Post on 21-Feb-2023
Masarykova univerzita
Filozofická fakulta
Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky
Magisterská diplomová práce
Ale
na Kadlčík
ová 2
021
Masaryk University
Faculty of Arts
Department of English
and American Studies
English-language Translation
Bc. Alena Kadlčíková
Song-translation Tendencies:
Lyrics Written for Pavel Bobek During
the Normalization Period
I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently,
using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography.
……………………………………………..
Author’s signature
I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Rambousek for his support and valuable advice.
I would also like to thank all my friends, family and to my partner,
for they managed to support me when I needed it the most.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1. Objectives of the Thesis .......................................................................................................... 3
2. Song translation ............................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. Translation Purpose ................................................................................................................. 4
2.1.1. “Readable Translation” ........................................................................................................... 5
2.1.2. “Singable Translation” ............................................................................................................ 6
3. Czechoslovak History and Music .................................................................................................. 10
3.1. Post-war Czechoslovakia and the Rise of Communism ........................................................ 11
3.1.1. Restrictions of the Late 1940s and the Early 1950s .............................................................. 11
3.1.2. Decline in Political Tension in the 1950s and the 1960s ....................................................... 12
3.2. The Year 1968 and Life after the Invasion ............................................................................ 14
3.2.1. The 1970s – the Period of Normalization .............................................................................. 15
3.2.2. Performing American Country Music in Czechoslovakia ..................................................... 17
4. Analyses of the Lyrics ................................................................................................................... 18
4.1. Methodology and Research Material ..................................................................................... 19
4.1.1. Songs examined and the Authors of the Lyrics ..................................................................... 21
4.2. Lyrics Analyses ..................................................................................................................... 23
4.2.1. “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” .............................................................................. 23
4.2.2. “Cupid” .................................................................................................................................. 27
4.2.3. “I Am… I Said” ..................................................................................................................... 28
4.2.4. “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” ......................................................................................... 31
4.2.5. “Vincent” ............................................................................................................................... 34
4.2.6. “I’ve Been a Long Time Leavin’” ......................................................................................... 37
4.2.7. “Ann” .................................................................................................................................... 39
4.2.8. “Don’t Bogart Me” ................................................................................................................ 42
4.2.9. “Smokey Put the Sweat on Me” ............................................................................................ 44
4.2.10. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” ........................................................................................ 47
4.2.11. “Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet” ....................................................................... 49
4.2.12. “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” ........................................................................................... 50
4.2.13. “I May Smoke Too Much” .................................................................................................... 53
4.2.14. “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” .......................................................................................... 55
4.2.15. “Lucille” ................................................................................................................................ 58
4.2.16. “Coward of the County” ........................................................................................................ 62
4.2.17. “Stranger” .............................................................................................................................. 64
4.2.18. “My Rifle, My Pony and Me” ............................................................................................... 67
4.2.19. “Birthday Song” .................................................................................................................... 69
4.2.20. “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” .................................................................................... 72
4.2.21. “Sail Away” ........................................................................................................................... 76
4.2.22. “My Hometown” ................................................................................................................... 78
4.3. Findings ................................................................................................................................. 81
4.3.1. Replacement Texts ................................................................................................................ 81
4.3.2. Adaptations ............................................................................................................................ 84
4.3.3. Translations ........................................................................................................................... 85
5. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 87
6. References ..................................................................................................................................... 90
Primary Sources ................................................................................................................................ 90
Secondary Sources ............................................................................................................................ 98
7. English Resumé ........................................................................................................................... 106
8. Czech Resumé ............................................................................................................................. 107
1
1. Introduction
Song translation is a practice with a long tradition that has, unfortunately, not been examined
very often until fairly recently. The only exception being the translation of opera that has its
own standards and rules. Only a few years ago, Peter Low and some of his colleagues started
to deal with song translation of other genres and its specifics. One of the reasons for the
shortage of research in this field might be that when translating songs and consequently
dealing with the target text, there are no strict rules. One must rely more on their feelings and
personal preferences, rather than on factual data and the accuracy of the translation itself.
The changes made during the process of translation may, to some, seem more distinct than to
the others.
There are, of course, differences in the approach dictated by the skopos of the target
text. A song translation created for the single purpose of enabling understanding of the
original will most probably differ from lyrics translated for a singer, or rather a performer,
who needs to perform the work comfortably and sing the text. This thesis deals with the
different changes that happen during the process of song translation. The author of this thesis
distinguishes between translations, adaptations, and replacement texts, but at the same time,
she investigates all of them using the same criteria. This thesis examines the lyrics written for
Czechoslovak/Czech pop and country singer Pavel Bobek by six different lyricists. All the
texts examined were produced in the years between 1970 and 1988, during the normalization
era – the period between 1968 and 1989 – which had a great impact on how the music
production in our country developed.
A large portion of song translations created during this particular era was affected by
censorship and the restrictions of some of the human rights and fundamental freedoms. Ever
since these translations occurred, they were being passed off as cover versions of their
2
American originals. However, there were very few people who could listen to the original
versions or even speak English. Therefore very few listeners knew the original texts and even
fewer could detect the small nuances in their meanings. This thesis deals with the changes
manifested in the Czech versions of famous American songs. Changes that resulted from the
rules of the era the Czech cover versions were created within. The research is affected by the
fact that all of the lyrics examined were written for one performer who, moreover, was pro-
western and who openly admitted his inclination to American music and culture. Furthermore,
Bobek demanded that his lyricists write lyrics that would resemble their originals as much as
possible. Not only in terms of sense but also in terms of the sound of the spoken word (Česká
televize 2004).
The thesis is divided into five sections some of which are further subdivided. The first
part introduces the aims of this thesis and summarizes its hypotheses. The second part deals
with the song translation itself, its theory, peculiarities, challenges, similarities with literary
translation, and changes in approach when dealing with different genres. The options the
translator has when asked to translate a song are discussed. A brief introduction to song
translation is offered, and the criteria for further investigation are determined. The third part
provides information about the normalization era and its impacts on – not only – the music in
Czechoslovakia in the second half of the 20th century. It consists of a brief overview of
Czechoslovakian history and the main political events that shaped it and the development of
its music scene. The fourth part deals with the practical task of comparing and analyzing 22
pairs of lyrics written for Pavel Bobek to determine the general tendencies in translating songs
for a pop and country singer. Artist who, despite being pro-western, “always got away with
everything” (Janovská 2017), even during the normalization period. The last part of the thesis
offers a conclusion and summarizes the confirmation and/or refutation of the initial
hypotheses.
3
1.1. Objectives of the Thesis
The objective of this thesis is to determine any predominant tendency in song translations
created for Pavel Bobek during the normalization era. The aim is to find out what the most
common tendencies are and if – and consequently how – they change over time, for the lyrics
examined were written over a period of almost 20 years. One of the author’s goals is to
determine the prevailing tendency in each of the three categories of the translated songs. That
is to provide the list of changes that appear in translations, adaptations and even replacement
texts. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the hypothesis that there is at least a slight
shift in meaning in most of the target texts, and that those changes can be considered as
resulting from the period in which the lyrics examined were written. In other words, the lyrics
are transformed not only language-wise but also content-wise, and often the only theme that
stays untouched while transferring the song across the Czechoslovak borders is love –
whether it is the romantic kind, friendship, or family love.
The primary aim of this work is to determine the most common manner of altering the
examined lyrics. That is the tendency to smoothen the texts and erase the (according to the
regime) hostile features. Pavel Bobek was active in the Czech music scene for over 40 years.
His repertoire includes dozens of songs, most of which are translations and adaptations of
foreign works that helped him to express his desire for the free life unbound by the
communist regime, not interfering with it at the same time. Songs that Bobek chose to
perform should, to a certain extent, represent the music he felt was authentically expressing
the Western mood. It is safe to say that he chose the songs for his repertoire very consciously,
for he himself said that he was “an orthodox supporter of not translating songs […] because
[the feeling] would not be the same [as in the original version]” (author’s translation of Bigbít
4
1956 – 1989 01 / 5). He was, nonetheless, necessitated by events to sing in Czech, which
created a very challenging situation.
This thesis deals with only a fraction of the music created during the normalization
period. In order to confirm the hypothesis that the normalization period affected the song
translation in general, one would need to compare hundreds, if not thousands, of lyrics that
were created from 1968 to 1989 for and by different artists. Therefore this thesis offers
material suitable for further investigation. The lyrics analyzed are, nonetheless, a work of six
different writers created in a span of about 20 years which provides enough diversity and can
prove the initial hypotheses.
2. Song translation
Before the texts are analyzed, it is crucial to introduce the field of song translation and
determine the criteria for further investigation to be later able to make a distinct conclusion.
This thesis is based on the work of Peter Low, for the purposes of it, the author decided to
change and adjust some of his approaches and rules. The changes are specified below, in the
subchapter “2.1.2. “Singable Translation”“. Low’s book Translating Song provided valuable
information and relevant terminology with which the author works. The following part
touches upon some of the approaches to translating song and describes the difference between
translation, adaptation and replacement text, as established for the purposes of this work.
2.1. Translation Purpose
There is a substantial difference in the individual approaches to translation of song based on
the different skopos of the target text. A translation created to enable understanding of the
source text that is to be used in written form solely can (and will) differ significantly from the
5
one written for the purpose of being performed in front of an audience. The work is, therefore,
probably to be done by someone else than a translator of prose. The author uses the terms
“readable translation” and “singable translation” (Low 2017) to determine the different
purposes of the target texts.
2.1.1. “Readable Translation”
When dealing with translation of lyrics for the purpose of mere understanding of the original,
the translator can afford to work on the interlingual information shift while completely
ignoring the melody and the initial facets of the song, such as rhythm, rhyme, tempo, etc.
In this case, the only aim of the translator is to convey the exact same semantic information in
the target text that he gathered from the source text. Translations such as these can be used for
subtitling a song in a movie, explaining the meaning of a foreign song to a listener who is not
acquainted with the language of it, and so forth.
In recent years, the “readable translation” is more frequent, for there are countless new
movies and series produced every year in different languages that need to be subtitled and
surtitled for people to understand them. These translations lack the poetic element, and they
serve just as a tool to help viewers and listeners to understand the source media better.
While evaluating the accuracy of a translation that is created only for the purpose of
being read, one might apply somewhat stricter rules. Eventual changes, “omissions, rewritings
or additions” (Low 2014: 46) are treated as a departure from fidelity and are not tolerated. The
rules are, of course, different when it comes to a target text created for another purpose.
6
2.1.2. “Singable Translation”
It is clear that “songs are translated in various ways, for various purposes, and by a variety of
mediators” (Franzon 2008: 374). “Singable translations” are usually produced by singers,
composers and songwriters who are familiar with the properties of music and of the
performer’s voice. For a translation to be functional as far as performing is concerned, the
translator – or rather the mediator – must take a wide variety of different properties of the
song into consideration to create a satisfactory target text.
“As a term, singability can be understood in a restricted way, as referring mainly to
phonetic suitability of the translated lyrics” (Franzon 2008: 374). The phonetic suitability,
though, is not enough. To call the target text a translation, at least the most essential semantic
features must be preserved and translated. But in contrast to the translation of prose – and like
in the case of translation of poetry – even a not very faithful translation can be considered a
good one. A singable song is simply a song that is easy for the performer to sing and, at the
same time, easy for the listener to listen to and to understand. Both the performer and the
listener can focus more on the song as a whole and less on its lyrics and its other features.
Different purposes of the target texts and different opinions of the people working with the
lyrics influence the decisions made by the mediator, and they can often be a reason for
changes made while creating the song in the target language.
As far as the “singable translation” goes, the opinions differ depending not only on the
era in which they were expressed but accordingly from person to person. Calvocoressi, in his
essay written in 1921 says, that as “long as the translator faithfully abides by the conditions of
the original and leaves the music exactly as the composer wrote it, he is practically safe”
(Calvocoressi 1921: 319) and that the more literal the translation, the better. When in need of
alteration, according to him, the translator should choose “the lesser of evils” (Calvocoressi
1921: 315) which, again, brings us to the point where personal preferences are the most
7
crucial factor. Newer studies show that the literal translation is not always the best option and
“that practical task of translating songs is impossible without taking some liberties” (Low
2003: 92). To what extent those liberties are acceptable is, again, a matter of personal opinion.
And the degree differs according to the purpose of the translation.
Song translation is rather rare worldwide, with the exception of translating opera.1
In the case of translating the opera, the translator “tends to put emphasis on inviolable
adherence to the music, on the requirements of the singers, and on absolute respect for the
composers” (Franzon 2008: 374), qualities that might be slightly less important when
translating other genres, such as pop music or country music and bluegrass. In these genres,
together with words, the overall emotion of the song is often the most important feature of it.
It is, therefore, one of the features that should be preserved and carried across to the different
languages. When translating a country song, it is crucial to get acquainted with the original
and its intentions in detail to be able to recreate those in the target language. The translator’s
task is to preserve the meaning and the mood of the original while making it sound natural in
the target language and understandable for the target audience. Such a task can be very
demanding when one needs to work under a strict regime’s rules. The opinions on what is still
a translation and what is already an adaptation differ. For the purpose of this thesis, it is vital
to establish the rules in order to sort the lyrics for further examination.
1 In the second half of 20th century Czechoslovakia, song translation was a very common practice
that was necessary in order to bring Anglo-American music to our country. The details of this matter
are explained below, in the third section of this thesis. The whole third chapter deals with the
normalization period and its impact on the lives of Czechoslovak people and the evolution of music
production in Czechoslovakia.
8
Some even argue that other types of target texts might be considered a translation.
