Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing

Subject: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 08:21 PM

"In the same raid Israel's artillery shelled a residential district in the town of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip, leaving 19 dead and 40 injured, many killed in their beds. One family, the Athamnas, lost 16 members in the massacre: the oldest who died, Fatima, was 70; the youngest, Dima, was one; seven were children. From a press report, November 9th)

And on our TV screens we saw them. The name of that little girl, Dima, reminded me of a similar word in the chorus of a song that seemed to match the sense of desolation in face of this latest awful killing.

On a wagon bound for market
There's a calf with a mournful eye.
High above him there's a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky.

How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summer's night.

Dona dona dona dona
Dona dona dona down
Dona dona dona dona
Dona dona dona down

Dima, Dima, Dima, Dima
Dima, Dima, Dima, Dim
Dima, Dima, Dima, Dima
Dima, Dima, Dima, Dim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: SylviaN
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 08:30 PM

And they say we are becoming more civilized. This event and others here and throughout the world makes me think we haven't really moved very far.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 09:00 PM

In some ways we've moved in the wrong directions - the kind of things that once we believed (perhaps mistakenly) were only done by totally evil regimes get adopted openly by people who are in most respects decent.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: Barry Finn
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 12:21 PM

It's become even worst when not only do nations rationalize, condone & excuse this behavoir but people of the world do it too.

Barry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 04:09 PM

And worse still when the former victims become the perpetrators.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 05:09 PM

McGrath - I don't want to detract from the seriousness of this thread, but - what is the song that you quote? I find those lyrics compelling in an inexpicable way -

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 06:02 PM

Dona Dona - it's a translation of a Yiddish song. There have been a number of threads about it, exploring the meaning and including the original text - here is one that's just been opened up again.

I only put the first verse and chorus up there. That wasn't intentional. But in fact, in the context of the tragedy that killed this child and her family, it seems to me the one verse is sufficient.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A new/old song about killing
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 06:52 PM

Thankee. I'll check out the rest.