Lyr Req/Add: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy

Subject: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: MMario
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 03:45 PM

Can anyone tell me about " the traditional "Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy," a touching song about a misshapen boy who finds peace away from the gaze of uncaring strangers;"

I know Double Indemnity included it on their CD "Cows in the Castle" - but can't find anything else on it.

Subject: Lyr Add: DUNNENKIRK AND THE GYPSY
From: masato sakurai
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 08:16 PM

For starters, the lyrics.

DUNNENKIRK AND THE GYPSY

A grotesque babe was Dunnenkirk, a freak by nature's making
the priest pronounced him devil spawn, by his own he was forsaken
abandoned to a gypsy crone, never suckled by his mother
the old one fed him roots and bone, she loved him like no other

Dite cizi, I'll lie near you now, dite cizi I'll lie near you
the world will know a noble soul when you have found your way through.

She taught him how to read the stars, how to minister to the broken
to tolerate the ways of all, and know what has been spoken
He closed her eyes the day she died, looked back to remember
then made their hut a funeral pyre...
Oh, heaven rained down embers.

Dite cizi I be with you still, dite cizi I'm still with you,
You'll speak the truth in common tongue though few will understand you.

He lived among the townsfolk then, barefoot and misshapen,
his wisdom fell on fallow ground, from him they kept their children hidden
he left them after seven years, wearied by their hatred,
Then he looked down from the highest cliff in seach of the exhaulted

A caravan of tangled bones lay tented in the distance
He heard the fates call out his name, from his soul came no resistence
The fringe folk and the wild seed, the freak with four arms flailing
welcomed him among their score like a tincture to their ailing

Dite cizi be you near them now, dite cizi be you near them
Let this be the work that sets their ancient gash to mending

They asked him how to heal their fears, he answered "Face the danger.
We'll build a stage up on the hill, we'll be the carnival of strangers.
Spectators gaze on oddity to be consoled that form is content,
but we were cast with beastly masks that we might learn the difference!"

Dite cizi you lie near them now, dite cizi you lie near them
They are all they need to be to satisfy their longing.

He traveled with them forty years, in his tent did they gather
To cry, to sing, to seek his words, for he loved them like no other
Late one night when the stage was bright and the blue moon met the bent tree,
they heard him call to the gypsy crone, "Come find me, I am ready!"

Dite cizi, go you from them now, dite cizi go you from them,
Their twisted limbs are now their wings, your carnival is legend.

Dite cizi come lie near me now, dite cizi come lie near me,
The life you lived as Dunnenkirk is the myth you leave to history.

Dite cizi I'll lie near you now, dite cizi I'll lie near you,
their world did know a noble soul...who helped them find their way through.

(music - traditional)
(lyrics - Ciara Carinci)
(arranged by Brahm Stuart and Double Indemnity)

SOURCE: From HERE

~Masato

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: michaelr
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 09:04 PM

What a great song! I'd never heard of Double Indemnity before; looks like they're worth checking out.

Does anyone know who Ciara Carinci is (sounds Irish-Italian)? He/she doesn't seem to be a member of the band.

Michael

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: MMario
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:00 PM

she isn't - Double Indemnity dosen't exist any more - two of the member went on to found 'Empty hats' tho'

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: MMario
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:04 PM

THANK YOU! Masato!

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:37 PM

Masato, I am very impressed! (deep bow). I looked and found nothing.

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: GUEST,Laurna
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 12:02 AM

She (Ciara Carinci) is Italian and was raised in NY state.

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: GUEST,ddroppa
Date: 19 Sep 08 - 12:04 AM

Just FYI: Empty Hats still uses songs by Ciara Carinci. Dunnenkirk & The Gypsy is on their CD "Captured", and a live version is on the Empty Hats CD "Released". To get these CDs, go to Emptyhats.com, or write to: Empty Hats,
P.O. Box 5092
Gulfport, FL 33737

You can also get the CDs from the band, at the Renaissance Faires where they perform. That's where I got my copies!

Subject: RE: Help: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: GUEST,Lisa
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 11:57 AM

I was honored enough to be around the band when this song was being written, and was present the first time it was performed live (they used cue cards - it was fantastically fun!). You can find info on them at emptyhats.com. Believe the original title of the song (I have a handwritten version) was "Detikitzi". It is supposed to mean "wild child" in some european dialect from what I remember. We have referred to my oldest by that nickname for years!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: GUEST,opester
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 12:37 PM

Anyone know what european dialect detikitzi is from? I can't find anything on it anywhere...