According to Franzon, “a song might be recognized as a translation if it is a second version of
a source song that allows some essential values of the source’s music and/or its lyrics and/or
its sung performance to be reproduced in a target language” (Franzon 2008: 376). He also
implies that should the translator decide not to translate at all, it is still a voluntary act of a
translator and that the target text – preserved in the source language in this case – should be
considered a translation (Franzon 2008: 376). This thesis deals only with the target texts
transferred to the target language, even at the cost of changing the original meaning.
To determine which changes are the most common in translations, and consequently the other
types of target texts, different categories need to be established. It is possible to examine all of
the products of a translation process, but the alterations discovered need to be treated
differently.
Since song translation is not dependent only on the semantic element of the text, the
translators are tasked with a more difficult job. Not only do they need to find the closest
possible semantic equivalent of the source text, but they need to take other aspects of the
original into account. To fit the words to the pre-existing music and maintain the rhythm, one
must necessarily come to the point when word-for-word translation is not enough. Depending
on the degree of change and on the amount of “significant details of meaning [being]
transferred” (Low 2014: 46), the target texts can be divided into further categories:
translations and adaptations. By some, an adaptation could be called a “free translation” (Low
2013: 236). The line between translation and adaptation is very thin and it might be argued
that “[if] such narrow definitions [as when dealing with prose translation] were applied, [...]
‘singable translations’ would be rare or non-existent” (Low 2013: 230) and that all of the
target texts are at best adaptations. To distinguish between a free translation and an
adaptation, specific rules must be set up beforehand analysis of the primary materials.
9
When translating a song, “compromises and trade-offs are not optional but essential” (Low
2013: 230), and it is only a matter of determining the boundary. It is often unclear when
dealing with song lyrics for the individual texts might overlap. Personal preferences are very
important and, to a great extent, it depends on the judgment of the translator – and
consequently, the investigator – who decides which are the features of the song that are vital
enough and that ought to be preserved in the target text. Nonetheless, the basic rules are
applicable for the most part.
For the purposes of this thesis, the author decided to work with the following
categorization of different types of target texts:
- Translation: a target text “where there is extensive transfer of material from the
ST, with a reasonably high degree of semantic fidelity, particularly with respect to
its main features” (Low 2013: 231) while perceiving even an extensive
domestication and/or an omission of some features as such reasonable actions
- Adaptation: a target text that bears some resemblance to the original, but is
“extensively modified […] for a new cultural context” (Munday 2009: 166) i.e.,
is made more familiar and perhaps more comprehensive for the target audience
(strategies such as extensive domestication, changing the text while preserving the
theme and the message of the song, changing the means of expression but keeping
the initial topic of the source text, …)
- Replacement text: a target text in which “completely new verbal components are
matched and underlaid to the existing melody” (Low 2013: 229), and the new text
has no semantic relation to the original what so ever
This division of the text types is crucial, for what might seem like a nonessential shift in
adaptation might be of great importance in translation and vice versa. Apart from determining
10
the overall tendency of meaning-shift in all of the texts, the author wants to evaluate each of
the categories individually to see if they resemble and if there is a clear pattern in all of them.
The changes that occur in the examined texts were most probably caused by
something other than just the preferences of the authors of the Czech texts. Considering the
amount of state control of every aspect of the lives of people in Czechoslovakia, it is most
likely that the songs that could be played on the radio back in the second half of the twentieth
century had to be approved. And for that purpose, their lyrics had to be altered and polished.
The goal of this thesis is to find out what were the most often alterations.
3. Czechoslovak History and Music
Music is omnipresent. It affects a large number of social groups and can be heard everywhere
and on any occasion. It marks important moments in the lives of individuals and the whole
nation. Every person can remember the song that their mother sang to them when they went to
bed, every newlywed couple has their first dance linked to their favorite melody, at every
funeral, there is a song connected to the deceased. Every nation has an anthem, and every
Epoque is associated with a specific style of music. Whether people realize it or not, music
can shape their opinions and attitudes and affect their minds. Music works as a mass media
that can affect thousands of listeners at the same time. Some people perceive it only
superficially, while others can find hidden messages and purposes. Şebnem Susam-Sarajeva
even claims that “no other non-religious (multimodal) ‘text’ moves people as deeply as the
combination of lyrics and music” (Susam-Sarajeva 2008: 188).
Like in any other period, in the second half of the 20th century, music was “an
essential component of spending working and non-working hours” (Foret 1988: 416), which
helped to influence the thinking of the majority of people. The state leadership was well
11
aware of the music’s power, and it is no wonder that they wanted to take complete control
over it and its production. The following chapter shows how the changes in the country’s
leadership influenced music production in Czechoslovakia.
3.1. Post-war Czechoslovakia and the Rise of Communism
In post-war Europe, music and other forms of art were flourishing. People were full of hope,
and the overall sentiment favored musical creation (or rather art creation in general).
Relations with foreign countries were restored, and there was enough space for new music
styles to be introduced in our country. With the advent of communism and Klement
Gottwald’s appointment as president of Czechoslovakia, all creative freedom disappeared.
3.1.1. Restrictions of the Late 1940s and the Early 1950s
In February 1948, after the communist coup d’état, the Communist Party, led by its General
Secretary Klement Gottwald, took over the government and imposed rule over the country.
The takeover was made possible mainly because of “president Beneš’s acceptance of a new
coalition government under firm communist domination” (Myant 2008: 1698). ‘The February
events’ – as they are often referred to – and the subsequent abdication of Beneš, who refused
to sign the communist Czechoslovak Constitution, led to the appointment of a new president,
Klement Gottwald (Hamouzová 2008). That meant more changes in the cultural life but this
time for the worse.
The Communist Party took control over all the new musical creation via the
Association of Czechoslovak Composers, and everything coming from the West, including
music, was declared undesirable. The Party and its representatives called for a return to the
traditional values and to the original Czech musical creation (Havelková).
12
The changes that came with the Communist Party being in power were far worse than
mere control over the musical sphere. One of the testaments to this time is a selection of
theses from the lecture of the composer and music scientist Milan Slavický by music publicist
Petr Kadlec in which he writes:
In our country, the totality shattered all voluntary associations and introduced arts
associations. In those artists were grouped by disciplines: a union of writers,
composers, artists… And these unions were an exact copy of the pyramidal structure
of the Communist Party. Solely the loyal people were assigned to specific positions –
that was the principle of the so-called nomenclature. It operated in all institutions until
the end of the regime. It ensured that all the essential seats in the Party were taken by
the committed and party-reliable people. (author's translation of Kadlec 2009)
The Party had control over every aspect of the lives of citizens of Czechoslovakia. Nothing,
including artistic creation, seemed to be left unsupervised. Gottwald’s administration,
amongst other things, meant fabricated political processes with the class enemies, processes
that equaled “a carefully designed theatre” (Bartošová 2016: 191) in which many people were
sentenced to death and others imprisoned. For many musicians, the darkest period ended
in 1957 when Antonín Novotný, then–First Secretary of the Communist Party of
Czechoslovakia, was appointed president of the country (Bigbít 1956 – 1989 03 / 3). A brief
period of hope and long-awaited changes came.
3.1.2. Decline in Political Tension in the 1950s and the 1960s
There was a slight decline in the political tension towards the end of the 1950s. In 1960,
Antonín Novotný declared a large-scale amnesty, freeing some convicts from the political
trials of the 1950s (Antonín Novotný). After years of oppression, the Golden Sixties came.
13
The reins were slackening, and the rules for the music production were no longer so strict
(Bigbít 1956 – 1989 03/3).
The censorship still existed; all artistic creation remained subject to the rules of the
country leadership – consequently to the Soviet Union – but the overall mood changed. If
a band or a singer wanted to perform, they needed to acquire a permit and pass the
qualification tests of the art associations of the Communist party. Fortunately for the
musicians, “the role was not performed at all by the music agencies, whose examination
boards awarded much-needed qualifications without checking candidates’ values or, at most,
after a purely formal examination” (author’s translation of Houda 2011/310). Getting the
permit was a rather necessary formality, and as long as the art did not provoke too much, the
authorities did not care about it (Bigbít 1956 – 1989 01 / 5).
Information and music from the West began to leak into the Czechoslovakia
(Havelková). There were very strict rules governing the musical production, but they could be
bent. Even English lyrics were all right as long as they did not contain anything that could be
considered defective from an ideological point of view (Bigbít 1956 – 1989 04 / 1). “In the
second half of the 1960s, the society opened up, and many people moved on, including
composers” (author’s translation of Kadlec 2009). The musical creation was flourishing, and
people started to be curious about the art coming from abroad. Many young people listened to
the Radio Luxembourg that broadcasted music unavailable to Czechoslovak radio stations –
the Radio Free Europe joined soon after, along with several Czechoslovak stations (Stárek
and Valenta 2018: 44). The situation was bettering. Still, everything was yet to change with
the end of the presidency of Antonín Novotný in 1968, and the events that followed.
14
3.2. The Year 1968 and Life after the Invasion
Life behind the Iron Curtain – the boundary that separated the Soviet Union block from the
Western part of the world – had been going on practically intact from the end of the Second
World War. It stayed unchanged until 1968, when 20 years after the communist coup d’état, a
“Slovak politician Alexander Dubček […], the greatest rival of Novotný” (Stoneman 2015:
104) was appointed the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
Externally, Dubček proposed opening relations with Western powers and other nations
of the Soviet bloc, opened trade routes, allowed private enterprise, and proposed a ten-
year transition democratized socialism that would allow multiparty elections.
Arguably the most significant reform of the Action Program, however, was the
reestablishment of personal liberties to the people of Czechoslovakia. Dubček
uprooted the totalitarian principles of the KSČ by granting greater freedoms of press,
travel, and assembly, and greatly limiting the power of the secret police. (Stoneman
2015: 104)
The appointment of Dubček started a period of political liberalization during which the
restrictions of the regime loosened even further. The period from January 1968 meant a time
of “an explosion of artistic expression, free discussion, and alignment with democratic
ideology known as the Prague Spring” (Stoneman 2015: 103).
During the Prague Spring, the musical creation boomed, and artists created more and
more songs inspired by the Anglo-American culture. Some of the Czech musicians copied
the songs they heard on the radio. However, since only very few people knew any foreign
language and even the artists only wrote phonetic notations of what they heard on the radio,
the demand for Czech song lyrics increased. (Bigbít 1956 – 1989 01 / 5)
15
The era of freedom did not last for long, “the liberalization of Czechoslovakia during
the Prague Spring was a threat to the unity of the Soviet bloc nations under strict Soviet
hegemony, and therefore to the strength of the Soviet Union” (Stoneman 2015: 106), and so
they stepped in. The actions to suppress the process of liberalization climaxed only a few
months after the process of “revitalizing” the nation began (Stoneman 2015: 103).
The Prague Spring ended 21 August 1968, when the troops of Warsaw pact invaded
Czechoslovakia to suppress the liberalization process (Vlček). The situation had changed
from day to day, and in the musical sphere, it meant more rules – and this time even harsher
conditions. “The ‘68 came, we had to stop for a while because we could not do anything at the
time. And then we knew it was over because we were playing American and Western music.
And we could not do that here.” (author’s translation of Pete Kaplan’s statement in Bigbít
1956 – 1989 09 / 3)
“Immediately after the invasion, all reforms of the Prague Spring were repealed.
Gustav Husák replaced Dubček as leader of Czechoslovakia, and anyone who had embraced
or participated in the reform movement was purged from his or her job” (Stoneman 2015:
107), after a short time of freedom and hope, 20 years of oppression followed.
3.2.1. The 1970s – the Period of Normalization
The return to normal, as imagined by the communists, was a process that had been developed
and modified for about 10 years. In 1975 it was clear that the liberal era of the sixties ended
irretrievably and that the people were already living in conditions set by the stabilized
dictatorship (Stárek and Valenta 2018: 54). The Normalization period can be defined as the
period between the end of the year 1968 and the crisis in 1981 (Petr Horký 2021). The
denomination “normalization” is, nonetheless, used for an even longer period, for the
16
measures introduced at that time remained in force until the Velvet Revolution in 1989
(Daňková 2014).
Every aspect of the lives of the Czechoslovak people changed, and the music sphere
was no exception. The newfound freedom disappeared, and the totalitarian regime was, once
again, restored. The borders were closed, the opposition again ceased to exist, and the control
over the country was carried out by the secret police appointed by the Party (Miroslav 2012).
“Control of the media, from which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia refrained
in March 1968 […] resumed after the August 21, in a rapid succession of political,
organizational and legislative steps” (author’s translation of Andreas 2020: 439) that led to
complete government control over all of the political and cultural events in the country. Many
of the musicians stopped their work, and a large number of music bands broke up. During the
1970s, “everything fell apart”, the normalization period “had brought with it many
absurdities” such as the necessity of renaming the bands with English names, being allowed
to create only Czech-written songs, and even having to change the texts of pre-existing lyrics
(author’s translation of Michal Tučný 2014). The changes in political leadership, of course,
did not only affect the music scene. The restrictions of personal freedoms, personnel changes
in business management and the school system, and even excluding people from the
Communist Party. These were all reasons for many citizens to emigrate. The reasons for the
emigration were not only ideological, they were mainly economic and pragmatic (Petr Horký
2021). Many people ended up without appropriate employment, children of the regime's
opponents were not allowed to study, experts and professionals were forced to leave their
jobs, and those loyal to the Party landed up appointed to the positions of authority.
17
3.2.2. Performing American Country Music in Czechoslovakia
The leaders of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and, by extension, of the country were
well aware of the fact that music has the ability to “serve or clash with certain political and
ideological purposes” (Susam-Sarajeva 2008: 195). To minimize the dangerous influence the
bad music might have had on the citizens, they renewed the censorship system, and the truly
“hard times had come” (author’s translation of Petr Janda’s statement in Bigbít 1956 - 1989
09 / 6).
