Билли 1985
Translated by Asya Vaisman © 1997
BILLY
Somewhere in mountains high
Or where the sands lie
There is a jolly guy
And Billy's his name.
Used to the dust — a soldier,
Billy — a brave soldier
Billy — a great soldier
One of no fame.
Billy knows the assignment
Carries the duty
He walks in the alignment
Marching and shooting
Billy, so big and strong,
Billy, he's such a hunk
Billy is walking
Billy sings:
Прощай, прощай, мой дом,
Прощай, прощай, мама,
Прощай, прощай, малышка,
Прощай, любовь.
How many days have passed
How many years it lasted
How many gals amassed
One cannot count!
These gals, they loved you, Billy
But they forgot you, really
That happens, willy-nilly
To what do they amount?
Trails of your colonies
Call you ahead
Sounds from your symphonies
The wind's roars shed
While tanks gnaw up the planet
A Yankee walks 'round the world
The Yankee shoots
The Yankee sings:
Прощай, прощай, мой дом,
Прощай, прощай, мама,
Прощай, прощай, малышка,
Прощай, любовь.
Where are you, gals of Billy?
Your love for him was silly —
He's in the grave, your Billy
Sob 'til you're red.
Formerly, gallant lover
Almost a colonel, even
Now under a white cover
Billy is dead.
In a foreign land
Billy was killed
And that place in the sand
Tommy has filled.
Tommy, so big and strong
Tommy, he's such a hunk
Tommy is walking
Tommy sings:
Прощай, прощай, мой дом,
Прощай, прощай, мама,
Прощай, прощай, малышка,
Прощай, любовь.