Closed Caption) in English.
No, I will not give my sons”
“Nein meine Soehne geb ich nicht”
I think I’d better write to you in time
Ich denk’, ich schreib’ euch besser schon beizeiten
And decline your request one and forall
Und sag’ euch heute schon endgültig ab
You won’t need to spend much time looking through your list
Ihr braucht nicht lange Listen auszubreiten
To see that I also have two sons!
Um zu sehen, dass ich auch zwei Söhne hab’!
I love them both, I want to tell you that
Ich lieb’ die beiden, das will ich euch sagen
More than my own life, more than my eyesight
Mehr als mein Leben, als mein Augenlicht
And they, they will not carry weapons!
Und die, die werden keine Waffen tragen!
No, I will not give my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I won’t give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
I taught them respect for life itself
Ich habe sie die Achtung vor dem Leben
To have respect for every living being
Vor jeder Kreatur als höchsten Wert
I taught them to be merciful and forgiving
Ich habe sie Erbarmen und Vergeben
And whenever possible, they were taught to love!
Und wo immer es ging, lieben gelehrt!
I won’t allow you to corrupt them with your hate
Nun werdet ihr sie nicht mit Hass verderben
No goals, no honor, and no duty
Keine Ziele und keine Ehre, keine Pflicht
Are worth killing and dying for
Sind’s wert, dafür zu töten und zu sterben
No, I will not give my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I will not give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
As their mother I did not suffer giving birth to them for you
Ganz sicher nicht für euch hat ihre Mutter
Giving birth to them for you
Sie unter Schmerzen auf die Welt gebracht
Not for you, and not as cannon fodder
Nicht für euch und nicht als Kanonenfutter
Not for you have I spent fevered nights in fear
Nicht für euch hab’ ich manche Fiebernacht
And desperationstanding at the small crib
Verzweifelt an dem kleinen Bett gestanden
Cooling a small face glowing with fever
Und kühlt’ ein kleines glühendes Gesicht
Until we found rest in exhaustion
Bis wir in der Erschöpfung Ruhe fanden
No, I will notgive my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I will not give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
They will not march in rank and file
Sie werden nicht in Reih’ und Glied marschieren
They will not hold out or fight to the end
Nicht durchhalten, nicht kämpfen bis zuletzt
They will not freeze to death in some godforsaken field
Auf einem gottverlass’nen Feld erfrieren
While you settle into soft cushions!
Während ihr euch in weiche Kissen setzt!
Protecting my children from all dangers
Die Kinder schützen vor allen Gefahren
It’s my damn duty as father
Ist doch meine verdammte Vaterpflicht
And this also means protecting them from you!
Und das heißt auch, sie vor euch zu bewahren!
No, I will not give my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I will not give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
No, I will not give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
I will teach them to disobey
Ich werde sie den Ungehorsam lehren
I will teach them resistence
Den Widerstand und die Unbeugsamkeit
To take no orders or commands
Gegen jeden Befehl aufzubegehren
And won’t bow down before the authorities!
Und nicht zu buckeln vor der Obrigkeit!
They will learn to go their own way
Ich werd’ sie lehr’n, den eig’nen Weg zu gehen
Before no bugbear, no doomsday
Vor keinem Popanz, keinem Weltgericht
That they only have to answer to themself
Vor keinem als sich selber g’radzustehen!
No, I will not give my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I will no give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
And I rather flee with them myself (The songwriter Reinhard Mey himself)
Und eher werde ich mit ihnen fliehen
Than let you make them your servants
Als dass ihr sie zu euren Knechten macht
I rather move far away with them
Eher mit ihnen in die Fremde ziehen
In poverty and like thieves in the night!
In Armut und wie Diebe in der Nacht!
We only have this one short life
Wir haben nur dies eine kurze Leben
I swear and I’m telling you straight to your face
Ich schwör’s und sag’s euch g’rade ins Gesicht
They will not give it to your madness!
Sie werden es für euren Wahn nicht geben!
No, I won’t give my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I won’t give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
No, I won’t give my sons
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht
No, I won’t give my sons!
Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht!
Reinhard Mey (Singer/Songwriter)
This was such a moving song… thank you for sharing it and the translations too. We are so removed from the situation here in the US. We say we understand but how can we truly do so without being such an involved part of it.
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Bridget, this is really powerful. It occurs to me regularly how divorced and protected I am from the horrors experience in the Ukraine. I read and try very intentionally to be “supportive” but I’m also aware that I really have no idea! This touched me deeply. Thank you.
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I feel the same way. When I talk to friend in Europe, who are witnessing it first hand, who are trying to help the people who left Russia and the Ukraine, that’s when I realize how far away we are.
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Pingback: Song Lyrics – “No, I Will Not Give My Sons” – Nelson MCBS
So very powerful – and timely
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Thank you Derrick, I thought so too.
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Powerful song, powerful message and melody. I would feel the same. Heartbreaking to have your son go to meet their death, torture or mental destruction. My husband narrowly missed compulsory teenage conscription to the Vietnam war. War = Horrors for all
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Thank you, Amanda. I think the music, the black and white scene and the lyrics are perfect.
Wars leave so many scars and always kill the innocent.
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Wars kill the innocent. – Don’t they just? And often for the petty mens’ egos or a grab for power and dominance over another. Shameful, really.
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Very powerful, Bridget! Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you for listening and reading.
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Thank you for the translation.
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I enjoyed it.
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A powerful song with an important message.
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Thank you, Clive. I couldn’t agree more.
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Very touching
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Thank you!
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Very moving and powerful, Bridget. Made me think of my husband’s grandparent’s (who were sent on a transport and never heard from again) when they lived in Germany- some of his grandmother’s siblings changed their last name to their mother’s maiden name as it somehow kept them from going to into the war.
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So much pain and suffering. For what? I am so sorry this happened to your husband’s family.
My grandmother spent 2 years in hiding in the Austrian alps. I cannot imagine how scared she must have been.
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Wow, I’m in tears, thinking about my own son, his birth, the long nights he struggled with croup, barely able to breathe, and all the other things I went through with him. I understand these mothers (and fathers) very well! And I agree, there are times it’s necessary to fight tyranny, but what a heavy price is paid.
So grateful this Thanksgiving that my Father in heaven gave HIS Son to free me from the tyranny of death and hell. ❤
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I am agnostic and all comments are always very appreciated, but all religious comments are kind of wasted on my blog -or me.
I am sorry you had to worry so much about your son’s health when he was little. I am glad you both made it through it.
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I’m not a fan of religion, either, but I am into relationship. ❤
P.S. I love the passion of the one singer in her "mama bear" moment!
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“Mama Bear moment” I love it. 🙂
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Thank you very much for the translation.
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Anytime, it was easy and well worth it.
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Thank you for sharing this, Bridget. Very moving.
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Thank you for listening. I thought it deserves to be knows beyond the language barrier.
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A poignant Song, a modern “Erlkönig”… oh no.
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“The Erl King” most American have never heard of it.
(A poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It depicts the death of a child assailed by a supernatural being, the Erlking, a king of the fairies.)
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…The point is, we don’t give our chicks, sons, children to anyone! We don’t give it.
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Thank you for adding this Bridget. It is wonderful, in a very sad way!
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You know I left the German lyrics below just for you 🙂
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😊👍💜
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Very powerful.
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Thank You!
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Reblogged this on attis.
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