Subject: ADD: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 03:25 AM

Opester, the CD booklet says Dite Cizi means "alien child" in some obscure Slavic dialect.
The CD booklet and recording have a few things different from the lyrics Masasto posted, so I'm going to post a corrected version below. The main difference is that the stage was dark


DUNNENKIRK AND THE GYPSY
(lyrics, Ciara Carinci; tune traditional)

A grotesque babe was Dunnenkirk, a freak by nature's making.
The priest pronounced him devil spawn, by his own he was forsaken.
Abandoned to a gypsy crone, never suckled by his mother,
The old one fed him roots and bone; she loved him like no other.

Dite Cizi, I'll lie near you now,
Dite Cizi I'll lie near you.
The world will know a noble soul
When you have found your way through.

She taught him how to read the stars, how to minister to the broken;
To tolerate the ways of all, and know what has been spoken.
He closed her eyes the day she died, looked back to remember;
Then made their hut a funeral pyre... [drums]
Oh, heaven rained down embers.

Dite Cizi, I'll be near you still,
Dite Cizi, I'm still near you.
Go speak the truth in common tongue
Though few will understand you.

He lived among the townsfolk then, barefoot and misshapen,
His wisdom fell on fallow ground, from him they kept their children hidden.
He left them after seven years, wearied by their hatred,
Then he looked down from the highest cliffs in seach of the exalted.

A caravan of tangled bones lay tented in the distance.
He heard the fates call out his name, from his soul gave no resistance.
The fringe folk and the wild seed, the freak with four arms flailing,
Welcomed him among their scores like a tincture to their ailing.

Dite Cizi, be you near them now,
Dite Cizi, be you near them.
Let this be the work that sets
Their ancient gash to mending.

They asked him how to heal their fear, he answered "Face the dangers.
We'll build a stage up on the hill, we'll be the carnival of strangers.
Spectators gaze on oddity, to be consoled that form is content,
But we were cast with beastly masks that we might learn the difference!"

Dite Cizi, you lie near them now,
Dite Cizi, you lie near them.
They are all they need to be
To satisfy their longing.

He traveled with them forty years, in his tent did they gather;
To cry or sing or seek his words, for he loved them like no other.
Late one night when the stage was dark and the blue moon met the bent tree,
They heard him call to the gypsy crone, "Come find me, I am ready!"

Dite Cizi, come lie near me now,
Dite Cizi, come lie near me,
Their twisted limbs are now their wings,
Your carnival is legend.

Dite Cizi, come lie near me now,
Dite Cizi, come lie near me,
The life you lived as Dunnenkirk
Is the myth you leave to history.

Dite Cizi, I'll lie near you now,
Dite Cizi, I'll lie near you,
The world has known a noble soul...who helped them find their way through.


Dite Cizi means "alien child" in some obscure Slavic dialect

(music - traditional)
(lyrics - Ciara Carinci)
(arranged by Brahm Stuart and Double Indemnity)


Source: CD Booklet form the Double Indemnity Cows in the Castle CD (slight changes made to match the wording on the recording)

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 03:36 AM

for the record, the members of Double Indemnity were:

Frank O'Gara
Lynda Kavy
Carl Asch
Gabriele Decker

From archived copies of their Website at archive.org, it appears their "Cows" CD came out in 1998 or 1999, and the Website wasn't archived after about 2000. The CD was quite good. Apparently, they had another CD titled The Soul of the Wild Seed, which came out in 1995. Ciara Carinci wrote the lyrics for three of the songs on Cows - "The Common Weave," "John Cumbers Maiden," and "Dunnenkirk and the Gypsy."

Their website says,

Frank O'Gara met Carl Asch in 1991, and the two combined their talents of juggling, magic and comedy and wrote the Double Indemnity Knife Throwing Show, which they have been performing at Renaissance Festivals ever since. The two also began playing music together, which evolved into a full band when they were joined by Lynda Kavy and Gabriele Decker.

It's a pretty good song, in a filky, renfair sort of way...

-Joe-