Karel Kryl Anděl

Discussion in 'Multimedia' started by dzurisova, Dec 3, 2010.

  1. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Can someone please translate this song. I have a feeling the phrases mean more than the collection of words because when I translate it with the help of google and slovnik, the words aren't making much sense. Also, when you watch the video and look at the faces of the listeners, you'd think Karel Kryl is singing about their salvation. I've not seen faces like that when listening to a singer, except in church where one is singing about the listener's Lord and Savior, the One they deeply love and appreciate for saving them from eternal damnation. Goodness, these people are REALLY into this song - one grown man looks as if he's going to cry so I'm quite curious what he's singing about and why it seems to touch the hearts of the listeners so much.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ouKCi7_fQ[/url]

    Z rozmlacenyho kostela
    v krabici s kusem mydla
    prinesl sem si andela
    Polamali mu kridla
    Dival se na mne oddane
    ja mel jsem trochu tremu
    tak vtiskl jsem mu do dlane
    lahvicku od parfemu
    A proto prosim ver mi
    chtel jsem ho zadat
    aby mi mezi dvermi
    pomol hadat
    co me ceka
    a nemine
    co me ceka
    a nemine
    Pak hlidali sme oblohu
    pozorujice ptaky
    debatujice o Bohu
    a hrani na vojaky
    Do tvare jsem mu nevidel
    pokousel se ji schovat
    To asi ptakum zavidel
    ze mohou poletovat
    A proto prosim ver mi
    chtel jsem ho zadat
    aby mi mezi dvermi
    pomol hadat
    co me ceka
    a nemine
    co me ceka
    a nemine
    Kdyz novinky mi sdeloval
    u okna do loznice
    ja kridla jsem mu ukoval
    z mosazny nabojnice
    A tak jsem pozbyl andela
    on oknem odletel mi
    vsak pritel pri mi udela
    novyho z moji helmy
    A proto prosim ver mi
    chtel jsem ho zadat
    aby mi mezi dvermi
    pomol hadat
    co me ceka
    a nemine
    co me ceka
    a nemine
     
  2. Alexx

    Alexx Well-Known Member

    I of course know the song, everyone here knows it, but I have never given it much thought.

    I think you are trough, "angel" represents faith, in both God and better future, while "nábojnice (shell, catridge)" represents communist fight against it.

    Most of Kryl's songs (we call them "protest-song" in czech) have anti-regime political meaning, this is why he was banned during communism and then emigrated to West Germany.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Kryl
     
  3. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    I don't think it's about communism, in my opinion it's solely about tedious military service.

    Two explanatory notes:
    • Most of the soldiers served in spacious proving grounds made of forcedly depopulated territories, hence the churches (and whole villages) in ruins.
    • Forging souvenirs of empty cartridges was common amusement of soldiers.
     
  4. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the translation. So please explain (if you know) why these listeners look at him so intensely like they are about to cry - like he's singing about some thing so dearing to their heart?

    I figured it had something to do with a future hope (salvation), but the words and Wer's explanation don't really convey that. *shruggs*
     
  5. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    For they were listening to an iconic singer who was for the first time after two decades in exile allowed to sing freely in public?

    The record is from some of the Kryl's concerts during Velvet Revolution. Compare it with this record from the concert on December 3, 1989.

    Kryl was on the list under communism, but he was always very popular (suprisingly also in Poland). People copied records from before he exiled, smuggled his records across the Iron Curtain or listened to him on Svobodná Evropa. Most of the other protest singers were openly his epigons (including your favorite Nohavica :wink:).

    The Velvet Revolution happened accidentally when Kryl was allowed to stay in Czechoslovakia for a few days because of the funeral of his mother, so he could appear in front of the revolutionary crowds as a kind of revelation from behind the Iron Curtain.
     
  6. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Just to clarify, when I used the term "salvation" in talking about the future hope, I was making the analogy to salvation from the communist party and salvation from hell. I figured the listeners were thinking of salvation from communism.

    Couple questions though Were:
    I had to google the word "epigon" :) I've heard often that Nohavica is an inferior version of Karel Kryl which is why I was trying to listen to some Karel Kryl last night. However, after a few songs, I had to switch to my favorite Nohavica. Although Kryl is little easier on the eyes than Nohavica (I hate looking at Nohavica because he always looks so unkept and unbathed), Kryl's music just isn't as entertaining. Even Nohavica's slow songs grab one's emotions better and Nohavica has a better signing voice. I think Nohavica is considered an inferior version because his words and personal actions weren't as "protesting" as Kryl's. Perhaps Kryl's songs have more depth, but since I never had to live in Communism and I really don't understand the words anyway, I'll favor voice and music or depth and significance. :p


    This statement probed the curiousity in me. Although I had previously read about the Velvet Revolution, I just went back and read wikipedia and the entire time line. However, it doesn't mention Karel Kryl at all. I'm curious about it though. So how did it happen?

    Kryl came back for his mother's funeral and was allowed to hold concerts, despite that he was banned? (Were tickets sold or free?) Then the concerts themselves inspired the group of protestors to begin protesting.

    or

    Kryl came back and secretly spoke with and inspired the protestors to protest and the concerts were held after the protests and after the Velvet Revolution?

    I'm leaning toward the second scenario because, one - it makes more sense and two - the concerts appear to have the Channel # in the corner :) But I also know (through the wikipedia time-line) that TV started broadcasting things that weren't normally allowed during the Velvet Revolution. And your statement (see quote below) confuses me as well, making me think it could be the first option.
    What does this exactly mean?
     
