Katy Carr's song 'Mała little Flower,' was inspired by Irena Gut Opdyke who was a Polish Catholic girl (b. 1922), who not only saved the lives of twelve Jews by hiding them in the basement of an SS officer's house, but also became an effective resistance fighter with the Polish Partisans, with code name 'Mała' meaning 'little' in Polish. This song is dedicated to the memory of her fiancé Janek Ridel (pseudonym "Mercedes Benz"), who was killed in action the day before their wedding in May 1944.
Mała, mały Kwiatuszek -- Irena Gut Opdyke (ur. 1922) była polską katoliczką, która zasłynęła nie tylko z tego, że uratowała dwunastu Żydów chowając ich w piwnicy domu oficera SS, była także niezwykle skuteczną działaczką polskiego partyzanckiego
ruchu oporu. Jej pseudonim to 'Mała'. Piosenka jest dedykowana pamięci narzeczonego Ireny -- Janka Ridla (pseudonim 'Mercedes Benz'), który zginął w czasie akcji w maju 1944 roku, na dzień przed zaplanowanym ślubem.
lyrics
Kocham cię Janku, mój Janku
Going into the woods
And you think you can keep me from him
I’m going into the woods
And you think you can keep me from him
But I’m doing it for myself
But I’m doing it all for him
And I love my little Janek
And I’m doing it all for him
And he takes my hair, and it’s golden
And he takes my hat, and I’m dancing
He says: Mała mała mała little flower, you’re the one for me [x2]
And he picks me up in my wedding dress
And he takes me to the hall
And he grabs on me so tightly
And all the things begin to fall
He says, it’s bad bad bad luck
To see me before the wedding day
He says: Mała mała mała little flower flower flower
I’ll be back for you at the end of the day
And I’m doing it all for him
But I’m doing it all for me
And I pledge to leave just to Poland
And I pledge to leave just to him
He says: Mała mała mała little flower, you’re the one for me [x2]
Did I hear the guns fire? [x3]
Will I see him again?
Did I hear the guns fire?
As I’m on my way?
He says: Mała mała mała little flower flower flower
I’ll be back for you at the end of the day
And I’m doing it all for him
But I’m doing it all for me
And I pledge to leave just to Poland
And I pledge to leave just to him
He says: Mała mała mała little flower, you’re the one for me
Mała mała mała little flower, you’re the one for me
Mały mały mały mały mały kwiatku
Ty jesteś moją dziewczyną
[x4]
Kocham cię Janku, mój Janku, mój Janku
Mój Janku
credits
from Paszport,
track released November 11, 2012
All songs written by: Katy Carr except Dziś do Ciebie przyjść nie mogę written in 1943 by Stanisław Magierski (pseudonym “Jacek II”) and O mój rozmarynie a traditional song from Poland
Produced and engineered by:Nigel Of Bermondsey except Kommander’s Car, Produced and engineered by: Nick Crofts
Co-produced by: Katy Carr
Musical director: Francesca Ter-berg
Katy Carr’s Polish pronunciation and vocal coach: Wojciech Wentura
Mixed by: Jez Coad
Mastered by: Chris Cawte
Artwork and design: Susan Burghart www.susanburghart.com
List of musicians except tracks marked*:
Ukulele, piano and keyboards: Katy Carr
Cello: Francesca Ter-berg
*Cello (Kommander’s Car): Jon Cottle
Bass guitar: Nigel of Bermondsey
Additional male vocals on red red rose: Nigel of Bermondsey
Poyk, snare drum, cymbals, wood block and other percussion: Guy Schalom
Tuba, trombone, double bass, whistle: Paul Tkachenko
Violin: Flora Curzon
Opera singer on Alicja, Polish soldiers from the 22nd Artillery sSupply Company on Wojtek and Polish Partisan choir on Chodźmy, partyzanci!: Maciek O’Shea
The BM597 spitfire which features on Motylek was recorded by Katy Carr at Goodwood Festival of Speed, England
Katy Carr is a British recording artist, singer, performer, songwriter and aviator currently residing in London Town,
England. An independent musician, she has released five albums on her label Deluce Recordings, ‘Screwing Lies’ (2001), Passion Play (2003), Coquette (2009 ), Paszport (2012) and ‘Polonia’ (2015). New album to be released in Oct 2020 --- watch out for it ! xxx...more
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