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01 Apr 03 - 04:33 PM (#923858) Subject: Lyr Add: DONE WITH BONAPARTE (Mark Knopfler) From: michaelr Another gem from the pen of the great Mark Knopfler, this song was recorded by Niamh Parsons on her latest CD, "Heart's Desire". It's quite timely as young men are again following "our little corporal" into battle, blinded by dreams of empire. Done with Bonaparte (Lyrics Mark Knopfler; air trad. I) We've paid in hell since Moscow burned As Cossacks tear us piece by piece Our dead are strewn a hundred leagues Though death would be a sweet release And our Grande Armee is dressed in rags A frozen, starving beggar band Like rats we steal each other's scraps And fall to fighting hand to hand CH: Save my soul from evil, Lord And heal this soldier's heart I'll trust in thee to keep me, Lord I'm done with Bonaparte What dreams he made for us to dream The Spanish skies, Egyptian sands The world was ours, we marched upon Our little corporal's command And I lost an eye at Austerlitz The sabre slash yet gives me pain My one true love awaits me still The flower of the Aquitaine (CH) I pray for her who prays for me A safe return to ma belle France We prayed this war would end all wars In war we know there's no romance And I pray our child will never see A little corporal again Point towards a foreign shore And captivate the hearts of men (CH) Cheers, Michael |
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01 Apr 03 - 07:50 PM (#924017) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Charley Noble Thanks for posting this. Charley Noble |
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02 Apr 03 - 04:25 AM (#924289) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Even at this early stsage, this version looks like passing into the tradition. The air (Amhrán na Leabhair) was suggested by either Terry Moylan or Gerry O'Reilly of the Góilín Singers Club and suits the war-weary tone very well. Regards |
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02 Apr 03 - 09:31 AM (#924434) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: GUEST,leeneia An excellent contribution. Recently I read a book about Champollion (sp), the man who translated Egyptian hieroglyphics. The author mentioned that Champollion's brother, a publisher of a small newspaper, got in trouble with the government for publishing data about the number of French soldiers who were being killed in Bonaparte's campaigns. It is thought-provoking to realize that the people of France, many of them isolated in villages and small cities, could not get together and determine how many men they had lost. It takes the media to do something like that. And here I was going to get a bumpersticker that said "Smoke free, drug free, media free." The book also details the horrors of the Egyptian campaign. (The French leadership landed the soldiers in the desert and failed to provide any food or water.) When some Mudcatters start rattling on about Theobald Wolfe Tone and his foray into Ireland with the French, I wonder how many horrors occurred there that we don't get told about. Peace. |
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02 Apr 03 - 11:30 AM (#924539) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: GUEST, GEST Mark Knopfler has cancelled his European and U.S. tours following a motorbike accident that left the former Dire Straits frontman with six broken ribs and a broken collarbone. Knopfler was injured on March 17th in central London when his vehicle collided with a car. He is expected to make a full recovery. "Mark is obviously bitterly disappointed and would like to thank the fans who have sent him get well messages," a statement on his Web Site reads. The thirty-date U.S. run was to begin June 26th in Portsmouth, Virginia, and run through the end of July. The tour was to support Knopfler's latest solo album, The Ragpicker's Dream, which was released last fall. Ticket holders were advised to return their tickets to the original point of purchase. ANDREW DANSBY, RollingStone.com (April 1, 2003) |
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03 Apr 03 - 01:55 AM (#925044) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Anglo Pardon my simplistic ignorance, but is this a song Knopfler sings to his own tune, or rather his poem which others converted to a song? Was the suggestion of using this tune made to him, or to Niamh, or someone else who gave it to Niamh? (Just trying to get a better idea of the provenance; the song is quite lovely). |
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03 Apr 03 - 03:49 AM (#925075) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: MartinRyan Anglo Sorry! The confusion is my fault. Mark Knopfler wrote the song and had a tune, of which I know nothing. Dublin singer Gerry O'Reilly, at the suggestion of Terry Moylan (author of The Age of revolution in the Irish Song Tradition ), fitted it to an old Irish air usually known as Amhrán na Leabhair (song of the books - another story). Niamh Parsons heard Gerry singing it and recorded that version. Several other traditional singers now use that version Regards |
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03 Apr 03 - 10:42 AM (#925263) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Anglo Many thanks, Martin. I appreciate the extra information. We'd hoped to get Niamh at our folk festival here this coming summer (in upstate New York), but alas it didn't work out. |
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03 Apr 03 - 02:47 PM (#925435) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: MartinRyan Anglo Keep trying - she's worth it! Regards |