  7. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    On second thought, perhaps there's a 3rd option - a mixture of the first two. -- Kryl came back for his mother's funeral, began to secretly speak with and inspire protestors, protests formed and in the midst of the protests, Kryl held a large concert, in which the TV broadcasts because the TV employees had also risen against communism and joined in the protests. (see Nov. 22nd in the Wikipedia timeline http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvet_Revolution which talks about the TV employees making demands)

    Anyhow, previously, when reading about the Velvet Revolution, I always questioned what it was that finally gave them the courage to protests. I'm sure it had mostly to do with political changes around them but it would be interesting to know if and how music played a significant role in motivating them to finally take a stand after all those years of living under oppression.

    Also, when reading the timeline, I was amazed that how those peaceful protests could make such significant changes. It begs the question, why didn't the people protest years previously. Obviously, the answer lies in the political atmosphere surrounding the protests. Perhaps, there must be more than simply a peaceful protests to make a change. There must be other forces and muscle behind the protests such as a hero of mine declaring "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

    Or maybe not. Perhaps if none of the other outside political events had occurred, and the protests broke out, communism in Czechoslovakia would have fell? I doubt it, but what do you all think?
     
  8. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    I know I just keep posting, but this is so interesting to me. My favorite subject to study in history was the American Civil Rights Movement. This is pretty much the same thing - people fighting for their individual freedom. And peaceful fights are more interesting than any of them. Music played a significant role in the American Civil Rights movement as well - mostly by shaping the minds of the Vietnam war objectors who also became involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Unfortunately, those war objectors were defending communism then and some of them still spend their days defending today's communist leaders. Too bad they can't make the connection of the oppressed black Americans and oppressed individuals living in communism. :?

    Anyway, I'd love to get my hands on some videos of the Velvet Revolution. Were there many people in Czechoslovakia then with home video cameras? I know in 1989 in the States many homes had one, but it was probably not the case in communism. Is there much home video footage of the movement out there? What about TV footage once the TV employees took a stand and started filming - are those available these days? What about newspaper photos? I have a friend in Prague who was one of the protesters there. I'll ask him if he knows of anything as well.
     
  9. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    I'm figuring one of you administrators need to move most of this post to culture or something. Sorry I got off topic :)
     
  10. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    You have to put it into the right time context. Nohavica was young promising singer of the last years of cummunism while Kryl was seasoned singer. Kryl and Vysocký were Nohavica's idols in this era and influenced most of his early songs. Nohavica naturally devoloped in different way after the revolution and you judge him based on his post-revolution works.

    Today's Nohavica is definitely more multifarious musician than Kryl ever was. Kryl was better lyricist, poet and political and social critic, but he was always somehow one-sided.

    But Kryl could be funny as well, see this or this. He only took the fun music more carelessly than Nohavica.

    (If you want some primarily funny dissident singers, try Pepa Nos' I'm an agent of CIA. :twisted:)

    No, the revolution started independently of Kryl, but Kryl was by coincidence in Prague during it because Red Cross helped him to attend the funeral. (I should write "while" instead of "when", right?) Other people in exile were not able to arrive so quickly.

    Practically all the mass demonstration during the revolution were mass concerts as well and nobody asked for permission. It was spontaneous. When I write in front of revolutionary crowd, I mean it literally.

    The TV logo is from later TV broadcasting of the old records. After all, it's Czech TV logo, not Czechoslovak TV.
     
  11. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Fighting against communist regime needn't be the same thing as fighting for freedom. :wink:

    ...neither as fighting against the communist ideology. There was a lot of communists fighting the regime in Czechoslovakia and they influenced the revolution a lot :(.

    While the people could see the parallel, it would be very two-edged as the regime commonly identified itself with the oppresed blacks in America. Songs of the blacks of America were accepted and supported by the regime!

    Just search Youtube for Velvet revolution, 1989 revolution, sametová revoluce etc.

    Not many, but there were some.

    There is extensive footage by both local and foreign TVs. Foreign journalists were in Prague soonly. There is also the police footage.
     
  12. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Ah, I have almost forget.

    If you want a link to American music and black music in particular, check Spirituál kvintet.

    One of the defining songs of the revolution was "Jednou budem dál" aka "We shall overcome".

    And of course, Czech Republic is European stronghold of country music, so check also politically oriented Honza Vyčítal.
     
  13. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Wow Were, you are up late :)

    Thanks, I'll check all that out when I get home. I'm about ready to leave work.
     
  14. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    This is amazing to me. And you're quote

    is intriguing and slightly obscure therefore needs further clarification. However, I have a skype appointment this afternoon with my friend in Prague who actually participated in the revolution so I'm sure I'll learn quite a lot today. :)
     
  15. scrimshaw

    scrimshaw Well-Known Member

    Wer wrote....
    While the people could see the parallel, it would be very two-edged as the regime commonly identified itself with the oppresed blacks in America. Songs of the blacks of America were accepted and supported by the regime!

    That's interesting... there are some very beautiful 'black spirituals'.....those songs are always from the gut, (z břicha), very heartfelt.

    What can be more meaningful than....'We shall overcome'?....How appropriate, talking about it on Martin Luther King's birthday.

    and dzurisova, you commented on this...

    wer wrote:
    Fighting against communist regime needn't be the same thing as fighting for freedom.

    ...neither (w)as fighting against the communist ideology. There was a lot of communists fighting the regime in Czechoslovakia and they influenced the revolution a lot .

    (your words)
    is intriguing and slightly obscure therefore needs further clarification.


    I think I see Wer's point....evidently wer is referring to the czech communists were fighting for nationalistic reasons

    I guess politically aligned, but nationalistically speaking, country comes first.
     

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