The Western culture was undesirable in general, but there were more specific
definitions of what and how could be performed. “The rule was that at least half of the
repertoire must be of Czechoslovak origin, of the other half a quarter of friendly origin, and
only the last quarter of imperialist origin, and preferably French, Italian rather than American”
(author’s translation of Janovská 2017). Despite the constraints, Pavel Bobek somehow
managed to perform mainly imperialist Anglo-American songs and all of them without any
trouble (Hartman 2013). The fact that he was able to do so is even more peculiar if the genre
of the songs he performed is taken into consideration.
Bobek’s repertoire consisted mainly of country songs that “are viewed as an important
means of Americanizing Americans themselves, [and] as a mass purveyor of America’s own
ideals, attitudes, and views” (author’s translation of Foret 1988: 421) and therefore in the eyes
of the Communist party, they were the worst possible form of art that could have been
performed during the normalization era (except for rock music, perhaps). And yet, although
he “considered all of his songs to be protest songs” (author’s translation of Hartman 2013),
Bobek was allowed to perform, record, and release albums full of country music. His first
album had been released in 1975, at the peak of normalization (Janovská 2017). The lyrics
were translated to Czech, but the originals represented the forbidden fruit of the Western
18
world. The Western influence was evident, yet the songs passed the censorship and became
known to the general public who came to love them.
4. Analyses of the Lyrics
Music itself has a great influence on people’s behavior and on shaping their opinions. It
determines an individual’s personality, and it is a very effective means of getting the attention
of large groups of listeners at once. It is a powerful tool, and therefore there are times and
places where “certain forms of music may be totally suppressed or be allowed to exist in
public only in a state-recognized language and/or form” (Susam-Sarajeva 2008: 194). In
Czechoslovakia, the situation was not different. Country music was approved by the regime.
The rules for its production, though, were the same as for the other genres. English was the
language of the enemy (Bigbít 1956 - 1989 09 / 6), and it was, thus, forbidden. However, even
the Czech lyrics were not safe. They had to be controlled thoroughly and approved by the
competent authorities.
Unlike rock music, words play a much more important role in country songs – they are
there to be known; secondly, they are written in a very intelligible way, without double
senses or ambiguities, so that performers and listeners immediately understand clearly
what they talk about. And thirdly, they often offer the listener the possibility of self-
identification. The landscape, people, and situations are described attractively and
realistically. (author’s translation of Foret 1988: 421)
These properties of words in country music were all the more reasons for the careful control
and security clearance. The era in which the Czech lyrics were produced ended up being
demonstrated by many slight changes in the song lyrics. These are often invisible at the first
19
sight, or rather inaudible at the first listen, that, nonetheless, rise to the surface after closer
examination.
4.1. Methodology and Research Material
The following chapter of this diploma thesis deals with the examination of the different pairs
of the original English-written lyrics and those written for Pavel Bobek by Jiří Grossmann,
Vít Hrubín, Michael Janík, Zdeněk Rytíř, Michael Žantovský and Vladimír Poštulka – who
replaced Jiří Grossmann in the role of Bobek’s court lyricist in 1971 (Česká televize 2004).
The individual lyrics pairs are sorted chronologically according to the year of release of the
Czech target texts.
Some of the researchers deal with investigating other than just semantic features of the
songs, such as preserving the rhymes, rhythm, syllabic setting, etc. According to Low (2003:
92), there are five criteria a translator has to satisfy, all of them are very different, and some of
them can be, at least partially, sacrificed for the sake of the final product. Those criteria are:
“singability”, “sense”, “naturalness”, “rhythm” and “rhyme” (Low 2003: 92). As for the
“singability” and “naturalness” of the songs examined, those two are the features that can be
attributed to the Czech versions without any trouble, for the thesis deals solely with
“singable” translations created by artists and musicians. Even though the authors of the Czech
versions of the songs never concealed that the song lyrics were not originals, they did not
emphasize it in any way either and the general public probably considered most of the songs
to be original Czech songs. The “rhythm” of the songs is usually very similar, for the music
stayed almost unchanged in most cases. The Czech versions were, after all, created to imitate
the originals as much as possible. The author of this thesis decided to examine mainly the
sense of the songs – the “meaning, content and intent” (Low 207: 26) of the lyrics – to
20
determine what features are lost or gained during the process of translating (or adapting) the
songs. Along with the sense, the language means the mediators decided to use are examined.
As was already mentioned, words play a very important role in country music.
Country and bluegrass are “word-centred” (Low 2017: 10) and therefore need to be
approached differently from other genres. Low distinguishes several kinds of logocentric
songs. This thesis is mainly concerned with the category of “narrative songs” where “the
story is carried by the words” – and especially the “first-person character songs” – and
“dialogue songs” in which “one singer delivers words for two characters” (Low 2017: 12). In
addition to the dialogue song sung by just one performer, there are cases when two singers
(usually of the opposite sex) tell the story of the song. It is clear from the title of the category
that the story – the meaning – is the prime feature of a country song. Therefore, this thesis
deals primarily with the meaning of the lyrics, with their mood, and with the language used.
For the purposes of this work, the other features shall not be considered equally important.
During the research, the author analyses the lyrics pairs and compares their meanings.
The places in the texts where the source texts and the target texts differ are examined and later
sorted into categories of different translator strategies according to which the prevailing
tendencies occurring in the texts under consideration are determined.
Prior to the investigation, based on the information acquired about the period in which
the Czech versions originated, some assumptions can be made. It is probable that some of the
most distinguishing features of the country song will almost disappear or will change
drastically, for the lyrics needed to be suitable for the environment of a socialist country that
was a part of the Eastern Block. The extent to which the texts are differentiated varies. The
question is, to what extent some of the changes can be considered an act of domestication and
“altering cultural references” (Low 2017: 70) and what already should be recognized as a
manipulation of the song lyrics by – or because of – the Communist regime.
21
4.1.1. Songs examined and the Authors of the Lyrics
The overview of the 22 lyrics pairs examined, their authors, and years of the release of the
songs can be seen in Table 1 below. The originals were often recorded multiple times, and the
author of this thesis works with the specific recordings of which the dates are listed. For
example, the first song, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” was written by Melvin
Tillis, first it was recorded by Waylon Jennings in 1966, then by Johnny Darrell in 1967
(Whitburn 2008: 115), and in 1969 by Kenny Rogers (and many others after that). The author
works with the versions of the songs that had been worked with when creating the Czech
cover versions – in this case, the 1969 version recorded by Kenny Rogers. The dates in Table
1 mark the years of the releases of the specific versions of the songs, not the year the lyrics
were written by their authors.
Czech Version The Original Version
Year of
Release
Name Author
Year of
Release
Name Author(s)
1970
Oh, Ruby, nechtěj mi
lásku brát
Jiří Grossmann 1969
Ruby, Don’t Take Your
Love to Town
Melvin Tillis
1970 Úsvit Jiří Grossmann 1961 Cupid Sam Cooke
1971 Krajem já šel Vladimír Poštulka 1971 I Am… I Said Neil Diamond
1973 Nedělní ráno Vladimír Poštulka 1969
Sunday Mornin’ Comin’
Down
Kristoffer
Kristofferson
1973 Vincent Zdeněk Rytíř 1972 Vincent Don McLean
1975 Já jsem byl bloud Vladimír Poštulka 1966
I’ve Been a Long Time
Leavin’
Roger Miller
1975 Má dívka ‘N’ Jiří Grossmann 1964 Ann Billy Edd Wheeler
1975 Pojď stoupat jak dým Vladimír Poštulka 1968 Don’t Bogart Me
Elliot Ingber,
Lawrence J.
Wagner
22
1975 Tak já se loučím Zdeněk Rytíř 1972
Smokey Put the Sweat on
Me
Kristoffer
Kristofferson
1975 Veď mě dál, cesto má Vladimír Poštulka 1971
Take Me Home, Country
Roads
Bill Danoff, John
Denver, Taffy
Nivert
1975
Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých
vlásků copy splést?
Zdeněk Rytíř 1958
Who’s Gonna Shoe Your
Pretty Little Feet
Isaac Donald
Everly, Phillip
Everly
1977
Dvě stě cest, jak sbohem
dávat
Michael Žantovský 1975
50 Ways to Leave Your
Lover
Paul Simon
1977 Proč mám v koutě stát Vít Hrubín 1974 I May Smoke Too Much
Kristoffer
Kristofferson
1977 Sláma v botách Vladimír Poštulka 1975
Thank God I’m a Country
Boy
John Martin
Sommers
1979 Lásko, mně ubývá sil Michael Janík 1977 Lucille
Roger Dale
Bowling, Hal
Bynum
1981
Drž se zpátky, chlapče
můj
Michael Janík 1979 Coward of the County
Roger Dale
Bowling, Billy Edd
Wheeler
1981 Známe se míň než chvíli Vít Hrubín 1977 Stranger
Kristoffer
Kristofferson
1984 Mé tělo, má duše a já Michael Žantovský 1959
My Rifle, My Pony and
Me
Paul Francis
Webster
1984 Právě tak Vladimír Poštulka 1972 Birthday Song Don McLean
1986
S tím bláznem si nic
nezačínej
Vladimír Poštulka 1980
Don’t Fall in Love with a
Dreamer
Kim Carnes, David
Ellingson
1987 A tak to půjde dál Vladimír Poštulka 1977 Sail Away Rafe Van Hoy
1988 Můj rodný dům Michael Žantovský 1985 My Hometown Bruce Springsteen
Table 1 Song overview
23
The author decided to examine each of the lyrics pairs to determine the changes and
summarize the type of meaning shift and language shift that is noticeable in most of them.
The pairs are listed accordingly by year of release of the Czech version, however, the
subchapters are named with the original names, for the original versions are examined sooner,
and only after that, the Czech versions are contrasted with them. Both – the original and the
Czech – lyrics are inserted for better convenience at the beginning of each subchapter. The
lyrics are later divided into subgroups of translations, adaptations, and replacement texts. For
each of these groups, the predominant tendency is determined and described in detail.
4.2. Lyrics Analyses
Although the lyrics sometimes differ in the count of verses or number of repetitions of the
refrain, the music mostly stays almost unchanged. When most of the songs start playing on
the radio, nearly none of the listeners can tell the original and the cover version apart. Pavel
Bobek often tries to imitate the sound of the original, and therefore in most cases, the only
feature of the song that changes is the meaning – the story the lyrics tell. The research
concentrates on the stories the songs tell – in particular on the specific parts of the individual
texts where the meaning does not quite match the original.
4.2.1. “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”
Melvin Tillis 1969:
Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town
You’ve painted up your lips rolled and curled your tinted hair
Ruby, are you contemplating going out somewhere?
The shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down
Oh, Ruby, don’t take your love to town
It wasn’t me that started that old crazy Asian war
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chore
And yes, it’s true that I’m not the man I used to be
Oh, Ruby, I still need some company
Jiří Grossmann 1970:
Oh, Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát
Mám naději, že uslyšíš mé tiché volání,
stín už padá na zdi bílé, nic mu nebrání,
já tuším, že jsi hezká, jak bývalas’ tolikrát,
oh Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát.
Já nevymyslel válku, to jen prstem někdo kýv’,
mě učili jen střílet, jenže druhý střelil dřív
a nevím sám, je mi přáno živořit či žít,
oh Ruby, chci nablízku tě mít.
24
It’s hard to love a man whose legs are bent and paralyzed
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age
Ruby, I realized
But it won’t be long I’ve heard them say until I’m not around
Oh, Ruby, don’t take your love to town
She’s leaving now ‘cause I just heard the slamming of the door
The way I know I’ve heard it slam 100 times before
And if I could move I’d get my gun and put her in the ground
Oh, Ruby, don’t take your love to town
Oh, Ruby, for God’s sake, turn around
Je zázračné to vědomí, že ještě vůbec bdím,
že tím, co je muž ženě, nemohu ti být,
Ruby, já pochopím,
a je to možná hloupost nesmírná, spíš odvážím si přát,
oh Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát.
Proč utápíš se do mlhy, snad nechystáš se jít
a nechápu, proč po létech se zase slyším klít,
jenom ruku vztáhnu za tebou, když nemůžu už vstát,
oh Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát,
oh Ruby, Ruby, jak žil bych rád.
Table 2 “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”
The song was recorded in 1969 by American pop and country singer Kenny Rogers who
made it famous all around the world. It is a song about an American soldier who comes back
from the war. Wounded and unable to move he is forced to watch his partner, Ruby, getting
dressed and heading into the city and not being able to stop her.
Melvin Tillis, when speaking about the song, described the soldier as a paralyzed
veteran who would “get drunk and accuse Ruby of everything under the sun” (Moore 2020).
The original is about an angry disabled man who blames his wife for wanting to have a
company (other than his). He is annoyed and although he expresses his understanding for
Ruby, he tries to command her and force her to stay with him.
The first line bitterly comments on Ruby’s actions and it seems that the protagonist
tries to mock his wife by asking her if she really is planning to go to the city to be with
someone else. The ironic remark aimed at Ruby changes into a “silent call” (Grossmann
1970: line 1) and the whole text continues in the same mood. The command in the last line of
the first verse is clear, his only wish (and order) is for her not to go anywhere, stay there with
him. Right from the beginning, Grossmann’s version is significantly less aggressive. The
soldier is in the same situation, but rather than mocking his wife and ordering her to stay, he is
speaking about hopes and wishes and he is almost nostalgic when thinking about her beauty.
25
Tillis 1969: lines 1-4:
You’ve painted up your lips rolled and curled your tinted hair
Ruby, are you contemplating going out somewhere?
