Border-Land's Song (Part 1)

Annotation

This featured on the Dihavina record label (# 6202), originally the state label of North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) before reunification in 1975. Split across this 7" is a four-part chorus: the song "Border-Land's Song (Vietnam) - Part I-II", and the song "Border-Land's Song (Vietnam) - Part III-IV" - the performance is attributed to the Chorus of the Popular Army. The piece was composed by To Hai in 1959. Thanks to [deleted] for tracking down the lyrics.1 Here is "Border-Land's Song (Vietnam) - Part I-II". Note: Google Translation used. The first part, called "The Majestic Mountains of the Country" focused on setting the scene, with descriptions of the countryside: "forest rustled leaves... high mountain peaks... The border is far away". The next part, called "On the Border" considered the war scene: "The song of fighting to keep the border of the country, beloved homeland". The narrator noted "the gun is firmly in my hand... flags flying".Sources1Bài ca đi cùng năm tháng: Bai hat↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Part 1: The Majestic Mountains and Forests of the Fatherland Leaves rustle in the forest, the evening mist slowly descends / From a distant, towering peak the gong still echoes and lingers / Cheep cheep, a pair of birds flies searching for their flock / At nightfall they perch by the hearth of a stilt house / Bewildered, they look at each other, hearing deep in the forest someone raising a lofty song / The mist drapes the mountains in white, the rosy firelight blazes across the distant forests / Cold, the mountain wind rustles through branches, flowers and leaves / Tu hu, tu hu (the koel calls), the flute of a young man from the Hmong village whistles / At night, seeking someone, the flute confides so many things / Bung binh bung bung as the gong resounds / Evening on the border is slowly falling / Slowly falling, falling (hmm - hmm - hmm) / The distant frontier Part 2: Along the Border Along the border path we strive to climb / However steep the pass, we strive to climb / Here in the mountains and forests we stand day and night / Rifles held firm so the mountains and forests may sleep in peace / Through forests and over passes we press on / However steep the pass, we press on / The border guards carry countless verses / Songs and music shining with love / This beloved borderland / Every day our horses' hooves climb / The border mountains and forests all join in / The fighting song to guard the frontier of the Fatherland / Our beloved homeland lives beneath a free…

Notes

Dihavina 6202, 45 rpm; side a) "Border-Land's Song", chorus in four parts by Tô Hai, part I and part II; side b) part III and part IV; "Presented by the Chorus of the Popular Army, Hanoi Viet Nam"; "All rights reserved, unauthorised public performance, broadcasting and copying of this record prohibited". The picture sleeve front shows a drawing of reeds and a winding road across hills beneath white cloud and mountains, titled "Border-Land's Song (Vietnam)", signed L.T. Đức. The back repeats "Border-Land's Song, chorus in four parts" and gives "Distributors: Xunhasaba, 32, Hai Bà Trung — Hanoi — Vietnam"; "Offset-NY." [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Performing ensemble credited on North Vietnamese / NLF revolutionary-song recordings of the Vietnam War era; individual members uncredited.

Themes

Vietnamese Perspective · Vietnamese Patriotic

In collections

North Vietnamese Songs