Kanonen's Song.

English Literal: "Cannons Song".

from Bertelt Brecht's "Three Penny Opera".

This is both the lyrics in the original German and an utterly fantastic translation from my father who has a Masters in the German Language (and unlike Samson, my dad "remembers all the Deutsch").

BRECHT: DER KANONEN-SONG BRECHT: THE CANNONS SONG

1
John war darunter und Jim war dabei
Und Georgie ist Sergeant geworden
Doch die Armee, sie fragt keinen, wer er sei
Und sie marschierte hinauf nach dem Norden.
Soldaten wohnen¹
Auf den Kanonen
Vom Cap bis Couch Behar.
Wenn es mal regnete
Und es begegnete
Ihnen 'ne neue Rasse
'ne braune oder blasse
Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar.

2
Johnny war der Whisky zu warm
Und Jimmy hatte nie genug Decken
Aber Georgie nahm beide beim Arm
Und sagte: Die Armee kann nicht verrecken.
Soldaten wohnen
Auf den Kanonen
Vom Cap bis Couch Behar.
Wenn es mal regnete
Und es begegnete
Ihnen 'ne neue Rasse
'ne braune oder blasse
Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar.

3
John ist gestorben und Jim ist tot
Und Georgie ist verißt und verdorben
Aber Blut ist immer noch rot
Und für die Armee wird jetzt wieder geworben!
Indem sie sitzend mit den Füßen marschieren:²
Soldaten wohnen
Auf den Kanonen
Vom Cap bis Couch Behar.
Wenn es mal regnete
Und es begegnete
Ihnen 'ne neue Rasse
'ne braune oder blasse
Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar.

(Die Dreigroschenoper, 1928)
1
Johnny and Jimmy were both on the scene
And George had his promotion order
For the Army doesn't ask what a man has been:
They were all marching north to the border.
The Army's story¹
Is guns and glory
From the Cape to Cutch Behar.
When they are at a loss
And chance to come across
New and unruly races
With brown or yellow faces
They chop them into little bits of beefsteak tartare!

2
Warm whiskey went to Johnny's head
And Jimmy was cold every night,
But George took them both by the arm and said:
The Army lasts forever, and might is right.
The Army's story
Is guns and glory
From the Cape to Cutch Behar.
When they are at a loss
And chance to come across
New and unruly races
With brown or yellow faces
They chop them into little bits of beefsteak tartare!

3
Now Jim is missing and George is dead
And whiskey has sent Johnny barmy
But blood is blood and still runs red--
They're recruiting again for the army!!
[they all sit there, marching with their feet]²
The Army's story
Is guns and glory
From the Cape to Cutch Behar.
When they are at a loss
And chance to come across
New and unruly races
With brown or yellow faces
They chop them into little bits of beefsteak tartare!

(Three Penny Opera, 1928)

1 - This is a rhyming translation, not a precisely literal translation. The first line of the original German really does read "Soldiers live on the Cannons", hence the name "Kanonen-Song". My dad assures me that the English translation does emote the same feeling that a German would feel upon hearing the phrase "Soldiers live on the cannons".

2 - The additional line in verse 3 is a Stage Direction for the actors singing the Kanonen Song.

Now, this is just the crappy Babelfish translation:

1
John was under it and Jim participated
and Georgie is Sergeant
the army, it asks none, who it become nevertheless was
and it marched up to the north.
Soldiers live
on the cannons
from the Cap to couch Behar.
If perhaps it times rained
and it met you
'ne new race
'ne brown or pale
makes it there from it its Beefsteak Tartar.

2
Johnny was the Whisky too warm
and Jimmy had never enough covering
however Georgie took both with the arm
and said: The army cannot strain.
Soldiers live
on the cannons
from the Cap to couch Behar.
If perhaps it times rained
and it met you
'ne new race
'ne brown or pale
makes it there from it its Beefsteak Tartar.

3
John died and Jim is dead
and Georgie is eaten and spoiled
however blood is still red
and for the army is now again recruited!
By sitting with the feet marching:
Soldiers live
on the cannons
from the Cap to couch Behar.
If perhaps it times rained
and it met you
'ne new race
'ne brown or pale
makes it there from it its Beefsteak Tartar.

BRECHT: DER KANONEN-SONG	BRECHT: THE CANNONS SONG
1 John war darunter und Jim war dabei Und Georgie ist Sergeant geworden Doch die Armee, sie fragt keinen, wer er sei Und sie marschierte hinauf nach dem Norden. Soldaten wohnen¹ Auf den Kanonen Vom Cap bis Couch Behar. Wenn es mal regnete Und es begegnete Ihnen 'ne neue Rasse 'ne braune oder blasse Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar. 2 Johnny war der Whisky zu warm Und Jimmy hatte nie genug Decken Aber Georgie nahm beide beim Arm Und sagte: Die Armee kann nicht verrecken. Soldaten wohnen Auf den Kanonen Vom Cap bis Couch Behar. Wenn es mal regnete Und es begegnete Ihnen 'ne neue Rasse 'ne braune oder blasse Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar. 3 John ist gestorben und Jim ist tot Und Georgie ist verißt und verdorben Aber Blut ist immer noch rot Und für die Armee wird jetzt wieder geworben! Indem sie sitzend mit den Füßen marschieren:² Soldaten wohnen Auf den Kanonen Vom Cap bis Couch Behar. Wenn es mal regnete Und es begegnete Ihnen 'ne neue Rasse 'ne braune oder blasse Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar. (Die Dreigroschenoper, 1928)	1 Johnny and Jimmy were both on the scene And George had his promotion order For the Army doesn't ask what a man has been: They were all marching north to the border. The Army's story¹ Is guns and glory From the Cape to Cutch Behar. When they are at a loss And chance to come across New and unruly races With brown or yellow faces They chop them into little bits of beefsteak tartare! 2 Warm whiskey went to Johnny's head And Jimmy was cold every night, But George took them both by the arm and said: The Army lasts forever, and might is right. The Army's story Is guns and glory From the Cape to Cutch Behar. When they are at a loss And chance to come across New and unruly races With brown or yellow faces They chop them into little bits of beefsteak tartare! 3 Now Jim is missing and George is dead And whiskey has sent Johnny barmy But blood is blood and still runs red-- They're recruiting again for the army!! [they all sit there, marching with their feet]² The Army's story Is guns and glory From the Cape to Cutch Behar. When they are at a loss And chance to come across New and unruly races With brown or yellow faces They chop them into little bits of beefsteak tartare! (Three Penny Opera, 1928)
1 - This is a rhyming translation, not a precisely literal translation. The first line of the original German really does read "Soldiers live on the Cannons", hence the name "Kanonen-Song". My dad assures me that the English translation does emote the same feeling that a German would feel upon hearing the phrase "Soldiers live on the cannons". 2 - The additional line in verse 3 is a Stage Direction for the actors singing the Kanonen Song.