about
UNION THUGS SAY:
If, in concert, we often present it as a tribute to Leonard Cohen, one of his most prestigious performers (1969) and,
moreover, a Montreal native, the song precedes it for nearly two decades. Originally entitled The Partisan Lament, it was
written in 1943 at the heart of the Second World War. It then runs on a loop on the BBC's airwaves which broadcasted it
to occupied France to show support to the resistance. The lyrics are from French Resistance Emmanuel d'Astier de la
Vigerie. It deals with the courage and resilience of those who are still fighting across the Channel. D'Astier de la Vigerie,
then Interior Commissioner for General De Gaulle, is one of the founders of the Libération-Sud resistance movement,
made up among others, of trade unionists and activists of a coalition of left-wing parties.
The music itself is Anna Marly's composition. Born Anna Betoulinskaya, she was a dancer for the Russian ballets and then
became singer and guitarist in the great French cabarets. In 1940, like so many others, she left France and after a few trips
eventually joined De Guaule's resistance in England where she enlisted as a cantinière. It is in that context that she meets
Emmanuel d'Astier de la Vigerie with whom she composes The complaint of the partisan. Composer of nearly 300 pieces,
we also owe him the famous Song of the partisans, as well as certain tunes of Edith Piaf.
Numerous sound arrangements were made from Marly to Cohen, but of the many covers that will appear over the years: Joan
Baez (1972), 16 Horse Power with Bertrand Cantat of Black Desire (1997), El Comunero (2012), Dubamix (2014) and even a
revisited version for the soundtrack of the video game Wolfenstein: Old Blood (2015) to name just a few. Meanwhile the lyrics
have changed a bit over the years. It is noted that Cohen reversed two sentences, whereas d'Astier de la Vigerie had originally
written words that, we can guess, come from those who yearn for the warrior's rest: "Freedom will come back, we will be
forgotten, we will return to the shadow ", Cohen preferred the revolutionary call:" Freedom soon will come and we will come
from the shadows ". This is the version we chose.
lyrics
LYRICS
Oh the wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come
Then we’ll come from the shadows
Les Allemands étaient chez moi
Ils me dirent "Résigne-toi"
Mais je n'ai pas peur
Et j'ai repris mon arme
Personne ne m'a demandé
D'où je viens et où je vais
Vous qui le savez
Effacez mon passage
J'ai changé cent fois de nom
J'ai perdu femme et enfants
Et je tourne en rond
Dans la prison des frontières
Un vieil homme dans un grenier
Pour la nuit nous a cachés
Les Allemands l'ont pris
Il est mort sans surprise
Hier encore, nous étions trois
Il ne reste plus que moi
Mais j'ai tant d'amis
Et j'ai ma classe entière
Oh the wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come
Then we’ll come from the shadows
credits
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