Ballad to the Dead, Tr?nh Công S?n

Tr?nh Công S?n was a writer, musician, and painter. Singer Joan Baez called him “Bob Dylan of Veitnam.” The following song is about the Vietnam War which US waged against Vietnam. In Vietnam, the war is known as American War.”

Bài ca dành cho nh?ng xác ng??i by Tr?nh Công S?n

The Song in Vietnamese and the translation:

Bài ca dành cho nh?ng xác ng??i

Author: Tr?nh Công S?n

Xác ng??i n?m trôi sông,
ph?i trên ru?ng ??ng
trên nóc nhà thành ph?
trên nh?ng ???ng quanh co

Xác ng??i n?m b? v?
d??i mái hiên chùa
trong giáo ???ng thành ph?
trên th?m nhà hoang vu

Mùa xuân ?i, xác nuôi th?m cho ??t ru?ng c?y
Vi?t Nam ?i, xác thêm h?i cho ??t ngày mai
Ð??ng ?i t?i, dù chông gai
vì quanh ?ây ?ã có ng??i

Xác ng??i n?m quanh ?ây
trong m?a l?nh này
bên xác ng??i già y?u
có xác còn th? ngây

Xác nào là em tôi
d??i h? h?m này
trong nh?ng vùng l?a cháy
bên nh?ng v?ng ngô khoai

(Repeat all)

Xác nào là em tôi
d??i h? h?m này
trong nh?ng vùng l?a cháy
bên nh?ng v?ng ngô khoai

The above lyric is taken down from Khanh Ly’s performance. Really sorry for any mistake and many thanks for your correction.

Ballad to the Dead (Hue 1968)

(Translated by Frank Duong)

The bodies of the dead lie floating in the river
They lie in the field,
On the rooftops of the city
And in the winding streets
The bodies of the dead lie lost

Under the eaves of the pagodas
In the churches of the city
At the doorsteps of the deserted houses

Oh Spring – the bodies of the dead bring a scent to the rice paddies
Oh Vietnam – the bodies of the dead add breath to tomorrow’s soil
The way there, though full of obstacles (literally – spikes)
Because around here – here were humans

The bodies of the dead lied all around here
In this cold rain
Near the bodies of the old and weak
Lie the bodies of the young and innocent

Which body is the body of my brother
In this cave
In those burnt out areas
Next to the maize and sweet potato field

(Repeat all)

Which body is the body of my brother
In this cave
In those burnt out areas
Next to the maize and sweet potato field

Translation #2

Author: Tr?nh Công S?n
Album: Ca khúc Da vàng 1 (1970)

(Translated by Nguy?n V? Thành, 28.9.2003)
Corpses float on rivers
lie in the fields
on roofs in the city
on the tortuous roads

Corpses lie lonely
under pagoda eaves
in churches of the city
on a wild veranda

Oh Spring, corpses nourish the paddy-fields
Oh Viet Nam, corpses give strength to future soil
The way we go, though with thorns
Then hereabouts, there’re people

Corpses lie about here
in this cold rain
near corpses of the aged (old and weak)
are corpses of the naive

Which corpse is my younger (brother and sister)
in this cave
in fire-and-smoke areas
near beds of maize, (sweet) potato

(Repeat all)

Which corpse is my younger
in this cave
in fire-and-smoke areas
near beds of maize, potato

http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~nguyenvu/Artists/TC_Son/Songs/TCSon_songs—Bai_ca_danh_cho_xac_nguoi.htm

Also see a site dedicated to his music