The shadow on the walls tells me the sun is going down
Oh, Ruby, don’t take your love to town
Groossmann 1970: lines 1-4:
Mám naději, že uslyšíš mé tiché volání,
stín už padá na zdi bílé,
nic mu nebrání,
já tuším, že jsi hezká, jak bývalas’ tolikrát,
oh Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát
Literal translation:
I have hope you will hear my silent call,
the shadow is already falling on the white walls,
there’s nothing stopping it,
I guess you’re pretty like you used to be,
oh Ruby, don’t take my love away
The rawness of the expression of the original disappears and in the Czech version, it changes
to a somewhat more poetic and nicer version of it. The message seems to be the same, but the
voice telling the story is very different.
In the second verse, the element of patriotism, so symptomatic for American country
music, appears. The veteran speaks about the war and his attitude towards it. In the Czech
version, nonetheless, the soldier does not mention being proud of his actions. The patriotism
disappears and the protagonist complains and blames his misfortune on someone else and
considers the war something made up by the others.
Tillis 1969: lines 5-6:
It wasn’t me who started that old crazy Asian war
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chore
Grossmann 1970: lines 5-6:
Já nevymyslel válku,
to jen prstem někdo kýv’
mě učili jen střílet,
jenže druhý střelil dřív
Literal translation:
I did not invent the war,
someone just moved a finger
they taught me how to shoot,
but the other one shot first
The third verse is very similar in both versions of the song. The protagonist expresses his
understanding of Ruby and her needs. Gossmann’s version is finished with an almost archaic
sounding line: “a je to možná hloupost nesmírná, spíš odvážím si přát / oh Ruby, nechtěj mi
26
lásku brát” (Grossmann 1970: lines 11-12) which again expresses hope and wishes, in
contrast with the honest, pessimistic, and angry original: “But it won’t be long I’ve heard
them say until I’m not around / Oh, Ruby, don’t take your love to town” (Tillis 1969: lines
11-12).
Maybe the most obvious omission comes in the last verse. Line 15 that in the original
version of the song says: “And if I could move I’d get my gun and put her in the ground”
(Tillis 1969) expressing the protagonist’s absolute helplessness and at the same time the
determination to kill his wife so no one else could have her. In the translation, the violent part
disappears and the line is replaced with one more desperate sigh: “jenom ruku vztáhnu za
tebou, když nemůžu už vstát” (Grossmann 1970: line 15) that indicates the protagonist is
feeling sorry for himself, for he did not do anything wrong but he is the one suffering.
Although both of the songs tell the same story with the same protagonists, a war
veteran and his wife, Ruby, each of them tells it differently. The original is a love song, but its
tone is honest, angry, and aggressive and at the same time it expresses patriotic mentality. The
Czech version is a very similar love song about the same two people. Nonetheless, the
patriotism and violence disappear and the whole song tells a story of a wounded, sad man
who begs his loved one to stay with him. From ironic and raw expressions become poetic and
neat ones that erase the distinctive authorial expression and replace it with supposedly more
appealing and less provocative version. This kind of meaning shift might be attributed to the
regime’s restrictions. The authorities of course wanted to promote neither aggressiveness nor
American patriotism and so their aim could have been to get rid of it. Despite the discussed
changes in the meaning and the language used, the overall theme of the song stays the same
and the Czech version can be considered a translation.
27
4.2.2. “Cupid”
Sam Cooke 1961:
Cupid
Cupid, draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover’s heart for me, for me
Cupid, please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover’s heart for me
Now, I don’t mean to bother you but I’m in distress
There’s danger of me losing all of my happiness
For I love a girl who doesn’t know I exist
And this you can fix
So, Cupid, draw back the bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover’s heart for me, nobody but me
Cupid, please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover’s heart for me
Now, Cupid, if your arrow make her love strong for me
I promise I will love her until eternity
I know between the two of us her heart we can steal
So help me if you will
So, Cupid, draw back the bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover’s heart for me, nobody but me
Cupid, please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover’s heart for me
Now, Cupid don’t you hear me
Calling you I need you
Cupid, why don’t you hear me?
You know I need you, I need you Cupid
Help me, help me, help me,
help me Cupid and take me
Straight to my lover’s heart for me
Jiří Grossmann 1970:
Úsvit
Úsvit spásou je mou,
svítá a tím pádem jsou
zlé sny tou září sváté, novou stránku psát si smím, he
hej hej.
Úsvit ví, co chci znát,
tím spíš mám prý mu dát
právo k mé dívce jít páté.
Je totiž mojí pátou známostí, leč na tom trvám,
že v důsledku svých předností je u mě prvá.
Trápím se a bádám, jak jí dát znamení,
ó v tom je umění.
Úsvit spásou je mou,
svítá a tím pádem jsou
zlé sny tou září sváté, novou stránku psát si smím, he
hej hej.
Úsvit ví, co chci znát,
tím spíš mám prý mu dát
právo k mé dívce jít páté.
Když stane se, že úsvit bude tím údobím,
co mi sílu dá, že pak na dámu zapůsobím,
já přísahám, že dlouho zas ho rád budu ctít,
jenom jestli bude chtít.
Úú úsvit spásou je mou,
svítá a tím pádem jsou
zlé sny tou září sváté, novou stránku psát si smím, he
hej hej.
Úsvit ví, co chci znát,
tím spíš mám prý mu dát
právo k mé dívce jít páté.
He hej úsvit, úsvit je přítel můj,
už je tu úsvit, úsvit je přítel můj,
he hej úsvit, už je tu úsvit,
he hej úsvit, už je tu úsvit,
he hej úsvit, ...
Table 3 “Cupid”
The American “Cupid” and Czech “Úsvit” have nothing in common except for the fact that
they are both love songs. The Czech version tries to imitate the original only from the
phonetic point of view. It is demonstrated the best on the name of the song, for the word
“cupid” [ˈkjuːpɪd] sounds like the Czech “úsvit” [ˈuːsvɪt]. The phonetic matches occur
throughout the whole song, but the meaning is different. In the original version of the song,
28
the protagonist speaks to the Cupid, urging the god of love to make a girl fall in love with
him. The Czech version celebrates the time of the daybreak and its powers.
A similar phenomenon can be observed in another Czech text examined in this thesis,
written by the same author – Jiří Grossmann – thanks to whom Pavel Bobek started to sing in
the Czech language (Kuchyňová 2016). A song called “Ann” [æn] becomes “Má dívka ‘N’”,
where the “N” sound is pronounced the same way as in English – [ɛn] – which imitates the
name perfectly (especially because for Czech-speaking people, it is hard to distinguish
between the [æ] and [ɛ] sounds). This strategy of mimicking the original can be observed in
most of Grossmann’s lyrics for he “wanted the Czech language to sound like English”
(Kuchyňová 2016) which allowed imitating the western culture on more levels. When
listening to Bobek singing “Úsvit”, the listener is under the impression that the lyrics are in
English.
4.2.3. “I Am… I Said”
Neil Diamond 1971:
I am… I Said
L.A.’s fine, the sun shines most the time
And the feeling is “lay back”
Palm trees grow and rents are low
But you know I keep thinkin’ about
Making my way back
Well I’m New York City born and raised
But nowadays I’m lost between two shores
L.A.’s fine, but it ain’t home
New York’s home but it ain’t mine no more
“I am”... I said
To no one there
And no one heard at all
Not even the chair
“I am”... I cried
“I am”... said I
And I am lost and I can’t
Even say why
Leavin’ me lonely still
Did you ever read about a frog
Vladimír Poštulka 1971:
Krajem já šel
Vzpomínám na činžák, kde jsem žil,
na tu hrůzu modrých stěn.
Dětský pláč a samý rváč.
Bez sklepní bitvy, přísahám Vám,
nebyl nikdy den.
Pak jen útěk byl mou záchranou
a teď slunce svítí oknem mým.
Co mě táhne stále zpět
do míst, o nichž spoustu let jen sním?
Krajem já šel,
šel dál jak v snách.
A s láskou chtěl zas
stoupat na rodný práh.
Já ctím ten kraj
tam líp mě znaj.
A pořád jen tam hledám
ztracený ráj.
Teď už tam nepatřím.
Už se dobře mám,
29
Who dreamed of bein’ a king
And then became one
Well except for the names
And a few other changes
If you talk about me
The story is the same one
But I got an emptiness deep inside
And I’ve tried but it won’t let me go
And I’m not a man who likes to swear
But I never cared for the sound of being alone
“I am”... I said
To no one there
And no one heard at all
Not even the chair
“I am”... I cried
“I am”... said I
And I am lost and I can’t
Even say why
“I am”... I said
“I am”... I cried… “I am”
přece však pospíchám
zase zpátky tam,
kde žil jsem jako kluk.
Jen o návratu sním, přestože i já vím,
že si nezvyknu víc
na mokré zdi a hluk.
Tam já někde jsem cítil v duši své
poprvé, že mě má někdo rád.
A jak blázen zas v létě půjdu tam
a znát chci to místo, kde může totéž se stát.
Krajem já šel,
šel dál jak v snách
a s láskou chtěl zas
stoupat na rodný práh.
Já ctím ten kraj.
Tam líp mě znaj.
A pořád jen tam hledám
ztracený ráj.
Table 4 “I Am… I Said”
Neil Diamond’s song is a scream to the world about an existential crisis of the protagonist.
A man lost between two big American cities, not belonging to either one of them, tries to find
his place. Poštulka’s version can be considered its very distant – and to a great extent
domesticated – parallel. The protagonist, too, is lost between two places, but they are not
cities or towns in the United States. The original surroundings are replaced by an old
apartment building and some indeterminate sunny place. The exact location is not mentioned,
but a difference is indicated. For many people, living in Czechoslovakia during the period of
normalization meant living in housing estates where families were often crammed in small
apartments (Hromková 2017). Sometimes it meant difficult living conditions, however, the
feeling of living in tiny dark places could be easily overshadowed by good memories. The
Czechoslovak listeners could probably better identify with the living in and moving out of an
apartment building than traveling between two big American cities.
The first two verses express the same feeling of not belonging anywhere, although the
destinations and the feelings are categorically different.
30
Diamond 1971: lines 1-8:
L.A.’s fine, the sun shines most the time
And the feeling is “lay back”
Palm trees grow and rents are low
But you know I keep thinkin’ about
Making my way back
Well I’m New York City born and raised
But nowadays I’m lost between two shores
L.A.’s fine, but it ain’t home
New York’s home but it ain’t mine no more
Poštulka 1971: lines 1-8:
Vzpomínám na činžák,
kde jsem žil,
na tu hrůzu modrých stěn.
Dětský pláč a samý rváč.
Bez sklepní bitvy, přísahám vám,
nebyl nikdy den.
Pak jen útěk byl mou záchranou
a teď slunce svítí oknem mým.
Co mě táhne stále zpět
do míst, o nichž spoustu let jen sním?
Literal translation:
I remember the apartment building,
where I used to live,
the dread of the blue walls.
Baby’s cry and brawlers all around.
Without a fight in the basement, I swear,
A day wouldn’t go by.
Then only an escape was my salvation
and now the sun is shining through my window.
What is it that still pulls me back
to the places I’ve been just dreaming about for so
many years?
The original depicts both places as good. The protagonist is, though, unable to experience the
real belonging or happiness in connection to them. On the other hand, the Czech version
seems to describe a dark and violent place where the only hope is an escape to a better one.
As was mentioned above, many people emigrated after WWII, there were several big waves
of emigration, but people were leaving the country continuously (Petr Horký 2021). After
careful reading, the lyrics of the Czech version of the song might – to some – evoke the
feelings the emigrants might have had after they left Czechoslovakia. Feeling of regret and
wondering what it might have been like if they stayed.
Both the songs are about unfulfilled expectations. The original is rather about not
finding happiness in riches and fame, whereas the Czech one tells a story about the country
one should worship and appreciate. For even though it might seem that somewhere else life
31
might be better, the reality is different. The song carefully manipulates the listeners into
relishing life in their country without them even noticing it. The original theme of celebration
of American cities and the life there disappears, and listeners of Poštulka’s version are left
“looking for the lost paradise” (literal translation of Poštulka 1971: lines 37-38) that is
probably at home.
The language of both versions is similarly simple. There are no long phrases in either
one of them, and the actions are described without any metaphorical or overly poetic
expressions. The lyricist did a good job preserving the narrative style of the original.
4.2.4. “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”
Kristoffer Kristofferson 1969:
Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
Well, I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad
So I had one more for dessert
Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt
And I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day
I’d smoked my brain the night before
On cigarettes and songs that I’d been pickin’
But I lit my first and watched a small kid
Cussin’ at a can that he was kicking
Then I crossed the empty street
And caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin’ chicken
And it took me back to somethin’
That I’d lost somehow, somewhere along the way
On the Sunday morning sidewalk
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s something in a Sunday
Makes a body feel alone
There ain’t nothin’ short of dyin’
Half as lonesome as the sound
On the sleepin’ city sidewalks
Sunday mornin’ comin’ down
In the park I saw a daddy
With a laughin’ little girl who he was swingin’
And I stopped beside a Sunday school
Listened to the song they were singin’
Vladimír Poštulka 1973:
Nedělní ráno
Zvonil budík, bylo ráno,
V hlavě mé byl kámen snad a pod ním tma.
Když jsem snídal džbánek piva,
Ještě zdálo se, že divnou příchuť má.
Když jsem spláchl chladnou vodou z očí sny
A z tváře závoj šedivý,
řek mi pohled pouhý z okna ven,
že nedělní je den a lenivý.
Já cítil dál, že v ústech mám chuť cigaret
A písní prošlé noci.
