The bosses are taking it on the chin, parlez-vous;
The bosses are taking it on the chin, parlez-vous;
The bosses are taking it on the chin because the strikers won’t give in;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
The scabs are having a heck of a time, parlez-vous;
The scabs are having a heck of a time, parlez-vous;
The scabs are having a heck of a time trying to cross the picket line;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
The boss is shaking at the knees, parlez-vous;
The boss is shaking at the knees, parlez-vous;
The boss is shaking at the knees; he’s shaking in his B.V.D.’s; [*]
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
We’re going to win the union shop, parlez-vous;
We’re going to win the union shop, parlez-vous;
We’re going to win the union shop; we’ll clean the floor with a union mop;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
We’re staying on the picket line, parlez-vous;
We’re staying on the picket line, parlez-vous;
We’re staying on the picket line until we get the boss to sign;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
The bosses are taking it on the chin, parlez-vous;
The bosses are taking it on the chin because the strikers won’t give in;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
The scabs are having a heck of a time, parlez-vous;
The scabs are having a heck of a time, parlez-vous;
The scabs are having a heck of a time trying to cross the picket line;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
The boss is shaking at the knees, parlez-vous;
The boss is shaking at the knees, parlez-vous;
The boss is shaking at the knees; he’s shaking in his B.V.D.’s; [*]
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
We’re going to win the union shop, parlez-vous;
We’re going to win the union shop, parlez-vous;
We’re going to win the union shop; we’ll clean the floor with a union mop;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
We’re staying on the picket line, parlez-vous;
We’re staying on the picket line, parlez-vous;
We’re staying on the picket line until we get the boss to sign;
Hinky dinky parlez-vous.
Nota
[*] B.V.D.’s, per “Bradley, Voorhees & Day”, marca di biancheria intima creata a New York nel 1876.
Anche noi qui, negli anni 70 e 80, ci siamo messi le mutande e le magliette BVD, allora marchiate “Fruit of the Loom” (le compravo a prezzo stracciato allo spaccio della Robe di Kappa…). Il significato di “Shaking in his BVD’s” non credo necessiti di traduzione.
[*] B.V.D.’s, per “Bradley, Voorhees & Day”, marca di biancheria intima creata a New York nel 1876.
Anche noi qui, negli anni 70 e 80, ci siamo messi le mutande e le magliette BVD, allora marchiate “Fruit of the Loom” (le compravo a prezzo stracciato allo spaccio della Robe di Kappa…). Il significato di “Shaking in his BVD’s” non credo necessiti di traduzione.
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2015/4/17 - 10:02
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Canzone di “picket line” sulla melodia e la falsariga di “Mademoiselle from Armentières”, celebre “rake song”, o “risqué song” (canzone soldatesca da caserma, taverna, bordello), dalle trincee della Grande Guerra in Europa.
Il ritornello veniva spesso trascritto in modo volutamente scorretto, “Hinky dinky parlay voo”.