He was just fifteen, a new trainee
He lied about it for the opportunity
To defend the border his life was sworn
Tho' not a generation was native born.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
He had lost the battle but won the war
When the General said he couldn't fight no more
He was proud and bitter at what he'd done
So he passed it on to his favorite son.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
Jingo don't you fight for me,
Jingo don't you speak for me
Jingo don't you fight for me,
Jingo don't you speak for me
To the man who owns the land - we're all the same
But when his grip begins to slip
Then he'll be calling out your name.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
And the throne the pulpit and the politician
Create a thirst for power in the common man
It's a taste for blood passed off as bravery
Or just patriotism hiding bigotry.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
Jingo don't you speak for me,
Jingo don't you fight for me
Jingo don't you speak for me,
Jingo don't you fight for me
He lied about it for the opportunity
To defend the border his life was sworn
Tho' not a generation was native born.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
He had lost the battle but won the war
When the General said he couldn't fight no more
He was proud and bitter at what he'd done
So he passed it on to his favorite son.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
Jingo don't you fight for me,
Jingo don't you speak for me
Jingo don't you fight for me,
Jingo don't you speak for me
To the man who owns the land - we're all the same
But when his grip begins to slip
Then he'll be calling out your name.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
And the throne the pulpit and the politician
Create a thirst for power in the common man
It's a taste for blood passed off as bravery
Or just patriotism hiding bigotry.
Johnee Jingo, Johnee Jingo
Jingo don't you speak for me,
Jingo don't you fight for me
Jingo don't you speak for me,
Jingo don't you fight for me
inviata da Bartleby - 16/12/2010 - 11:46
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Album “A Cappella”
Jingoism = "patriottismo estremista sotto forma di violenta politica estera" (Oxford English Dictionary).
Il termina deriva dal verso di una canzone inglese, “Macdermott's War Song”, risalente all’epoca della guerra russo-turca (1877-1878), uno dei tanti conflitti che nel corso della storia hanno insaguinato i Balcani e il Caucaso. Una parte dell’opinione pubblica inglese parteggiava per l’Impero Ottomano e auspicava un intervento diretto dell’Inghilterra nella guerra, perché “Costantinopoli non doveva cadere tra le grinfie dell’Orso Russo”. Il ritornello della canzone recitava infatti:
“We don't want to fight but, by jingo, if we do...
We've got the ships, we've got the men, and got the money too!
We've fought the Bear before... and while we're Britons true,
The Russians shall not have Constantinople...”
“Non vogliamo combattere ma, per dinci, se dobbiamo…”
“By jingo” / “Per dinci”, un antico minced oath (letteralmente "bestemmia tritata"), usato per evitare di dire “by Jesus” (“per Dio”). (fonte: it.wikipedia)