Tak jsem vyšel ven a díval se,
Jak slunce nový den má ve své moci.
A pak mi vánek poslal vstříc tu vůni nedělní,
Co z horkých ploten voní
A náhle chtěl jsem být zas s tebou
Někde za městem ve stínu jabloní.
Chtěl bych být v nedělní ráno
V chodníku kvádrem žulovým
A proč divný smutek mívám,
To snad se nikdy nedovím.
A snad i smrt je méně vážná,
Než tyhle chvíle nedělní,
Kéž mi zvony ranní písní
Na prášek srdce rozmělní.
Šel jsem dál tou vůní ranní
Kolem bílých kočárků a dětských mašlí.
Pak jsem dlouho stál a díval se
Na věci, které svět občas krášlí.
32
Then I headed back for home
And somewhere far away a lonesome bell was ringin’
And it echoed through the canyons
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday
On the Sunday morning sidewalk
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s something in a Sunday
Makes a body feel alone
There ain’t nothin’ short of dyin’
Half as lonesome as the sound
On the sleepin’ city sidewalks
Sunday mornin’ comin’ down
On the Sunday morning sidewalk
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s something in a Sunday
Makes your body feel alone
There ain’t nothin’ short of dyin’
Half as lonesome as the sound
On the sleepin’ city sidewalks
Sunday mornin’ comin’ down
Snad vrátil se mi zrak a já se najednou
Zas díval na svět zpříma,
Teď už možná tvému štěstí lépe rozumím,
Ač vím, že nejsi má.
Já chtěl bych být v nedělní ráno
V chodníku kvádrem žulovým
A proč divný smutek mívám,
To snad se nikdy nedovím.
A snad i smrt je méně vážná,
Než tyhle chvíle nedělní,
Kéž mi zvony ranní písní
Na prášek srdce rozmělní
Table 5 “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”
Another of the lyrics from Czech songwriter Vladimír Poštulka at first seems to copy the
original version almost completely. Both the original and the Czech version tell a story of a
man waking up on Sunday morning with a hangover from Saturday evening. While the
original confesses its content already in the title, the Czech version is a bit more mysterious.
“Nedělní ráno” is only a part of the name the original song has. Perhaps the title would be too
much, for originally it essentially says: “Sunday morning hangover”.
The beginning of the song is almost identical, and even the Czech version confesses
being a song about Saturday drinking, there are, nonetheless, significant shifts in the use of
figures of speech:
Kristofferson 1969: lines 1-4:
Well, I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad
So I had one more for dessert
Poštulka 1973: lines 1-4:
Zvonil budík, bylo ráno,
V hlavě mé byl kámen snad a pod ním tma.
Literal translation:
The alarm went off, it was morning,
A stone was in my head and darkness below it
33
Když jsem snídal džbánek piva,
Ještě zdálo se, že divnou příchuť má.
As I was having a mug of beer for breakfast
It still seemed to have a strange taste
The ironic casual remark – so characteristic of Kristofferson’s style – about the “head that
didn’t hurt” (Kristofferson 1969: line 2) is replaced with a metaphor about a “stone […] and a
darkness below it” (Poštulka 1973: line 2). The honesty of the original is, again, replaced with
a more pleasing and more poetic language. Although the protagonist admits to drinking beer,
the Czech text does not fully imitate the initial mood of the original version. Kristofferson’s
version is somewhat rawer and more straightforward. Two beers become one, the line “I’d
smoked my brain the night before” (Kristofferson 1969: line 9) changes into sleeker and
poetic “Já cítil dál, že v ústech mám chuť cigaret” (Poštulka 1973: line 9). And the “smell of
someone fryin’ chicken” (Kristofferson 1969: line 14) becomes a poetic “Sunday smell”
(literal translation of Poštulka 1973: line 14).
Even the first few lines of the Czech refrain eliminate the impression of the
protagonist of the original version. Not only the rawness of wishing for being stoned
disappears, and is replaced with much more poetic ambition, but also the “Lord” vanishes in
the Czech version of the song:
Kristofferson 1969: lines 17-18:
On the Sunday morning sidewalk
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
Poštulka 1973: lines 17-18:
Chtěl bych být nedělní ráno
V chodníku kvádrem žulovým
Literal translation:
I would like to be the Sunday morning
The granite block in the sidewalk
The alcohol and other drugs were, amongst other things, objectionable, and the less of them in
public media – whose role music performed – the better. Moreover, the state of being stoned
was probably unknown to a majority of Czechoslovak citizens. Therefore the aim was
34
probably to get rid of them in songs that were often played on the national radio and other
media.
The disappearance of the religious elements can be attributed to the regime’s approach
to religion, and the attempted “liberation of the working masses from religious prejudices”
(Smith 2019) for the religious beliefs were considered false by the communist regime, and
Marx himself called it “the opium of the people” (Zacharia 2020). In other words, religion
stayed in the way of communism, and it most likely needed to be removed from the stage.
The text of the song “Nedělní ráno” is one of the more faithful copies of the originals.
After a more thorough examination of the lyrics, one finds many substantial differences that
somehow change their mood and make them a whole lot less provocative. The text loses
Kristofferson’s distinctive raw and ironic style and becomes a more common and pleasing
work of art.
4.2.5. “Vincent”
Don McLean 1972:
Vincent
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer’s day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy, linen land
Now, I understand
what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Zdeněk Rytíř 1973:
Vincent
Stále stejnou tmou
Svítí plátno bloudících,
Malíř půlnoc kreslí smích,
Ten obraz píseň zpívá pojednou.
Stíny na kopcích,
Ticho hnízd a moudrý sníh
Svál sem hřích všech dětských cích
V těch barvách, které prosí tě pojď k nám.
Já už vím a znám,
Co jsi tenkrát toužil říct
A jak jsi trpěl pro své nadání
Učit lidi vidět víc,
Však nebyl nikdo, kdo by naslouchal,
Snad dnes tu s tebou stál.
Stále stejnou tmou,
Stejné louky tu hoří dnes,
Mrak je láká do nebes,
Kde Vincentovy modré oči sní.
Jak jen pozmění
Barvy žhnoucích slunečnic,
35
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand
Now, I understand,
what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget
Like the strangers that you’ve met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now, I think I know what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will
Vítr v tváři má pár skic,
To smýknul štětcem touhy van Gogh sám.
Já už vím a znám,
Co jsi tenkrát toužil říct
A jak jsi trpěl pro své nadání
Učit lidi vidět víc,
Však nebyl nikdo, kdo by naslouchal,
Snad dnes tu s tebou stál.
A svět tě tak trýznil,
Tvou lásku splácel zlým.
Jen černé vrány nad hlavou
Ctí tvou mysl bolavou,
Svět nazval velkou vášeň šílenstvím
A já chci ti říct Vincente,
že není nikde svět pro lásku
Tvou, se kterou bdím.
Stále stejnou tmou,
Portrét v tichu muzejním,
Něžná dlaň, hold váženým
Všem očím, které nesmí rozumět.
Prohlíží si prázdnou zeď
A chlápka v cárech nejchudších,
V tvých růžích trn snad ostřejší,
Než kord, co slouží srdci divným hrám.
Já už dávno znám, co jsi tenkrát toužil říct
A jak jsi trpěl pro své nadání
Učit lidi vidět víc,
Však není nikdo, kdo by naslouchal
Tak hledat musíš dál.
Table 6 “Vincent”
Don McLean wrote the song after reading a book about Vincent Van Gogh and realizing that
the artist’s life was not only the cliche he thought it was, and so he wrote the lyrics of
“Vincent” to shed light on Van Gogh’s story and to express his own pain (Paulson 2020). The
Czech version imitates the overall mood of the original as well as the individual language
elements. Except for a few discrepancies, the lyrics are very similar.
Although the mood described is the same in both of the lyrics, the original is a bit
more specific, for immediately the first line says that the painting Starry Night is the
inspiration for the whole song. The “Starry, starry night” (McLean 1972: line 1) changes into
less informative: “Stále stejnou tmou” (Rytíř 1973: line 1), which does not refer to Van
Gogh’s work directly, nonetheless it induces a very similar effect on the listener.
36
McLean 1972: lines 9-14:
Now, I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Rytíř 1973: lines 9-14:
Já už vím a znám,
Co jsi tenkrát toužil říct
A jak jsi trpěl pro své nadání
Učit lidi vidět víc,
Však nebyl nikdo, kdo by naslouchal,
Snad dnes tu s tebou stál.
Literal translation:
I already know and I understand
What you longed to say back then
And how you suffered for your talent
Teaching people to see more
But there was no one who would listen
Perhaps he was standing here with you today
There is a slight change that somehow sleekens the Czech text, for it deletes the reference to
Van Gogh’s mental health when the word “sanity” is changed for “talent”. In Rytíř’s version,
his sanity is addressed only later in the song, where there is the reference to Van Gogh’s
“aching mind” but only at the cost of deleting the mention of suicide that creates the climax of
the original McLean’s version of the song.
McLean 1972: lines 29-36:
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
Rytíř 1973: lines 29-36:
A svět tě tak trýznil,
Tvou lásku splácel zlým.
Jen černé vrány nad hlavou
Ctí tvou mysl bolavou
Svět nazval velkou vášeň šílenstvím
A já chci ti říct, Vincente,
Že není nikde svět pro lásku
Tvou, se kterou bdím
Literal translation:
And the world tortured you so,
It repaid your love with evil
Only the black crows overhead
Honour your aching mind
The world has called a great passion a madness
And I want to tell you, Vincent,
That there is no world for the love of yours
With which I stay awake
37
“Vincent” written for the Czechoslovak audience is only another proof that the texts were
(often unnoticeably) changed and somewhat sleekened. The changes, though, are minor, and
they probably cannot even be attributed to the period in which the lyrics were created. The
language means are very similar, and the figurativeness of both texts is on a very similar
level.
4.2.6. “I’ve Been a Long Time Leavin’”
Roger Miller 1966:
I’ve Been a Long Time Leavin’
I’ve been a fool, I’ve been a fool
Forgivin’ you each time that you’ve done me wrong
I’ve been a long time leavin’
but it’ll be a long time gone
Loved you so much, I loved you so much
I stayed around when I should’ve moved along
I’ve been a long time leaving
but it’ll be a long time gone
Hello high line, hello highway
Here come a big old semi my way
Stick up my thumb, hear the truck come
Trees goin’ by, lookin’ like a fly
On the big legs are my Levi’s
I’ve been a fool, I’ve been a fool
Forgivin’ you each time that you’ve done me wrong
I’ve been a long time leavin’
but it’ll be a long time gone
Hello high line, hello highway
Here come a big old semi my way
I stick up my thumb, hear the truck come
Trees goin’ by, lookin’ like a fly
On the big legs are my Levi’s
I’ve been a fool, I’ve been a fool
Forgivin’ you each time that you’ve done me wrong
I’ve been a long time leavin’
But it’ll be a long time gone
Vladimír Poštulka 1975:
Já jsem byl bloud
Já jsem byl bloud, já jsem byl bloud,
já hříchy tvé odpouštím pořád jen,
teď vím, že nesmím váhat,
já zmizím dřív, než skončí den,
dddd dddd dddd dede den.
Měl jsem tě rád, měl jsem tě rád,
teď toulaví ptáci lákají mě ven,
já vím, že nesmím váhat,
já zmizím dřív, než skončí den.
Tak mi šálu, kabát, klobouk můj dej,
pak jen ze dveří za mnou mávej.
Já čekám svůj vlak, půjdu rád pak,
kde snad najdu klid, budu mít se jak v ráji.
Slyším vlak, zvuky kol už z dálky zněj,
klapou hup hup hup hup hu hu hu hu.
Já jsem byl bloud, já jsem byl bloud,
já hříchy tvé odpouštím pořád jen,
teď vím, že nesmím váhat,
já zmizím dřív, než skončí den.
Tak mi šálu, kabát, klobouk můj dej,
pak jen ze dveří za mnou mávej.
Já čekám svůj vlak, půjdu rád pak,
kde snad najdu klid, budu mít se jak v ráji.
Slyším vlak, zvuky kol už z dálky zněj,
klapou hup hup hup hup hu hu hu hu.
Já jsem byl bloud, cha cha, já jsem byl bloud,
já hříchy tvé odpouštím pořád jen,
teď vím, že nesmím váhat,
já zmizím dřív, než skončí den,
den den den, den den den.
Table 7 “I’ve Been a Long Time Leavin’”
38
Another song from Poštulka’s workshop is, despite completely different names of the two
songs, a very faithful translation. The authors of the texts each chose a different line to name
the song with. The Czech cover version, nonetheless, kept the majority of crucial features of
the original. The meaning of Roger Miller’s lyrics that tell a story of a man singing about
being done wrong by his women is almost exactly transferred to the target language. There
are just seemingly negligible changes in the text. At first glance, they look like they were
made for the purpose of domestication of the text – to make it more relatable to the Czech-
speaking audience.
The individual verses of the songs are to a great extent identical and could be
considered an almost word-for-word translation. There are a few instances where the simple
description of action changes into a more metaphorical expression. “I stayed around when I
should’ve moved along” (Miller 1966: line 5) is replaced with “teď toulaví ptáci lákají mě
ven” (Poštulka 1975: line 5) and in the refrain, the line describing the movement of the truck,
comparing trees to flies, changes into the elegiac wish of a better place: “kde snad najdu klid,
budu mít se jak v ráji” (Poštulka 1975: line 10). The refrain is the most changed part of the
song. It has the same meaning and the rhymes, too, sound very similar. Nonetheless, Poštulka
somewhat domesticates its content. The lines about hitchhiking and stopping a semitrailer:
“Here come a big old semi my way / Stick up my thumb, hear the truck come” (Miller 1966:
lines 8-9) change into – for the Czech audience more familiar and relatable – : “Slyším vlak,
zvuky kol už z dálky zněj” (Poštulka 1975: line 11). This change can be attributed to the fact
that trains were associated with the idea of carefree traveling, and the road freight traffic was
not that usual.
