With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm

[Gregor Markič]

I liked a lot Doug Watt's rendition of this super funny song and I instantly knew I had to translate into my language and play it.

https://www.facebook.com/100006767405588/videos/568864414865242/

 

My translation is a little far from the original since my audience knows little about Henry and his family values. I preserved the macabre athmosphere, though.

Živemu človeku se zgodi (Many things happen to a living person)
marsikaj, v grob pade mrlič, (a dead corpse only rolls in the grave)
papež, kralj, berač, nič važno ni,  (be pope, king or beggar, it doesn't matter)
ko umreš, uzame te hudič.  (when you die, the devil's got you)
Ko zmoliš svoj poslednji očenaš, (when you say your last Lord's prayer)
ne obudi te sto zadušnih maš. (no requem will resuscitate you)
Starka s koso hodi med ljudmi, usak se je boji, (The reaper walks among people, everybody fears her)
starka s koso glavo odrobi, kdo ji ubeži? (The reaper will chop your head off, nobody escapes her)
Pravijo, da morajo umreti vsi ljudje, (People say everybody must die)
morda tudi nas pobere kdaj nekega dne, (maybe even I will perish some day)
ni pratike, ki dan in uro smrti napove, (there is no book containing your last date and hour)
starka s koso hodi med ljudmi. (The reaper walks among people)

 

Enega povozi avtobus, (Someone is driven over by a bus)
drugi sam obesi se pod strop, (another man will hang himself)
džanki si ubrizga zlati šus, (a junkie will take his final golden sniff)
četrtega že čaka strelski vod, (for the fourth there is already a firing squad ready)
in Jezusa pribili so na križ, (and Jesus was nailed to the cross)
oh, ne, Matildi ti ne ubežiš. (oh, no, you will not escape the grim reaper) 
Starka s koso hodi med ljudmi, usak se je boji, (The reaper walks among people, everybody fears her)
starka s koso glavo odrobi, kdo ji ubeži? (The reaper will chop your head off, nobody escapes her)

Kaj pomaga vera u nebesa in pekel? (The faith in heaven and in hell is no good)
Nikdar še nikoli ni nihče nazaj pršou, (since never has anybody come back) 
tudi če hudiču svojo dušo bi prodou, (even if you sell your soul to the devil)
starka s koso glavo odrobi. (The reaper will chop your head off.)

 

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by Gregor Markič

[Roger Hare]

That is absolutely hilarious! So is DW's original. Thank you both!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_Her_Head_Tucked_Underneath_Her_Arm

Edited June 18, 2022 by lachenal74693