Poles fleeing Poland because of hunger

[franek80]

Roots: There is a Polish, melancholic song which describes the reason and origin of the emigration from Poland to the United States:

Goralu, czy ci nie zal odchodzic od sron ojczystych;
Swierkowych lasow i hal i tych potokow srebrzystych.
Goralu, czy nie zal...Goralu, wracaj do hal.

A goral no gory spoziera, i lzy rekawen ociera;
dla chleba, panie, dla chleba, i gor porzucic trzeba.

Loosely translated, it means:

Mountaineer, aren't you sad to leave your homeland; its spruce forest, mountain pastures and silver brooks?

Mountaineer gazes at the mountains and wipes the tears away with his sleeve; knowing that for "bread" (livelihood) he must leave his mountains.

Although this song talks about the emigrants from the southern part of poland (Galicia), in time it has become a song-symbol for Poles from all regions of Poland
Franek

[joyce]

What is the time period that this song was written for?
Was it in the late 1890's-1920's when immigration was
so prevalent?

[Jaga]

Hi Franek,

I love "Goralu czy ci nie zal".

I moved this thread because it suggests that Poles flee Poland now... because of hunger, so history channel is better for this. I hope you understand my worries

[justjohn]

joyce said:

What is the time period that this song was written for?
Was it in the late 1890's-1920's when immigration was
so prevalent?

Franek & Joyce,

I remember singing this when I was a wee lad. About 'knee high to a grasshopper'.

So, I would assume the time period is correct.

[hollister]

Not sure of the melody so I did a google search
I found a couple of u tube videos
first JPII sings!

the second is just the melody

There may be better examples out there.

[joyce]

hollister said:

Not sure of the melody so I did a google search
I found a couple of u tube videos
first JPII sings!


This song sounds so sad.

the second is just the melody

There may be better examples out there.

And this one sounds festive, in a way.
I guess it depends on how
one interprets the song?