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04 Apr 03 - 09:04 AM (#925998) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Wilfried Schaum Michael - thanks for posting this wonderful song. At first I thought it an original song of 1812/13; the simple and unbraided lyrics are just fitting the European folk tradition. There is an old German song of these times of which Knopfler's lyrics reminded me: "Mit Mann und Ross und Wagen hat sie der Herr geschlagen ..." (With man and horse and wagon the Lord has hit them hard ..." Poor boys, and now a similar adventure is going on between the Rivers. Wilfried |
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04 Apr 03 - 11:10 AM (#926084) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: HuwG If you forgive me for introducing an irreverent aside into this thread, click here for Mike Harding's take on the legend of Napoleon. And, please get well soon, Mark. |
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10 Apr 05 - 08:40 PM (#1457622) Subject: Chords Add: DONE WITH BONAPARTE From: HuwG Here are the guitar chords, as near as I can make them out. [Bb] We've [Gm] paid in hell since Moscow burned As [Bb] Cossacks tear us piece by piece Our [F] dead are strewn a hundred leagues Though [Eb]death would be a sweet release And our [Gm] Grande Armee is dressed in rags A [Bb] frozen, starving beggar band Like [F] rats we steal each other's scraps And [Eb] fall to fighting hand to hand CH: [Eb]Save my soul from evil, Lord And [Bb] heal this soldier's [Gm] heart I'll [Bb] trust in thee to [Cm] keep me, Lord [Eb] I'm done with Bonaparte [Bb] Further chords and tabs for the intro and bridge are at The On-line Guitar Archive. |
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11 Apr 05 - 04:24 AM (#1457796) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: GUEST,Scaramouche Paul Brady plays the whistle on this. |
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11 Apr 05 - 08:10 AM (#1457883) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Grab I play this the Knopfler way. I'll try and remember the chords if I can. FWIW I can't stand the dirge that someone (was it Gerry O'Reilly?) put to the words. To my mind the major-key Knopfler version works better, for the same reason that Dylan's "Don't think twice, it's alright" wouldn't have the same power as a slow minor tune. The Knopfler version has that air of a marching song about it, and the contrast between the downbeat words and the upbeat tune is what makes the song. It gives the feel of the singer thinking he might just make it home again in spite of everything, instead of just "I'll sit here, whine about what's happened and die". Graham. |
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20 Nov 06 - 03:30 PM (#1889184) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: michaelr MK's tune can be heard on the newly released concert CD/DVD "Real Live Roadrunning" with Emmylou Harris. For anyone who saw the tour (and anyone who didn't, as well) I highly recommend this record. Great band, cracking performances, brilliant show. Cheers, Michael BTW, Niamh Parsons' notes on the song state "Jerry O'Reilly...was given this song by Terry Moylan and thought it might suit that wonderful traditional air played by Seamus Ennis, 'Valentia Island'." |
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21 Nov 06 - 12:22 PM (#1889991) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: McGrath of Harlow Here's Mark Knopfler singing it from 1996 - poor sound and vision quality, but the song comes across. |
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21 Nov 06 - 08:11 PM (#1890352) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: michaelr So -- ist the air called "Amhrán na Leabhair" or "Valentia Island"? |
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22 Nov 06 - 03:01 PM (#1890996) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Declan Michelr, I suspect the tune is called Valentia Island and that "Amhrán na Leabhair" is another song sung to the same air. |
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22 Nov 06 - 06:52 PM (#1891204) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: dick greenhaus For a good song with a similar theme, check out Bob Coltman's "Valley Forge" in Digitrad |
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23 Nov 06 - 03:02 AM (#1891424) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: MartinRyan Declan I seem to remember that Terry suggested the tune to Gerry on the basis of the "Amhrán na Leabhair" connection. Aa to which came first, the sung chicken or the instrumental air - I dunno! I'll check next time I'm in the splendid new Irish Traditional Music Archive. Regards |
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23 Nov 06 - 07:08 AM (#1891548) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: Valmai Goodyear A superb piece of songwriting. I haven't heard the Irish air, but the tune Knopfler uses sounds like an adapted Scottish pipe march; appropriate as the singer is marching home from the wars and expressing his disgust with them. Valmai Goodyear Lewes Arms Folk Club |
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23 Nov 06 - 09:11 AM (#1891645) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: GUEST,Gordon T Excellent lyrics - never heard of this song before - but having watched the video (thanks for that) I'm possibly alone in thinking the tune doesnt measure up.Unsingable as an unaccompanied song,for a start - no wonder Niamh Parsons chose a different air,although I dont know her version. Just my opinion anyway! Gordon |
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23 Nov 06 - 10:01 AM (#1891685) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Done with Bonaparte From: MartinRyan For me, there are still a few rough edges when using the Irish tune. If it's taken up by enough traditional singers, they'll soon get rubbed off! Regards |