The Threepenny Opera “Kanonen-Song“ (“Canon Song“) = Kurt Weill & Bertolt Brecht Die 3 Groschen-Oper

This song is from Act 1 of Weill’s Threepenny Opera (Die 3 Groschen-Oper) by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. This is my FAVORITE song from the play/opera! The song is vibrant and catchy. When Pabst’s film version was made in 1930, the song was moved to the very end of the work, and that film’s version of the song is outstanding (the rest of the film bores me). Music was composed by Kurt Weill. Lyrics are by Bertolt Brecht. I assume the lines about British soldiers in India were inspired by Kipling. The setting is London during Victorian times, which is easy to forget since the language here is German. If you think “Kipling,“ the song makes sense. This axiom is attributed to Bertolt Brecht: “Art is not a mirror to reflect reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.“ Macheath sings this “Kanonen-Song“ (“Canon Song“ or “Army Song“) with a friend--the Chief of Police, Tiger Brown. It’s not clear from the lyrics here if the two men served in the army (though the play itself might have more to say about that). John war darunter und Jim war dabei Und Georgie ist Sergeant geworden Doch die Armee, sie fragt keinen, wer er sei Und sie marschierte hinauf nach dem Norden. Soldaten wohnen Auf den Kanonen Vom Cap bis Couch Behar. Wenn es mal regnete Und es begegnete Ihnen ’ne neue Rasse’ne braune oder blasse Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar Johnny war der Whisky zu warm Und Jimmy hatte nie genug Decken Aber Georgie nahm beide beim Arm Und sagte “Die Armee kann nicht verrecken“. Soldaten wohnen Auf den Kanonen Vom Cap bis Couch Behar. Wenn es mal regnete Und es begegnete Ihnen ’ne neue Rasse’ne braune oder blasse Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar John ist gestorben und Jim ist tot Und Georgie ist verißt und verdorben Aber Blut ist immer noch rot Und für die Armee wird jetzt wieder geworben!a Soldaten wohnen Auf den KanonenVom Cap bis Couch Behar. Wenn es mal regnete und es begegnete Ihnen ’ne neue Rasse’ne braune oder blasse Da machen sie vielleicht daraus ihr Beefsteak Tartar _________________________________________ ENGLISH John was all present and Jim was all there And Georgie was up for promotion Not that the Army gave a bugger who they were When confronting some heathen commotion The troops live under the cannon’s thunder From Sind to Cooch Behar Moving from place to place When they come face to face With a different breed of fellow Whose skin is black or yellow they quick as winking chop them into beefsteak tartar Johnny found his whiskey too warm And Jimmy found the weather too balmy But Georgie took them both by the arm and said Don’t ever disappoint the Army The troops live under the cannon’s thunder From Sind to Cooch Behar Moving from place to place When they come face to face With a different breed of fellow Whose skin is black or yellow they quick as winking chop them into beefsteak tartar [MACHEATH] John was all present and Jim was all there [JACKIE] And Georgie was up for promotion [MACHEATH] Not that the Army gave a bugger who they were [JACKIE] When confronting some heathen commotion (Chorus) [BOTH] The troops live under The cannon’s thunder From Sind to Cooch Behar Moving from place to place Where they come face to face [JACKIE] With a different breed of fellow [MACHEATH] Whose skins are black or yellow [BOTH] And quick as winking chopped them into beefsteak tartar! (Verse 2) [JACKIE] Johnny found his whiskey too warm [MACHEATH] And Jimmy found the weather too balmy [JACKIE] But Georgie took them both by the arm [MACHEATH] And said, “Don’t ever disappoint the army!“ (Chorus) [BOTH] The troops live under The cannon’s thunder From Sind to Cooch Behar Moving from place to place Where they come face to face [JACKIE] With a different breed of fellow [MACHEATH] Whose skins are black or yellow [BOTH] And quick as winking chopped them into beefsteak tartar! (Verse 3) [MACHEATH] Johnny’s a write-off and Jimmy is dead [JACKIE] And Georgie was shot for looting [MACHEATH] But young men’s blood goes on being red [JACKIE] And the army goes ahead recruiting (Chorus) [BOTH] The troops live under The cannon’s thunder From Sind to Cooch Behar Moving from place to place Where they come face to face [JACKIE] With a different breed of fellow [MACHEATH] Whose skins are black or yellow [BOTH] And quick as winking chopped them into beefsteak tartar!