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Eight Days (La Chanson de Craonne)

from Tales of Addictive Games and Exotic Pets by Kerry JK

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lyrics

When eight days have passed our rest is no more
The war calls us back to the trench
Our prescence is desperately needed
Without us all would be defeated
But enough of this war, we can't take any more
We don't want to march one more inch
With sadness inside and tears in our eyes
We must bid fond adieu to civilian life

No trumpets, no drums
Just feelings of dread
We must get up and go
Without losing our heads

Farewell to life
Farewell to love
Farewell to you ladies all
Now it's all over
Finished, no more
All is lost to this terrible war
On the plateau at Craonne
There in the mud
We must all pay with blood
For we are condemned
Giving as sacrifice

Eight days in the trench
Eight days of suffering
Still there is hope in our fear
That armistice might come tonight
Even as we stand waiting to fight
Then through the darkness, a figure approaches
The men salute as he draws near
It's an infantry officer come to replace
The soldiers who go to look death in the face

In the night the rain lashes in waves
The rifles are marching to their early graves

Farewell to life
Farewell to love
Farewell to you ladies all
Now it's all over
Finished, no more
All is lost to this terrible war
On the plateau at Craonne
There in the mud
We must all pay with blood
For we are condemned
Giving as sacrifice

It's sad to think in the city's grand streets
The rich drink and party and lunch
La Vie en Rose they are living
While all that we have are misgivings
Instead of partying all of you shirkers
Should make your way down to the trench
Protect your own property, for we have none
We are the poor
For us all joy is gone

Our comrades are buried face down in the mud
For the money and possessions of the great and the good

Those with the coin get to go home again
It's for them that the rest of us fall
But no longer!
Les troufions will go out on strike
We will not die for you anymore
Now it's your turn, all you great and the good
To crawl in the trenches and die in the mud
If you must make war pay for it with your own blood
If you must make war pay for it with your own blood
If you must make war pay for it with your own blood.

credits

from Tales of Addictive Games and Exotic Pets, released February 15, 2020
Original French lyric by Anonymous, 1917 to a melody by Charles Sablon.
English lyric translation by Kerry JK with thanks to Jackie Stoneygate for her kind assistance.

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about

Kerry JK Northampton, UK

Gender and genre fluid singer-songwriter producing songs of identity, isolation and defiance incorporating jazz, electronica, art rock, vocal looping, poetry and rock opera theatrics.

Be yourself, as yourself. There is no greater fulfilment, and no sweeter revenge.
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