Lili Marleen

Surely the favourite song of soldiers during World War II, Lili Marleen became the unofficial anthem of the foot soldiers of both forces in the war.

Recorded just before the war by Lale Andersen (Eulalia Bunnenberg), the song sold just 700 copies, until German Forces Radio began broadcasting it to the Afrika Korps in 1941.

The song soon became the signature of the broadcast and was played at 9:55 pm, just before sign-off.

After the song was broadcast there was no holding it back. The Allies listened to it and Lili Marleen became the favourite tune of soldiers on both sides, regardless of language.

Lili Marlene is easily the most popular war song ever. Its theme of dreaming for one's lover is universal. Why is the song so popular? The last word goes to Lale Anderson : "Can the wind explain why it became a storm?"

The site “Antiwar songs” put this song in the list of the ten basic antiwar songs. In this site it’s possible to find a lot –at least 25 languages- versions of this song.

http://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=1600&lang=en

http://youtu.be/LJalrKQ8kcoLale Anderson (German)

https://youtu.be/VnFTcMgwXu0 Hanna Schigulla Rainer Werner Fassbinder 1980 (German)

http://youtu.be/ZSMuTm649Hk Vera Lynn (English)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ2yCB-oJUU M.Dietrich (German)

http://youtu.be/UEnQFJQM3D4 Suzy Solidor (French)

http://youtu.be/Bq6ostfO6MI Georg Malmsten (Finnish)

https://youtu.be/DUmsyNjQgxM Nagykovácsi Ilona (Hungarian)

https://youtu.be/Ey8gXIxw6tc Milly (Italian)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thEFU1hFjZ4 Hanna Schigulla (2nd part)

Lili Marleene

1. Vor der Kaserne

Vor dem großen Tor

Stand eine Laterne

Und steht sie noch davor

So woll'n wir uns da wieder seh'n

Bei der Laterne wollen wir steh'n

|: Wie einst Lili Marleen. :|

2. Unsere beide Schatten

Sah'n wie einer aus

Daß wir so lieb uns hatten

Das sah man gleich daraus

Und alle Leute soll'n es seh'n

Wenn wir bei der Laterne steh'n

|: Wie einst Lili Marleen. :|

3. Schon rief der Posten,

Sie blasen Zapfenstreich

Das kann drei Tage kosten

Kam'rad, ich komm sogleich

Da sagten wir auf Wiedersehen

Wie gerne wollt ich mit dir geh'n

|: Mit dir Lili Marleen. :|

4. Deine Schritte kennt sie,

Deinen zieren Gang

Alle Abend brennt sie,

Doch mich vergaß sie lang

Und sollte mir ein Leids gescheh'n

Wer wird bei der Laterne stehen

|: Mit dir Lili Marleen? :|

5. Aus dem stillen Raume,

Aus der Erde Grund

Hebt mich wie im Traume

Dein verliebter Mund

Wenn sich die späten Nebel drehn

Werd' ich bei der Laterne steh'n

|: Wie einst Lili Marleen. :|

Lale Andersen, the first singer

LILLY MARLENE

(English version)

Underneath the lantern,

By the barrack gate

Darling I remember

The way you used to wait

T'was there that you whispered tenderly,

That you loved me,

You'd always be,

My Lilly of the Lamplight,

My own Lilly Marlene

Time would come for roll call,

Time for us to part,

Darling I'd caress you

And press you to my heart,

And there 'neath that far-off lantern light,

I'd hold you tight ,

We'd kiss good night,

My Lilly of the Lamplight,

My own Lilly Marlene

Orders came for sailing,

Somewhere over there

All confined to barracks

was more than I could bear

I knew you were waiting in the street

I heard your feet,

But could not meet,

My Lilly of the Lamplight,

my own Lilly Marlene

Resting in our billets,

Just behind the lines

Even tho' we're parted,

Your lips are close to mine

You wait where that lantern softly gleams,

Your sweet face seems

To haunt my dreams

My Lilly of the Lamplight,

My own Lilly Marlene.

fairly literal tr. by Frank, 1998

At the barracks compound,

By the entry way

There a lantern I found

And if it stands today

Then we'll see each other again

Near that old lantern we'll remain

As once Lili Marleen.

Both our shadows meeting,

Melding into one

Our love was not fleeting

And plain to everyone,

Then all the people shall behold

When we stand by that lantern old

As once Lili Marleen.

Then the guard to me says:

"There's tap call, let's go.

This could cost you three days."

"Be there in half a mo'."

So that was when we said farewell,

Tho' with you I would rather dwell,

With you, Lili Marleen.

4. Well she knows your foot steps,

Your own determined gait.

Ev'ry evening waiting,

Me? A mem'ry of late.

Should something e'er happen to me,

Who will under the lantern be,

With you Lili Marleen?

5. From my quiet existence,

And from this earthly pale,

Like a dream you free me,

With your lips so hale.

When the night mists swirl and churn,

Then to that lantern I'll return,

As once Lili Marleen.

Versione italiana letterale di Monia Verardi del testo tedesco

A word-for-word translation of the German lyrics, by Monia Verardi

LILI MARLEEN

Davanti alla caserma

davanti al portone

si trovava un lampione

che è rimasto lì tutt'oggi

se ci volessimo rivedere

potremmo ritrovarci vicino al lampione

come una volta Lili Marleen

Le nostre ombre si fondevano

sembravano essere una sola

avevamo così tanto amore dentro di noi

che si vedeva subito anche da fuori

e tutti lo potevano vedere

quando stavamo vicino al lampione

come una volta Lili Marleen

Ma ecco che chiamò la guardia

"suonano la ritirata

questo ti può costare tre giorni"

"Camerata, vengo subito"

così ci dicemmo arrivederci

ma come avrei voluto invece venire con te!

come una volta Lili Marleen

Lei conosceva bene i tuoi passi

e la tua andatura delicata

tutte le sere si ardeva d'amore

ma nonostante ciò si stava dimenticando di me

procurandomi un gran dolore

chi ci sarà ora vicino al lampione

con te Lili Marleen? chi ci sarà?

Da luoghi silenziosi

dal profondo della terra

si alza come in un sogno la tua bocca

quando le tarde nebbie svaniranno

io sarò di nuovo vicino al lampione

come una volta Lili Marleen

Per un approfondimento:

http://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?lang=it&id=1600