January 2, 2013

POLAND'S MUSICAL TREASURE - LECH MAKOWIECKI





Polały się łzy - Zayazd - Lech Makowiecki (00:02:45m)

For those of you who haven't yet discovered Polish music, you are in for an amazing experience!       Lech Makowiecki is among Poland's great musical treasures, whose songs have entertained and inspired throngs of fans throughout Europe for years.  Despite the Iron Curtain and brutal Soviet repression, the "new freedom-fighters" of Poland became the poets, writers and the musicians, struggling to get their message out to the world.  With the fall of Communism, and liberation of eastern Europe, Polish music and culture is experiencing a new renaissance.

Lech's music comes from his very soul.  Just think of a Polish Eric Clapton or Gordon Lightfoot, and you know what I mean!  Lech Makowiecki is lead singer of a popular band called Zayazd, which translated in Polish literally means the  "Inn".   Zayazd (pronounced  Zay-az-d) is a dynamic group of talented musicians whose compositions are a fusion of country-folk-rock-pop-gospel, and whose signature style leans towards ballads about Poland's tragic past.  Ostatni List (The Last Letter)  is one such unforgettable song -  a sad tale of the last letter written by a Polish Officer before he, among 16,000 other Polish officers were systematically massacred in the Katyn forest by the Soviet NKVD during WW2. 





It's about time that Americans sit up and take notice of Polish music.  American culture has been far too isolationist since -  since always!  In hindsight, many foreign language songs have made a powerful impact on the US music charts but their rise to fame have been few and far between. Hits such as Volare, La Bamba, Dominique, 99 Luftballons, Eres tu, among many others. Whether the song was in French, Italian, German, or Spanish these songs have captivated audiences the world over. It's good to know that language is not a barrier any longer.  It's Poland's turn now!!

Time to shake up that American lethargy!  Look eastward America because the music from Poland really rocks!  Yes, the words are Polish, but the twangs of soulful music will tell your heart what it's all about.







Suggested Link:
Review of Zayazd (from Polish Greatness.com)



Polish Lyrics of Polały się łzy

Polały się łzy me czyste, rzęsiste,
Na me dzieciństwo sielskie, anielskie,
Na moją młodość górną i durną,
Na mój wiek męski, wiek klęski;
Polały się łzy me czyste, rzęsiste.

sł. Adam Mickiewicz
muz. Lech Makowiecki

z płyty: "Zayazd u Mistrza Adama"




English Translation (approximately)

My tears are pure, flowing
In my childhood idyllic, angelic,
In my youth at the top and carefree,
At my age, male, age oppresses,
My tears are pure, flowing
 

Music by Lech Makowiecki
From the album: "Zayazd with Master Adam"




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