Another – almost unnoticeable change – is that the mention of Levi’s in the last line of
the original refrain seems to somehow disappear from the text. This deletion, however, cannot
be considered a mere act of domestication of the text. Rather, it might be the consequence of
39
the fact that for a long time, jeans (and especially Levi’s or “levisky” – the true American
jeans) were a symbol of western culture, and therefore of the opposition to the regime
(Vránková 2009). People perceived them as a symbol of resistance. Even Pavel Bobek
himself said that wearing the American jeans meant defiance of the regime (Vránková 2009).
And although Bobek was not allowed to sing about the American jeans, surprisingly enough,
he never had a problem with wearing them.
Despite the similarity of the sound and the meaning of the lyrics, they passed the
censorship, Bobek recorded the song, and he successfully managed to mimic the original
style.
4.2.7. “Ann”
Billy Edd Wheeler 1964:
Ann
I know, I’ll never meet another
hunk or woman like my Ann
She makes me feel like a great big man
I’m gonna go tell her mama
what I think about her, say, thank you ma’am
for giving me your daughter Ann
She sure is stacked from her toes
to the birdie little nape
of her neck she’s packed like a seed in a grape,
she’s smooth as marble skin
When I see her I believe, I’m a real young guy
And every time I go to work, I think I might die if I can’t
hurry home again
If the good Lord worked all night at makin’ me a female
plan
I’d say, no thanks Lord, I’ll just keep Ann
How could I
ever look at any other woman when I’ve got Ann
I feel so good when she takes my hand, yeah
I’m gonna go tell her daddy
what I think about her, say, thank you man
for giving me your daughter Ann
When I come home and I feel like
I’ve been run over
by a ten-ton truck she can rub my shoulder
Jiří Grossmann 1975:
Má dívka “N”
Sázím se o co chcete,
že na světě není více žen,
co se rovnají mé dívce “N”.
Dá mi voňavou pusu
a já v okamžiku tom jsem přesvědčen,
nemůže být nad krásnou “N”.
Má bílou pleť jako sníh,
za to hlavu položím
a na ústech med, proto snad vydržím
spíš půst, nežli být bez ní.
Tak získávám vědomí, že i milión mám,
a ačkoliv jsem bez peněz, tak přechovávám ten
malý klenot líbezný.
Kdyby samotnou krásnou vílu z hor mi sem přivál fén,
já řeknu díky vám, já patřím “N”.
Mám přání,
abych uměl opakovat stokrát sto něžných jmen
a příběhů, jež mi říká “N”.
Dá mi bolavou duši
zase dohromady a pro tu chvíli jen,
znám poslání své vlídné “N”.
Když smůla zlá poručí,
že i přijde nouze,
pak anděl “N” pošeptá mi pouze,
že stůl a přístřeší
40
and ease my aches and pains
If I lose my job and I’m down to a silver dollar
and I feel like a dried up gourd in a holler,
she soothes my brow
like summer rain
If the good Lord worked a hundred years at makin’ me a
female plan
I’d say, no, thanks, Lord, I’ll just keep Ann
I know, I’ll never meet another
hunk or woman like my Ann
She makes me feel like a great big man
If the good Lord worked a hundred years at makin’ me a
female plan
I’d say, no, thanks, Lord, I’ll just keep Ann
I’d say, no, thanks, Lord, I’ll just keep Ann
znamená snad víc, nežli zámek a spousta krásy
a že “N” dokud mám jsou v úžasu časy
a tak trápení mi vyřeší.
Kdyby samotnou krásnou vílu z hor mi sem
přivál fén,
já řeknu díky vám, já patřím “N”,
vzkážu dík vám, já patřím “N”.
Table 8 “Ann”
As was mentioned earlier in the text, the song “Má dívka ‘N’” by Jiří Grossmann resembles
its original for the Czech version sounds like it was being sung in English. Although the name
Ann exists in Czech, its Czech version is Anna – pronounced [ʌnʌ] – which does not sound
like the original name. Unlike in the songs “Cupid” and “Úsvit”, the sound form is not the
only thing that connects the two versions of this song. Like its original, “Ann” by Billy Edd
Wheeler, Grossmann’s version tells a story of a man singing about his beautiful woman.
To be able to imitate the sound to the extent Grossmann does, the sacrifices in the
semantic field need to be more extensive than a translation would allow. Although the texts
communicate the same message, the means of telling the story are a bit different. The target
text is “extensively modified” (Munday 2009: 166), and still, it resembles the source text to a
great extent. It is, therefore, a perfect example of an adaptation. This can be demonstrated
right in the first verse:
Wheeler 1964: lines 1-4:
I know, I’ll never meet another hunk or woman like my Ann
She makes me feel like a great big man
I’m gonna go tell her mama what I think about her, say, thank you ma’am
For giving me your daughter Ann
Grossmann 1975: lines 1-4:
Literal translation:
41
Sázím se o co chcete,
že na světě není více žen,
Co se rovnají mé dívce ‘N’.
Dá mi voňavou pusu
a já v okamžiku tom jsem přesvědčen,
Nemůže být nad krásnou ‘N’.
I bet you what you want,
there are no more women in the world,
That match my girl ‘N’.
She gives me a scented kiss
and at that moment I am convinced
That there is nothing above my beautiful ‘N’.
The original is somewhat more straightforward and even a bit cheeky. The protagonist talks
about a “hunk” (Wheeler 1964: line 1) that “sure is stacked” (Wheeler 1964: line 5), as
opposed to the Czech version, in which the author uses commonplace and considerably less
provocative expressions, such as “beautiful” (author’s translation of Grossmann 1975: line 4)
and a “sweet little jewel” (author’s translation of Grossmann 1975: line 10). The expressions
used make the target text more likable and not as rude as the source text. In addition to the
flattening of the Czech lyrics, the Czech version leaves out the protagonist’s thanking to all
that helped to create Ann, including the “Lord”. The girl’s parents and the God are replaced
with a general “you” which somehow makes the song lose the element so characteristic of
many of the American songs.
Wheeler 1964: lines 11-12:
If the good Lord worked all night at makin’ me a female plan
I’d say, no thanks Lord, I’ll just keep Ann
Grossmann 1975: lines 11-12:
Kdyby samotnou krásnou vílu z hor mi sem
přivál fén,
Já řeknu díky vám, já patřím ‘N’.
Literal translation:
If a foehn brought me a beautiful fairy from
the mountains
I’d say thanks to you, I belong to ‘N’.
Like in many other cases, the language of the song changes, and the raw and expressive
information style of the original changes into an overly poetic version of itself. It can be
demonstrated on the second verse of the song:
Wheeler 1964: lines 17-22:
When I come home and I feel like I’ve been run over
By a ten-ton truck she can rub my shoulder
An ease my aches and pain
42
If I lose my job and I’m down to a silver dollar
And I feel like a dried up gourd in a holler, she soothes my brow
Like a summer rain
The explicit feeling of being “run over by a ten-ton truck” (Wheeler 1964: lines 17-18) is
expressed by a poetic “smůla zlá poručí, že i přijde nouze” (Grossmann 1975: line 17) and
being “down to a silver dollar” (Wheeler 1964: line 20) is made into: “stůl a přístřeší
znamená snad víc, nežli zámek a spousta krásy” (Grossmann 1975: lines 19-20). The shift in
imagery is noticeable throughout the whole text. Nonetheless, despite the number of changes,
the result of the mediation resembles the original to a great extent, and it conveys the same
message even if using more poetic language.
4.2.8. “Don’t Bogart Me”
Elliot Ingber and Lawrence J. Wagner 1968:
Don’t Bogart Me
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Roll another one
Just like the other one
You’ve been hanging on to it
And I sure would like a hit
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Roll another one
Just like the other one
That one’s just about burnt to the end
So come on and be a real friend
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Vladimír Poštulka 1975:
Pojď stoupat jak dým
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Pojď stoupat jak dým,
až tam, kam jen ptáci mohou.
Plout po nebi jen,
výškou být opojen
jen své sny si můžeš vzít
tam kde vládne mír a klid.
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Plout po nebi jen,
výškou být opojen
jako dým z mé dýmky nebem pluj
za sebou nech zem a smutek svůj.
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Table 9 “Don’t Bogart Me”
43
After hearing the original, “Pavel Bobek was delighted with the idea of a song about cannabis
and the lyricist had a task that had been bothering him for several days. How do you write a
song about weed without using that word?” (author’s translation of Dědek 2012). Vladimír
Poštulka, the author of the Czech version of the song, claims that he managed to preserve the
original meaning of the song and that the censor did not notice the true meaning of its lyrics
(Dědek 2012).
With a bit of effort and prior knowledge of the original song, one might be able to tell
what it is that the two versions have in common. However, as the censor Dědek talks about in
his article, the majority of the listeners probably failed to recognize the Czech song’s true
meaning. The crude language of the original which, with its limited vocabulary, perfectly
evokes the act of smoking a marihuana joint becomes an almost spiritual song about heaven.
The most repeated lines – in the original very trivial and straightforward – turn into a
metaphoric expression suggestive of heaven in an almost religious sense.
Ingber and Wagner 1968: lines 1-2:
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Poštulka 1975: lines 1-2:
Pojď stoupat jak dým, až tam,
kam jen ptáci mohou.
Literal translation:
Come up like smoke as high
As only the birds can go
The impression of a spiritual song is reinforced by the lines: “jen své sny si můžeš vzít / tam
kde vládne mír a klid” (Poštulka 1975: lines 7-8) that replace the English: “You’ve been
hanging on to it / And I sure would like a hit” (Ingber and Wagner 1968: lines 7-8).
The culmination comes towards the end of the song, where a remark about an ending
of a joint: “That one’s just about burnt to the end / So come on and be a friend” (Ingber and
Wagner 1968: lines 15-16) is transformed to: “jako dým z mé dýmky nebem pluj / za sebou
44
nech zem a smutek svůj” (Poštulka 1975: lines 15-16) that seem to invite the listener to the
afterlife.
Although the author attempted to recreate the original meaning of the song, it got
practically lost during the process of translation. But had it been more like the source text, it
probably would not pass the censorship.
4.2.9. “Smokey Put the Sweat on Me”
Kristoffer Kristofferson 1972:
Smokey Put the Sweat on Me
I’ve known some women in every state
New York City to the Golden Gate
I’ve lived with some, and buddy, I loved ‘em all.
(Yes, I did)
But no one woman had a claim on me
‘Cause I still had a lotta world to see
And I sometimes stagger, but sugar, I seldom fall.
Then like a hungry man, I went to Louisiana
Where the lovin’ and the livin’ was good
Without a care to hide and just as satisfied as I could be.
A lotta women and wine and not a tie to bind me
And behaving just as cool as I could
‘Til that long legged, sweet walkin’ ravenhaired cajun lookin’
Devil put the sweat on me
They call her Smokey, she’s a little bit-a evil
Smokey, right as wrong can be.
Smokey, she could shake the very devil
Smokey put the sweat on me.
Oh, my pulse is a beatin’ to the clickety clack
Of this one-way ride that’s gonna take me back
And my body’s just a-breathin’ in that Mississippi River smell
Well, my feet wasn’t ready yet for settling down
But my soul kept tellin’ me to turn around
And the longer I tried to fight it, the harder I fell
And like a hungry man, I went to Louisiana
Where the lovin’ and the livin’ is good
I’ll get a brand new bride and be as satisfied as I can be
And I won’t even mind the world I’m leavin’ behind
Because I never really thought that I could
‘Til that long legged, sweet walkin’ ravenhaired cajun looking
Devil put the sweat on me.
They call her Smokey, she’s a little bit-a evil
Smokey, right as wrong can be
Smokey, she could shake the very devil
Zdeněk Rytíř 1975:
Tak já se loučím
Jak monzun prošel jsem celý svět
A velkoměsta znám už nazpaměť,
Ve všech žil jsem sám chladný, jak jižní pól.
Možná víc.
Mě žádná žena dlouho nezdrží,
Mám svůj cíl, dokud dýchám, mám proč žít,
Neznám smůlu, smutek a kašlu na světobol.
Jediným zákonem mi bylo chladné ráno,
V kterém začínala má nová pouť
Na hrázi přístavní, kde jsem postával jak prázdný šíf.
Dálka nekonečná, to se jen krásně říká,
Dokud nezkusíš jak já po ní plout
Skončí tam, kde tvé kroky zastaví dívčí boky,
Probudí tvé svědomí.
Tak já se loučím, už mě nebudete vídat,
Loučím se svým soužením,
Loučím se, že nechci města střídat,
Pozítří se ožením, óó, pozítří se ožením.
Já měl jsem to ráno v krvi od dětských let,
Znal jsem pouze cestu tam a žádnou zpět
A mé rodiče to trápilo, že dělal jsem si, jen co jsem chtěl.
Pro mě klid byl vždycky velkou neznámou,
Někdy chtěl jsem se vrátit domů za mámou
A říct jí, co tenkrát v mládí jsem říct neuměl.
Jediným zákonem mi bylo chladné ráno,
V kterém začínala má nová pouť
Na hrázi přístavní, kde jsem postával jak prázdný šíf.
Dálka nekonečná, to se jen krásně říká,
Dokud nezkusíš jak já po ní plout
Skončí tam, kde tvé kroky zastaví dívčí boky,
Probudí tvé svědomí.
