Now, my boys, if you will listen, I'll sing you a little song.
So sit you down a while here; I'll not detain you long.
I was serving in the infantry, was told I would receive
With all the other blokes a weekend's embarkation leave.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
So I packed my bag at the double and I was ready soon.
I took my place in an army truck with the rest of my platoon.
Nobody made much noise that trip; the driver he did blind.
We were all too busy thinking of the ones we'd leave behind.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
When we reached the railway station, the queue was three miles long.
They'd have filled the Wembley Stadium and still left quite a throng.
'It's every man for himself, lads' cried Corporal McShane,
So we rushed that crowd with a roar and tore our way onto the train.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
We were all packed in the corridor; it was eighty in the shade.
The seats had all been taken by the chewing gum brigade.
They smoked their Camel cigarettes and petted with their Janes,
And looked at us as though we were something crept out of the drains.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
For eleven long hours we stood there and watched the fields slip by.
We were packed so close we couldn't even smoke, and that's no lie.
And all the time the Yanks talked big and boasted they were tops,
And wrestled with their Judies now and then between the stops.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
At last the train reached Manchester; the station was Exchange.
It was too late to get a car or bus to Whalley Range
I tried to flag a taxi but I didn't stand a chance.
They'd all been commandeered to take the Yanks home from a dance.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
I humped my pack upon my back and made to cross the street,
And just escaped a sudden death from a madly driven Jeep,
But the thought of Nelly waiting made happiness arise,
And my heart was beating pleasantly at the thought of her surprise.
I let myself in quietly and tiptoed up the stairs.
The thought of being home again had banished all my cares.
In the bedroom then I murmured: 'Gal, your soldier boy has come',
When a voice replied in sharp surprise: 'Say, Nell, who is this bum?'
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
For a moment I stood speechless there and rooted to the ground,
And then I switched the lights on and what do you think I found?
My little Nell was lying there exposing all her charms
Like the famous whore of Babylon in a Yankee M.P.'s arms.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
This geezer looked me over and then sat bolt upright.
He was wearing my pyjamas, the ones with the purple stripe.
He made a sudden movement, then tried to grab his gun,
And I landed him a good straight left and stopped his bleeding fun.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
And then I waded in, my boys, and pasted him like hell.
That bastard lost so many teeth he couldn't even yell.
I kicked him down the stairs, my lads, and out into the street.
That geezer must have thought it was the middle of next week.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
My story's nearly over; there's little more to tell.
I wasn't wearing any overtures from little Nell.
For every time i think of her, with grief my body fills,
But she'll do all right as long as there's a Yank to pay the bills.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
So sit you down a while here; I'll not detain you long.
I was serving in the infantry, was told I would receive
With all the other blokes a weekend's embarkation leave.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
So I packed my bag at the double and I was ready soon.
I took my place in an army truck with the rest of my platoon.
Nobody made much noise that trip; the driver he did blind.
We were all too busy thinking of the ones we'd leave behind.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
When we reached the railway station, the queue was three miles long.
They'd have filled the Wembley Stadium and still left quite a throng.
'It's every man for himself, lads' cried Corporal McShane,
So we rushed that crowd with a roar and tore our way onto the train.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
We were all packed in the corridor; it was eighty in the shade.
The seats had all been taken by the chewing gum brigade.
They smoked their Camel cigarettes and petted with their Janes,
And looked at us as though we were something crept out of the drains.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
For eleven long hours we stood there and watched the fields slip by.
We were packed so close we couldn't even smoke, and that's no lie.
And all the time the Yanks talked big and boasted they were tops,
And wrestled with their Judies now and then between the stops.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
At last the train reached Manchester; the station was Exchange.
It was too late to get a car or bus to Whalley Range
I tried to flag a taxi but I didn't stand a chance.
They'd all been commandeered to take the Yanks home from a dance.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
I humped my pack upon my back and made to cross the street,
And just escaped a sudden death from a madly driven Jeep,
But the thought of Nelly waiting made happiness arise,
And my heart was beating pleasantly at the thought of her surprise.
I let myself in quietly and tiptoed up the stairs.
The thought of being home again had banished all my cares.
In the bedroom then I murmured: 'Gal, your soldier boy has come',
When a voice replied in sharp surprise: 'Say, Nell, who is this bum?'
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
For a moment I stood speechless there and rooted to the ground,
And then I switched the lights on and what do you think I found?
My little Nell was lying there exposing all her charms
Like the famous whore of Babylon in a Yankee M.P.'s arms.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
This geezer looked me over and then sat bolt upright.
He was wearing my pyjamas, the ones with the purple stripe.
He made a sudden movement, then tried to grab his gun,
And I landed him a good straight left and stopped his bleeding fun.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
And then I waded in, my boys, and pasted him like hell.
That bastard lost so many teeth he couldn't even yell.
I kicked him down the stairs, my lads, and out into the street.
That geezer must have thought it was the middle of next week.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
My story's nearly over; there's little more to tell.
I wasn't wearing any overtures from little Nell.
For every time i think of her, with grief my body fills,
But she'll do all right as long as there's a Yank to pay the bills.
It's here, chum; it's here, chum; it's the second front for you.
In spite of the old Atlantic wall, we're the boys to see you through.
It won't take long to finish it, when we have got their range,
And then we can all go home and live like humans for a change.
envoyé par Bernart Bartleby - 7/8/2014 - 09:14
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Scritta da Ewan MacColl e firmata col suo vero nome, James Henry Miller.
Il testo di MacColl è però certamente basato su di una canzone soldatesca.
La melodia è quella della popolare scozzese “Musselburgh Fair”.
Nel disco intitolato “Barrack-Room Ballads” (o “Bundook Ballads”) pubblicato per la prima volta nel 1958, con Peggy Seeger, Jimmie MacGregor e John Cole.
Testo trovato sull’immancabile Mudcat Café
Non proprio una CCG, piuttosto una canzone che descrive una delle tante miserie delle guerre…
Il “secondo fronte” è quello di casa, dove chi resta – madri, mogli, compagne e figli – è costretto a combattere a sua volta contro i razionamenti, contro le imposte di guerra, contro una vita sempre più difficile man mano che il conflitto prosegue, e anche contro la solitudine…
Non proprio una CCG ma senz’altro una canzone ben poco patriottica…