Marat ve vaně [English translation]

The role of a figure in history consists practically of the willingness

of the figure in question to die or to let themselves be killed, before She manages to call them away.1

The gaze is turned away, Copernicus2 dressed in a cassock

Death turns Marat3 over in the bath,

the page turns, Koniáš4 claps,

Gogh5 lies in the thistles, death can be ugly,

Gogh lies in the thistles, death can be ugly,

death can be ugly.

R: Kindly gloom covers your face with a grimace of horror

the hand, which a moment ago was smoothing shoulders, has turned to stone

the pen is for nothing, and the dream-book6 serves no purpose, the Muses have died,

the fact, that there is no shooting, means only death for the angel

The song has ended, the flat has become a jail7

In front of the church doors you'll see Wenceslaus,8

he's holding onto the doorknocker, the gravedigger rubs his hands,

throw away the mirrors, it's not emotive,

throw away the mirrors, it's not emotive,

it's not emotive.

Cromwell9 only has a little bit left, Hus10 awaits the executioner,

Death has beads, beads made of gold,

they build the cross for Christ,11 Spartacus without a sword12,

is turning ruby from his wounds, look at that, man,

look at that, man, look at that, man!

R:

They're cutting Joan's13 hair, the hand is limp,

Scoundrels are belching, the steel is tempered,

Mr. Lincoln14 in the theatre watches the scene,

Death sits in the trap dressed in satin,

Death sits in the trap dressed in satin,

dressed in satin.

Yesenin15, drunk, prepares his noose,

Pushkin's16 going to do some shooting, Tyl's17 writing a fairytale,

you see Fra' Filippo,18 spitting blood into paint,

Gérard Philipe19 is stained by Death,

Gérard Philipe is stained by Death,

stained by Death.

R:

(Kennedy20 in the car curses the imp,

you'll see Palach21 in the funeral car

hmmm ...)

1. "She" refers to the personification of death. In Czech, the gender of "death" is feminine2. Nicolaus Copernicus, sometimes pictured in a cassock3. Jean-Paul Marat, who spent most of the last years of his life in the bath due to a skin disease, in which he was eventually assassinated4. Antonín Koniáš, a Czech Jesuit known for known for burning "heretical" books5. Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter who died by gunshot6. a book for interpreting dreams7. A small jail, such as the jail for a local area8. Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, who was murdered by his brother and a group of nobles, legendarily by the closed doors of the church he was fleeing into9. Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England after the English Civil War in which he was a commander. Signatory of King Charles I's death warrant and subsequent commander of the English campaign in Ireland10. Jan Hus, Czech theologian, church reformer, and critic of the Catholic Church for which he was burnt at the stake11. Jesus Christ, crucified12. Sparcatus, former gladiator and slave leader in the Third Servile War13. Saint Joan of Arc, burnt at the stake after having her hair cut off14. Abraham Lincoln, President of the USA, assassinated at the theatre15. Sergei Yesenin, Russian poet who committed suicide by hanging16. Alexander Pushkin, Russian poet and playwright who died by being shot in a duel17. Josef Kajetán Tyl, Czech writer18. Fra' Filippo Lippi, Italian painter. Mode of death disputed, might have been poisoned19. French actor, died of liver cancer20. John F Kennedy, President of the USA, shot in his motorcade21. Jan Palach, Czech student who burned himself alive in protest at the 1968 Invasion of Czechoslovakia

• Artist:Karel Kryl
• Album:Rakovina