Ovu pesmu je napisao Thomas Moore i pretpostavlja se da je posvetio svojim prijateljima u irskoj pobuni 1798.
Pesma je postala veoma popularna medju Ircima u americkom gradjanskom ratu, a kasnije i u Prvom svetskom ratu.
Verovatno ste je culi mnogo puta.
Na primer, u "Coveku koji je hteo da bude kralj", peva je Sean Connery.
Joe Strummer je uradio svoju verziju koja moze da se cuje u "Padu crnog jastreba".
A ja sam je pre neki dan cuo u izvodjenju Colm Meaneya u Zvezdanim stazama - Nova generacija (glumi O'Briana), jednog od tipicnih filmskih Iraca.
Na youtubeu je slab izbor, ali ima jedno zanimljivo izvodjenje samo sa bubnjem:
Evo i reci pesme:
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death you'll find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" cried the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy right shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav'ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!
Ovo je dodato u americkom gradjanskom ratu:
The minstrel boy will return one day,
When we hear the news, we will cheer it.
The minstrel boy will return we pray,
Torn in body, perhaps, but not in spirit.
Then may he play his harp in peace,
In a world such as Heaven intended,
For every quarrel of Man must cease,
And every battle shall be ended.
