당신이 없으면 조국도 없다
當身이 없으면 祖國도 없다
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, joguk do eopta
No Fatherland Without You
There are two basic musical genres in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea: loud, adrenaline-charged martial music in an exaggeration of the Stalinist style ("It's got a beat and you can shake your fist to it.") and music dedicated to sucking up to Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and the Korean Workers' Party (조선 로동당,朝鮮 勞働黨, Choseon Rodongdang), in styles ranging from mild to extreme badness. Perhaps the best example of the former genre is the unforgettable (even if one wanted to) "One Man Against a Hundred" (일당백,一當百, Il Dang Paek), which features a military chorus shout-singing the praises of Suryong Kim Il Sung's revelation that the strategy of the North Korean army should be to win, over percussion-heavy music.
As for the latter genre, it is hard to think of a better example than No Fatherland Without You, featuring a weird showtune-esque musical arrangement and a rather saccharine female vocalist. The song itself asserts that North Korean life as we know it would be impossible without Kim Jong Il, which is apparently meant as a compliment.
In a state as hermetically sealed as the DPRK, reliable information about the state and the population is hard to come by. Apart from the occasional travelogue or defector account, the interested observer is left with one option: attempting to read between the lines of the official DPRK narrative, as it is presented incessantly in the North Korean media, including their web presence. There is no shortage of songs like this one, and that fact alone is telling. Any leader who, in addition to erecting hundreds of large obelisks throughout the countryside, needs to hear this sort of effusive (and nonsensical) praise, clearly has (at a minimum) some serious self-esteem issues.
- 아-...
김정일동지(金正日同志)
- 아-...
김정일동지
- 당신(當身)이 없으면 조국(祖國)도 없다
Aaaaa Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Aaaaa Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Dangshin i oepseumyeon, joguk do oepta
Aaaaa Comrade Kim Jong Il,
Aaaaa Comrade Kim Jong Il,
Without you, we'd have no fatherland.
사나운 폭풍(暴風)도 쳐몰아내고
신념(信念)을 안겨준
김정일동지
당신이 없으면 우리도 없고
당신이 없으면 조국도 없다
- 조국도 없다
Sanaun p'okp'ung do ch'yeomolanaego,
Shinnyeom eul ankyeojun Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, uri do oepgo
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, joguk do oepta
- Jogukdo oepta
You pushed away the violent storm.
You gave us something to believe in, Comrade Kim Jong Il.
Without you, we wouldn't be around.
Without you, we'd have no fatherland.
...there'd be no fatherland.
미래(未來)도 희망(希望)도 다 맡아주는
민족(民族)의 운명(運命)인
김정일동지
당신이 없으면 우리도 없고
당신이 없으면 조국도 없다
- 아-... 우리의
김정일동지
- 당신이 없으면 조국도 없다
Mirae do hwimang do ta mat'ajuneun
Minjok wi unmyeong in Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, uri do eopgo
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, joguk do eopta
Aaaaa uri wi Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, joguk do eopta
You gave us our future, our hope, everything,
You are the people's destiny, Comrade Kim Jong Il.
Without you, we wouldn't be around.
Without you, we'd have no fatherland.
...there'd be no fatherland.
Aaaaa our Comrade Kim Jong Il
Without you, we'd have no fatherland.
세상(世上)이 열백번(百番) 변(變)한다해도
인민(人民)은 믿는다
김정일동지
당신이 없으면 우리도 없고
당신이 없으면 조국도 없다
- 아-... 우리의
김정일동지
- 당신이 없으면 조국도 없다
- 조국도 없다
Sesang i yeolbaekpeon pyeonhandahaedo
Inmin eun minneunda, Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, uri do eopgo
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, joguk do eopta
Aaaaaa uri wi Kim Jeong Il Tongji
Dangshin i eopseumyeon, joguk do eopta
Joguk do eopta
Even if the world were to change a hundred times,
The people would believe in you, Comrade Kim Jong Il
Without you, we wouldn't be around.
Without you, we'd have no fatherland.
Aaaaaa our Comrade Kim Jong Il
Without you, we'd have no fatherland.
We'd have no fatherland.
Note: This song is reproduced in its entirety as it is public domain and not subject to national or international copyright protections.
Additional Note: For those interested in hearing this "Masterpiece of Juche Music" first hand, navigate to http://dprk.ii2.cc/pd01.mp3