Tak já se loučím, už mě nebudete vídat,
Loučím se svým soužením,
Loučím se, že nechci města střídat,
45
Smokey put the sweat on me
Smokey put the sweat on me
Awww, Smokey put the sweat on me.
Pozítří se ožením, óó, pozítří se ožením,
Pozítří se ožením, jé, pozítří se ožením,
Pozítří se ožením, óó, pozítří se ožením.
Table 10 “Smokey Put the Sweat on Me”
The Czech version of another of Kristofferson’s songs, this time transferred to the target
language by Zdeněk Rytíř, shares many features with the one already discussed. Like in the
case of Poštulka’s version of “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, Rytíř’s lyrics are similarly
less forthright. Although the original and the Czech version both have the same theme, the
language used, and the places and events described differ.
One of the most obvious changes is the exchange of the American toponymy for a
more general naming of places or a completely different expression. In the first instance, the
line: “New York City to the Golden Gate” (Kristofferson 1972: line 2), used to describe one
of the easternmost and of the westernmost places of the United States, is replaced with “the
whole world” (author’s translation of Rytíř 1975: line 1). This change makes the text more
suitable for the mid-European audience, for even if the toponymy had been preserved
somehow, the average Czechoslovak listener probably would not be aware of the locations of
different American places. Further in the text, other places that can be found in the US
disappear and are substituted by different expressions or omitted completely. “Louisiana”
(Kristofferson 1972: lines 8, 25) becomes a “great beyond” (author’s translation of Rytíř
1975: lines 11, 28) and the “Mississippi River smell” somehow vanishes. This strategy
probably cannot be considered a domestication, rather a kind of generalization of the specific
information which can be found in the original text.
The original revolves around one specific woman that was able to tame the
protagonist, who initially admits to “love ‘em all” (Kristofferson 1972: line 3). The woman,
“Smokey” is described in the refrain as a “long legged, sweet walkin’ ravenhaired cajun
looking devil” (Kristofferson 1972: line 13). This rather apt description of the woman gives
the listener the chance to imagine the situation of the protagonist who, after being everywhere
46
and trying everything – and enjoying it – is finally tied up by this “a little bit-a evil […], right
as wrong can be” (Kristofferson 1975: line 15) one.
Although the Czech version describes the same (or similar) sequence of events that
lead to the protagonist settling down, the text leaves a different impression. There is no
specific mention of the one woman that tames the protagonist who is enjoying his life. The
end of the effervescent era is indicated only by the lyrics of the refrain:
Rytíř 1975: lines 15-18:
Tak já se loučím, už mě nebudete vídat,
Loučím se svým soužením,
Loučím se, že nechci města střídat
Pozítří se ožením, óó, pozítří se ožením.
Literal translation:
So I say goodbye, you will no longer be seeing me
I say goodbye to my misery
I say goodbye, I don’t want to change cities anymore
The day after tomorrow I’m getting married, oh,
The day after tomorrow I’m getting married
And by the line where the protagonist’s “steps are stopped by a girl’s hips” (author’s
translation of Rytíř 1975: line 13). The Czech text indicates, that rather than being quelled by
a mean woman, the protagonist decided to end the supposedly great – but irresponsible, way
of living that brought him misery – and he wants to continue his life as a married man:
Rytíř 1975: lines 11-14:
Dálka nekonečná, to se jen krásně říká,
Dokud nezkusíš jak po ní plout
Skončí tam,
kde tvé kroky zastaví dívčí boky,
Probudí tvé svědomí.
Literal translation:
The great beyond, it’s just a beautiful thing to say
Until you try to sail it
It ends
where your steps are stopped by a girl’s hips
It awakens your conscience.
The language of the original is very straightforward. Although “Tak já se loučím” is
somewhat bolder than the texts discussed so far, the meaning is still often conveyed more
poetically. The simple descriptions of events are substituted for less specific but more poetic
lines. “I went to Louisiana” (Kristofferson 1972: line 8) changes into a poetic: “začínala má
nová pout” (Rytíř 1975: line 9) and “my feet wasn’t ready for settling down” is replaced with
vague: “Pro mě klid byl vždycky velkou neznámou” (Rytíř 1975: line 22). Through these
47
changes, the impression of the song is somewhat reversed. Nonetheless, Rytíř managed to, at
least partially, re-tell the story of Kristofferson’s protagonist.
4.2.10. “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
Bill Danoff, John Denver, Taffy Nivert 1971:
Take Me Home, Country Roads
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountain, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia
Mountain mamma,
take me home Country roads
All my memories, gather around her
Miner’s lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia
Mountain Mamma,
take me home Country roads
I hear her voice in the morning hour as she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Driving down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home
yesterday, yesterday
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia
Mountain Mamma, take me home
Country roads
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, West Virginia
Mountain Mamma, oh Mamma, take me home
Country roads
Take me home, that country road
Take me home, that country road
Vladimír Poštulka 1975:
Veď mě dál, cesto má
Někde v dálce cesty končí,
každá prý však cíl svůj skrývá.
Někde v dálce, každá má svůj cíl,
ať je pár mil dlouhá anebo tisíc mil.
Veď mě dál cesto má,
veď mě dál, vždyť i já
tam kde končíš,
chtěl bych dojít,
veď mě dál cesto má.
Chodím dlouho po všech cestách,
všechny znám je, jen ta má mi zbývá.
Je jak dívky, co jsem měl tak rád,
plná žáru bývá, hned zas samý chlad.
Veď mě dál cesto má,
veď mě dál, vždyť i já
tam kde končíš,
chtěl bych dojít,
veď mě dál cesto má.
Pak na patník poslední napíšu křídou,
jméno své a pod něj, že jsem žil hrozně rád.
Písně své, co mi v kapsách zbydou,
dám si bandou cvrčků hrát
a půjdu spát, půjdu spát.
Veď mě dál cesto má,
veď mě dál, vždyť i já
tam kde končíš,
chtěl bych dojít,
veď mě dál cesto má.
Veď mě dál cesto má,
veď mě dál, vždyť i já
tam kde končíš,
chtěl bych dojít,
veď mě dál cesto má.
veď mě dál cesto má.
veď mě dál cesto má.
Table 11 “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
48
A song recorded and co-written by John Denver was composed as a tribute and a celebration
of American nature, its mountains, rivers, and endless roads (West Virginia University
Athletics). The protagonist is speaking about the beauties of his home and all that beckons
him to come back there. Although the road is the central theme of the Czech version, the
original idea of the text is not preserved at all.
The American nature and the home the protagonist is admiring are erased and replaced
with a description of an indefinite distance:
Danoff, Denver, Nivert 1971: lines 1-4:
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountain, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze
Poštulka 1975: lines 1-4:
Někde v dálce cesty končí,
Každá prý však cíl svůj skrývá.
Někde v dálce, každá má svůj cíl,
Ať je pár mil dlouhá, nebo tisíc mil.
Literal translation:
Somewhere in the distance, all the roads end
But each is said to hide its end
Somewhere in the distance, each of them has its end
Whether it is a few miles long or a thousand miles
The message of Poštulka’s lyrics is that inevitably, all roads lead to an end. What might seem
to be a song about traveling and exploring different roads turns out to be quite a pessimistic
song about the inevitable end of everything. In the second half of the lyrics, instead of
describing the way home – as in the original text – the author of the Czech text even indirectly
indicates that the protagonist himself is thinking about his own death:
Danoff, Denver, Nivert 1971: lines 19-20:
I hear her voice in the morning hour as she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Poštulka 1975: lines 19-20:
Pak na patník poslední napíšu křídou
Jméno své a pod něj, že jsem žil hrozně rád.
Literal translation:
Then on the last bollard, I will write in chalk
My name and under it that I lived living.
49
The “last bollard” refers to a gravestone on which the protagonist writes an epitaph. The verse
is then concluded with the words: “I will go to sleep” (author’s translation of Poštulka 1975:
line 23) that cannot mean anything else than the end of one of the roads.
A song about American nature is transformed into one about the end of life. Although
the road is present in the name of the original and the Czech version and throughout the
songs, the Czech version is so distant from the original version that it cannot be considered an
adaptation anymore.
4.2.11. “Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet”
The original lyrics of the song were composed by G. Foster in 1929. They were inspired by
old ballads and adapted many times before Zdeněk Rytíř created the version written in the
Czech language in 1975 (Rypens 2020). Foster’s version had been re-created and alternated
several times. The version with which Zdeněk Rytíř worked was probably the one recorded
by The Everly Brothers in 1958 (Songs Our Daddy Taught Us - The Everly Brothers):
Isaac Donald Everly and Philip Everly 1958:
Who’s Gonna shoe your pretty little feet?
Who’s gonna shoe your pretty little feet?
Who’s gonna glove your little hand?
Who’s gonna kiss your ruby-red lips?
Papa’s gonna shoe your pretty little feet
Mama’s gonna glove your little hand
And I’m gonna kiss your ruby-red lips
Who’s gonna shoe your pretty little feet?
Who’s gonna glove your little hand?
Who’s gonna kiss your ruby-red lips?
Papa’s gonna shoe your pretty little feet
Mama’s gonna glove your little hand
And I’m gonna kiss your ruby-red lips
Zdeněk Rytíř 1975:
Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést
Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést,
víš, kdo ti smí pohladit dlaň,
a víš, kdo tě smí na ústa políbit,
hm, hm, hm.
Táta, ten ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést,
máma hladívá tvou malou dlaň
a já tě teď smím na ústa políbit,
hm, hm, hm.
Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést,
víš, kdo ti smí pohladit dlaň,
víš, kdo tě smí na ústa políbit,
hm, hm, hm.
Táta, ten ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést,
máma hladívá tvou malou dlaň
a já tě teď smím na ústa políbit,
hm, hm, hm.
Table 12 “Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet”
50
Unlike the other adaptations of the original song, the one by The Everly Brothers has the
same rhythm and identical count of verses followed by the “hm” sound at the end of each of
them (Let’s Rock! 2016). The changes made during the process of translation are, therefore,
minimal.
The only thing the translator needed to alter more significantly was the song's name -
and consequently the wording in the first line of the song. The part of the phrase “shoe your
pretty little feet” (Everly and Everly 1958: line 1) changes into “z tvých vlásků copy splést”
(Rytíř 1975: line 1) and instead of the verb “glove” (Everly and Everly 1958: line 2), the verb
“pohladit” occurs in the Czech text.
Both the versions of the song are otherwise identical. The reason might be the length
and composition of the song because it is composed of only two verses that repeat.
4.2.12. “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”
Paul Simon 1975:
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I’d like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
She said, it’s really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won’t be lost or misconstrued
But I’ll repeat myself at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
You just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy, just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus, you don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee and get yourself free
Ooh, slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy, you just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus, you don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee and get yourself free
She said it grieves me so to see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again
I said I appreciate that and would you please explain
Michael Žantovský 1977:
Dvě stě cest, jak sbohem dávat
Řekla já nevím, proč se tváříš tragicky
všechno je prosté, když budeš myslet logicky
můžu ti pomoct chceš-li být volný na vždycky
je přece 200 cest, jak sbohem dávat.
Řekla vždyť víš, že se nechci do tvých věcí plést
a prosím nemysli, že tě chci jenom svést
jestli se omílám, pak zkus to ještě snést
je přece 200 cest, jak sbohem dávat.
200 cest, jak sbohem dávat.
Jen vymysli sám plán, nedumej proč, skoč
nebo zahoď svůj klíč pryč, běž po svém si žít.
Chyť příští vlak pak, už se nemusíš hádat
tak zadem se ztrať ať, smíš volný být.
Jen vymysli sám plán, nedumej proč skoč
nebo zahoď svůj klíč pryč, běž po svém si žít.
Chyť příští vlak pak, už se nemusíš hádat
tak zadem se ztrať ať, smíš volný být.
Řekla ty hloupý přestaň si to tak brát
přestaň se mračit, já teď chci se s tebou smát
povídám to je pěkné, tak zkus ještě popsat
51
About the fifty ways
She said, why don’t we both just sleep on it tonight?
And I believe in the morning you’ll begin to see the light
And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
You just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy, just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus, you don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee and get yourself free
You just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy, just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus, you don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee and get yourself free
těch 200 cest.
Řekla pojď spát noc přece na všechno lék zná
a možná, že snad zítřek lepší odpověď ti dá
dala mi pusu a já připustil, že asi pravdu má
je přece 200 cest, jak sbohem dávat
200 cest, jak sbohem dávat.
Jen vymysli sám plán, nedumej proč skoč
nebo zahoď svůj klíč pryč, běž po svém si žít.
Chyť příští vlak pak, už se nemusíš hádat
tak zadem se strať ať, smíš volný být.
Jen vymysli sám plán, nedumej proč skoč
nebo zahoď svůj klíč pryč, běž po svém si žít.
Chyť příští vlak pak, už se nemusíš hádat
tak zadem se strať ať, smíš volný zas být.
Table 13 “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”
Although Paul Simon said that the song is just nonsense that popped into his head (50 Ways to
Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon), it has a catchy melody and quite relatable content which
Michael Žantovský managed to transmit to the Czech language very well. The tone, the
message, and the language of the Czech version are pretty much identical to the features of
the original:
Simon 1975: lines 1-4:
The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I’d like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
Žantovský 1977: lines 1-4:
Řekla já nevím, proč se tváříš tragicky
Všechno je prosté, když budeš myslet logicky
Můžu ti pomoct chceš-li být volný navždycky
Je přece 200 cest jak sbohem dávat.
