My My Kuiama, she came in the morning
she smiled but the tears on her little face
showed the pain that had been in that far off place
so sad, treated so bad
My My Kuiama, don't break your heart tryin
to say how your ma and your pa passed away
and they left you to wander the ruin and decay
real mean, that bullet machine
See here Kuiama, now ten thousand miles
is a long long way and you're here today
and you won't go back so you might say
hello, how do you do
Kuia stop your cryin, there's no bombs a'fallin
no horsemen in the night a'ridin through your dreams and tearing at your life
baby goodnight
No more silver rain will hit your ground
and no more guns will sound
and no more life be drowned
No more trenches where the soldiers lie
and no more people die
beneath that big black sky
Wake up Kuiama, I got somethin to tell you
it's just that I mean, well that is to say,
that I'm trying to explain but I'll start again,
for you, I must be true.
Kuia in this country, they got rules with no reason
they teach you to kill and they send you away
with your gun in your hand, you pick up your pay
so cool, that no mercy tool
Kuia please believe me? I just couldn't help myself.
I wanted to run but they gave me a gun
and they told me the duty I owed to my Fatherland.
I made my stand.
Kuia I just shot them, I just blew their heads open,
and I heard them scream in their agony
Kuiama she waits there for me
True blue, you saw it through.
she smiled but the tears on her little face
showed the pain that had been in that far off place
so sad, treated so bad
My My Kuiama, don't break your heart tryin
to say how your ma and your pa passed away
and they left you to wander the ruin and decay
real mean, that bullet machine
See here Kuiama, now ten thousand miles
is a long long way and you're here today
and you won't go back so you might say
hello, how do you do
Kuia stop your cryin, there's no bombs a'fallin
no horsemen in the night a'ridin through your dreams and tearing at your life
baby goodnight
No more silver rain will hit your ground
and no more guns will sound
and no more life be drowned
No more trenches where the soldiers lie
and no more people die
beneath that big black sky
Wake up Kuiama, I got somethin to tell you
it's just that I mean, well that is to say,
that I'm trying to explain but I'll start again,
for you, I must be true.
Kuia in this country, they got rules with no reason
they teach you to kill and they send you away
with your gun in your hand, you pick up your pay
so cool, that no mercy tool
Kuia please believe me? I just couldn't help myself.
I wanted to run but they gave me a gun
and they told me the duty I owed to my Fatherland.
I made my stand.
Kuia I just shot them, I just blew their heads open,
and I heard them scream in their agony
Kuiama she waits there for me
True blue, you saw it through.
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi - 2009/3/19 - 13:53
Language: Italian
Versione italiana di Riccardo Venturi
Piacenza, 18 marzo 2009
Piacenza, 18 marzo 2009
KUIAMA
Kuiama, Kuiama mia, non ti spezzare il cuore
cercando di dire come i tuoi genitori sono morti
lasciandoti a vagare in mezzo alle rovine
è davvero una vigliacca, quella mitragliatrice
Lo vedi, Kuiama, diecimila miglia
sono lunghe, è tanta strada, e tu oggi sei qui
e non vuoi tornare indietro, e potresti dire
ehi, come va
Kuia, smetti di piangere, non ci sono bombe che cadono,
nessun uomo che di notte, a cavallo, ti attraversa i sogni strappandoti la vita
buonanotte, bambina
Più nessuna pioggia d'argento cadrà sul tuo terreno,
più non risuoneranno le armi
e nessuna vita più sarà annegata
Più nessuna trincea dove stanno i soldati,
più nessuno che muore
sotto quel gran cielo nero
Svegliati, Kuiama, ho qualcosa da dirti,
è quel che voglio dire, beh, cioè
che tento di spiegarti, ma rincomincerò
per te, devo essere sincero.
Kuia, in questo paese hanno regole dissennate,
ti insegnano a ammazzare e ti fanno partire
con un'arma in mano, ti guadagni una paga,
guarda che bello, non è qualcosa che serve a avere pietà
Kuia, ti prego, credimi: non potevo farne a meno,
volevo scappare via ma mi hanno dato un'arma
e mi hanno detto qual era il mio dovere verso la Patria.
Ho resistito.
Kuia, li ho uccisi, gli ho fatto saltare via la testa,
e li ho sentiti urlare nella loro agonia.
Kuiama è la che mi aspetta,
è così triste, ora lo hai scoperto.
Kuiama, Kuiama mia, non ti spezzare il cuore
cercando di dire come i tuoi genitori sono morti
lasciandoti a vagare in mezzo alle rovine
è davvero una vigliacca, quella mitragliatrice
Lo vedi, Kuiama, diecimila miglia
sono lunghe, è tanta strada, e tu oggi sei qui
e non vuoi tornare indietro, e potresti dire
ehi, come va
Kuia, smetti di piangere, non ci sono bombe che cadono,
nessun uomo che di notte, a cavallo, ti attraversa i sogni strappandoti la vita
buonanotte, bambina
Più nessuna pioggia d'argento cadrà sul tuo terreno,
più non risuoneranno le armi
e nessuna vita più sarà annegata
Più nessuna trincea dove stanno i soldati,
più nessuno che muore
sotto quel gran cielo nero
Svegliati, Kuiama, ho qualcosa da dirti,
è quel che voglio dire, beh, cioè
che tento di spiegarti, ma rincomincerò
per te, devo essere sincero.
Kuia, in questo paese hanno regole dissennate,
ti insegnano a ammazzare e ti fanno partire
con un'arma in mano, ti guadagni una paga,
guarda che bello, non è qualcosa che serve a avere pietà
Kuia, ti prego, credimi: non potevo farne a meno,
volevo scappare via ma mi hanno dato un'arma
e mi hanno detto qual era il mio dovere verso la Patria.
Ho resistito.
Kuia, li ho uccisi, gli ho fatto saltare via la testa,
e li ho sentiti urlare nella loro agonia.
Kuiama è la che mi aspetta,
è così triste, ora lo hai scoperto.
Greatest anti-war song ever. Very deep & emotional track which tells a fictitious human tragedy that could have happened just like it is told. The song was recorded in one take, no edits. The instrumental part starting at 5:23 is just fantastic and includes the greatest violin solo in Rock Music History (played by Wilf Gibson).
ELO's and Songwriter Jeff Lynne's Music is immortal.
Finally they'll be inducted into the Rock'N'Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017. More than deserved.
ELO's and Songwriter Jeff Lynne's Music is immortal.
Finally they'll be inducted into the Rock'N'Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017. More than deserved.
Werner Bednarzik - 2017/3/15 - 14:49
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
Written by Jeff Lynne
Scritta da Jeff Lynne
Album: ELO2
This song is the last track of the ELO 2 LP. At 11:19, it is the longest track on the album, and the longest song ever recorded by Electric Light Orchestra. It tells the tale of a soldier telling an orphan girl stories about the Vietnam War. The soldier also mentions to her that he killed her parents.
Though not released as a single, the song apparently has made many compilation albums, such as Olé ELO, Afterglow, and The Light Shines On Vol 2, and has been performed live. It was also a favorite of the ELO band members during the time.
"This one, without doubt, is the favourite of all the band. It's a sad story about a war orphan with a soldier explaining to her all about the war - and that it was he that killed her parents. The most sensitive thing we do." Bev Bevan (1973 - Birmingham Post & Mail article entitled: Chart Boost Coming For Brum And E.L.O.)
"I like Kuiama even though the opening reminds me of the opening of You Only Live Twice." Wilfred Gibson (October 2003 - Martin Kinch's Cherry Blossom Clinic website)