On a
wagon, bound for
market, there's a
calf with a mournful eye,
High above him flies a
swallow, winging
swiftly through the
sky,
(
Chorus)
How
the winds are laughing, they
laugh with all their might,
laugh and laugh the whole
day through and
half the summers night,
Dona, dona, dona, dona, dona, dona, dona, don-
Dona, dona, dona, dona, dona, dona, dona, don-
"
Stop complaining", said the
farmer, "who told you a calf to be?
Why don't you have
wings to
fly with, like the swallow so
proud and free?"
(Chorus)
Calves are easily
bound and
slaughtered, never knowing
the reason why,
But whoever treasures
freedom, like the swallow must
learn to fly.
This is often sung as a "camp" song at summer sessions. Many school choirs also learn it, especially when working with
other choirs because it is a simple enough song the groups can learn it
seperately and then join as one choir with
little effort. But although it's a simple piece it's very
pretty and a nearly
haunting melody. It sounds best starting on an "a", and is based almost entirely on
whole step scales with the occasional
third,
fifth, or
sixth jump. This song, interesting enough, makes an appearence on the
Revolutionary Girl Utena series. In the episide where
Nanami turns into a cow, this piece plays in the background nearly throughout.
http://www.homestead.com/oldcampfriends/campsongs4.html
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