Literal translation:
She said I don’t know why you look tragic
Everything I simple if you think logically
I can help you if you want to be free forever
There are 200 ways to say goodbye
In every verse, there are slight changes made to the text, none of them, though, change the
meaning of the original. The expressions are equally straightforward, and the message of the
song stays the same. The number 50 is changed for 200 simply because the word “padesát”
does not have the number of syllables that would fit. And since there are only five ways listed
52
in both the songs, it does not matter at all. The majority of alterations are made just because of
the need to fit the lyrics to the pre-existing music.
The “she said” form that the original employs is maintained, and the language means
are very similar except for a few cases of mild poetizing of the Czech version. The more
overly poetic language of the Czech text, though, might be caused simply by the need to fit
the words to the lines.
Simon 1974: lines 22-23:
She said, why don’t we both just sleep on it tonight?
And I believe in the morning you’ll begin to see the light
Žantovský 1977: lines 22-23:
Řekla, pojď spát noc přece
na všechno lék zná
A možná, že zítřek snad lepší odpověď ti dá
Literal translation:
She said go to sleep the night knows
the cure for everything
And perhaps tomorrow will give you better answer
The tendency to use poetic expressions is not – in comparison with other lyrics – as strong.
There are no significant changes, except for the ones made to the refrain:
Simon 1975: lines 10-13:
You slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy, just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus, you don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee and get yourself free
Žantovský 1977:
Jen vymysli plán,
nedumej proč, skoč
Nebo zahoď svůj klíč pryč, běž po svém si žít.
Chyť příští vlak pak,
už se nemusíš hádat
Tak zadem se ztrať ať, smíš volný být.
Literal translation:
Just think up a plan,
don’t speculate why, jump
Or throw away your key and go live your way
Catch the next train,
you don’t have to argue anymore
Go out the back door so you can be free
The most obvious change made in the Czech text is the omission of the English names. The
reason for this might be the non-existent Czech equivalents of the man's names or the fact that
53
none of the Czech ones are monosyllabic in the genitive. The individual names are, therefore,
replaced with nonspecific addressing of one man – probably the protagonist.
Imitating not only the content but also the form of the original text, Žantovský’s lyrics
of the song “Dvě stě cest jak sbohem dávat” are one of the best translations examined in this
thesis.
4.2.13. “I May Smoke Too Much”
Kristoffer Kristofferson 1974:
I May Smoke Too Much
Once my future was shiny as the
seat of my pants are today
Then old mother luck and all her
daughters started duckin’ me
When I finally got tired of just sittin’ there
watching my life slip away
I said I better start takin’ all the living
that’s a-comin’ to me
Now I love too much, fight too much
Stay out late at night too much
But you bet your butt I’m going to
live before I die
And I may smoke too much, drink too much
every blessed thing too much
It’s a low-down life, but it ain’t gonna pass me by
I don’t care if the world don’t ever hear
the sound of my name
And old mother luck and all her daughters
keep a-duckin’ me
As long as that cat that I gotta look at when
I shave ain’t ashamed
There ain’t no Jody in the world
I’d ever rather be.
Now I love too much, fight too much
Stay out late at night too much
But you bet your butt I’m going to
live before I die
And I may smoke too much, drink too much
every blessed thing too much
It’s a low-down life, but it ain’t gonna pass me by
Vít Hrubín 1977:
Proč mám v koutě stát
Slýchal jsem jako kluk,
že mě čeká jen zářivý cíl,
chtěl jsem všechno umět, všechno znát
a všechno hezké mít.
Však stárnul jsem dál a teď ze všech svých
nadějí mám směšný díl,
tak chci jen každý okamžik si vychutnat
jak budu sám chtít.
Proč mám v koutě stát dál se bát,
že čas mi mé sny chce brát,
tím zmeškal bych co právě
bych dopřál rád
a tak chci víno pít, lásky mít,
ze všech nocí své si vzít.
Čas okrádám a zpátky mu nic nechci dát.
Dávno vím, že už těžko poznám
ten svůj zářivý cíl,
blýská se jako moje
obnošené kalhoty,
tak proč bych měl litovat nadějí
ze kterých dál zbývá díl.
Sázím na chvilku co mi
sama padne do noty.
Proč mám v koutě stát dál se bát,
že čas mi mé sny chce brát,
tím zmeškal bych co právě
bych dopřál rád
a tak chci víno pít, lásky mít,
ze všech nocí své si vzít.
Čas okrádám a zpátky mu nic nechci dát.
Table 14 “I May Smoke Too Much”
54
Hrubín’s version of Kristofferson’s song can be considered a very distant adaptation of it – as
far as the language of the text itself is concerned. The theme of the song is the same one
should enjoy life to the fullest not waiting for it to just happen. The author of the Czech text,
however, uses different strategies to convey the original meaning. While in the original, the
protagonist speaks in colloquial English which helps to paint the picture of the reckless,
irresponsible, and a bit rude individual, the Czech language is standardized and therefore it
does not express the original mood completely.
“Proč mám koutě stat” is different from the other adaptations examined so far, for the
placement of the different information in the text is different. In other words, the message of
the texts are very similar, but the individual sub-parts are different – in the original, the “seat
of my pants” (Kristofferson 1974: line 1) occurs right in the first line and in the Czech
version, the “worn-out trousers” (author’s translation of Hrubín 1977: line 11) are not
mentioned until the second half of the song.
Kristofferson 1974: lines 1-4:
Once my future was shiny as the seat of my pants are today
Then old mother luck and all her daughters started duckin’ me
When I finally got tired of just sittin’ there watching my life slip away
I said I better start takin’ all the living that’s a-comin’ to me
Hrubín 1977: lines 1-4:
Slýchal jsem jako kluk,
že mě čeká jen zářivý cíl,
chtěl jsem všechno umět,
všechno znát
a všechno hezké mít.
Však stárnul jsem dál a teď ze všech svých
nadějí mám směšný díl,
tak chci jen každý okamžik si vychutnat
jak budu sám chtít.
Literal translation:
As a boy, I used to hear
that only the shining goal awaits me
I wanted to be able to do everything,
know everything
and have everything nice
But I kept getting older and now all my
hopes turned into a ridiculous part
So I just want to enjoy every moment
as I please
The message of the first verse is very similar, the means of conveying it differ. The first line
expresses the same information, the original is, nonetheless, more authentic than the more
55
complicated and somewhat unnatural form of the Czech text. The biggest difference between
the two texts is that the language of the original makes it authentic and more relatable than the
language of the Czech version. The figures of speech, the archaic word order, and vocabulary
used in Hrubín’s text is inconsistent with the message of the lyrics: “Však stárnul jsem dál a
teď ze všech svých nadějí mám směšný díl” (Hrubín 1977: line 3) – amongst others – is
definitely not a sentence that a person who is living a “low-down life” (Kristofferson 1974:
line 9) would use.
Throughout the whole text, there is only one line that can be considered a translation.
It is probably the most important one, for it sums up the text in just a few words. The third
sentence of the refrain of the original: “And I may smoke too much, drink too much every
blessed thing too much” (Kristofferson 1974: line 8) which is quite similarly phrased in the
Czech version: “a tak chci víno pít, lásky mít, ze všech nocí své si vzít” (Hrubín 1977: line 9).
Although the message is basically the same, Hrubín euphemizes and poeticizes the lyrics. The
strategy that the translator – adaptor – applies throughout the whole text can be proven on this
one line. There is a substantial difference between “drinking too much” (Kristofferson 1974:
line 8) and simple “drinking wine” (author’s translation of Hrubín 1977: line 8) and if a
person says that they “do every blessed thing too much” (Kristofferson 1974: line 8), the
Czech version of “having loves and taking what is theirs from all the nights” (author’s
translation of Hrubín 1977: line 8) does not really do it justice.
4.2.14. “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”
John Martin Sommers 1975:
Thank God I’m a Country Boy
Well life on the farm is kinda laid back
Ain’t much an old country boy like me can’t hack
It’s early to rise, early in the sack
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well a simple kinda life never did me no harm
A raisin’ me a family and workin’ on a farm
Vladimír Poštulka 1977:
Sláma v botách
To já vždycky žil jen v rámusu měst
a milióny prošel jsem jich na mou čest
nebudu lhát smíte se smát
Já dál slámu v botách mám
I můj krejčí povídá vy jste podivný typ
a ukažte mi někoho, kdo umí šít líp
56
My days are all filled with an easy country charm
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny riddle
Thank God I’m a country boy
When the work’s all done and the sun’s settin’ low
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow
The kids are asleep so I keep it kinda low
And thank God I’m a country boy
I’d play “Sally Goodin” all day if I could
But the Lord and my wife wouldn’t take it very good
So I fiddle when I can, work when I should
And thank God I’m a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny riddle
Thank God I’m a country boy, whoo hoo!
Well I wouldn’t trade my life for diamonds or jewels
I never was one of them money hungry fools
Rather have my fiddle and my farmin’ tools
Thank God I’m a country boy
Yeah, city folk drivin’ in a black limousine
A lotta sad people thinkin’ that’s a-mighty keen
Son, let me tell ya now exactly what I mean
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny riddle
Thank God I’m a country boy, yes sir!
Well, my fiddle was my daddy’s till the day he died
And he took me by the hand, held me close to his side
Said, “Live a good life, play the fiddle with pride
and thank God you’re a country boy”
Well my daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle
Taught me how to work and play a tune on the fiddle
Taught me how to love and how to give just a little--
And thank God I’m a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny riddle
Whoo! Thank God I’m a country boy, yeah!
ať mám třeba frak, ať se do parády dám
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Tohle dávno už vím, z toho úniku není
kdyby stal se i div, tak málo se změní
vždyť vím, kdybych měl mít kdoví jaké jmění
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Ten kdo potká mě, ten pozná hned
jak málo se hodím pro ten nablýskaný svět
čím to je, že ať dělám, co dělám, přísahám
Já dál slámu v botách mám.
Já vím, že se ryba nesmí nožem jíst
umím báječně psát, taky báječně číst
a čím víc se snažím, tím prozrazuju sám
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Tohle dávno už vím, z toho úniku není
kdyby stal se i div, tak málo se změní
vždyť vím, kdybych měl mít kdoví jaké jmění
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Já se v městě narodil, tady žiju moc let
ale s venkovanem odjakživa si mě každý plet
proto jsem se dneska s tímhle svěřil právě vám
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Chtěl bych se s někým vzít, ale pořád nemám s kým
ono někdy nestačí mít sako jako manekýn
čím to je, že ať dělám co dělám přísahám
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Tohle dávno už vím, z toho úniku není
kdyby stal se i div, tak málo se změní
vždyť vím, kdybych měl mít kdoví jaké jmění
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Teď už dávno je mi fuk, co si kdo povídá
když jsem takový, tak prostě i s tím se dožít dá
nebudu lhát smíte se smát
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Žiju jako venkovan v bytě nad hlavní třídou
to jsem Já co si ho děti na zeď malujou křídou
a tak říkám všem i těm co ještě příjdou
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Tohle dávno už vím, z toho úniku není
kdyby stal se i div, tak málo se změní
vždyť vím, kdybych měl mít kdoví jaké jmění
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Table 15 “Thank God I’m a Countryboy”
The song “Sláma v botách” could be considered a unique case of an adaptation, although – or
maybe because – the meanings of the two songs are contradictory.
57
Sommers’s song “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” is a prototype of an American
country song. The lyrics are a perfect example of a song that praises American values and
views, and as such a flawless example of the authentic country song generally. Although the
genre of country and folk music has a long tradition in our country, the songs are closely
associated with the basic historical conventions of the United States. Therefore, it can never
have the same meaning for a Czech or Czechoslovak listener. And even less so if the lyrics
are translated.
When working with the text of Sommer’s song, Vladimír Poštulka has gone further
with the adapting process, and whether it was intentional or not, he created lyrics that, in a
way, ridicule the original:
Sommers 1975: lines 1-4:
Well life on the farm is kinda laid back
Ain’t much an old country boy like me can’t hack
It’s early to rise, early in the sack
Thank God I’m a country boy
Poštulka 1977: lines 1-4:
To já vždycky žil jen v rámusu měst
a milióny prošel jsem jich na mou čest
nebudu lhát smíte se smát
Já dál slámu v botách mám
Literal translation:
I’ve always lived in the noise of the cities
And I walked through millions of them, honestly
I won’t lie, you can laugh
I still have the straw in my shoes
The last line of the example shows the connection between the two texts. Whereas in the
original, the protagonist talks about his life on the farm, his wife and children, the manual
labor and playing the fiddle, the Czech song’s protagonist’s life is exactly the opposite, even
though he is not quite suited for it. The first verse aptly summarizes the whole text – a
boy/man that “still has the straw in his shoes” has no place in the city. Sommers’s lyrics point
out the importance of God and religion in the lives of the American countrymen: “But the
Lord and my wife wouldn’t take it very good” (Sommers 1977: line 18), which does not show
at all in the Czech text. Even though the texts themselves cannot really be compared, the
58
Czech version possesses the characteristics of some of the adapted texts examined. Like in
many other lyrics this thesis deals with, even in this case, the American patriotism and
celebration of American life disappear and are replaced with features more relatable for the
Czechoslovak audience.
What does not make sense entirely is the fact that the protagonist of the Czech text has
“always lived in the noise of the cities” (author’s translation of Poštulka 1977: line 1), and
still, he says that he is the countryman that everyone mistook him for (Poštulka 1977: line 26).
Unlike the other songs examined so far, Poštulka’s “Sláma v botách” is written in a less
formal language, which gives the song a more realistic and authentic impression. Expressions
like “já vždycky žil” (line 1), “já se v městě narodil” (line 25) and “už dávno je mi fuk” (line
37) are those of common Czech that indicate the protagonist is a common man and no
scholar. Nonetheless, to imitate the style of the original – Sommers uses the English slang
expressions to indirectly characterize the protagonist: “kinda” (line 1), “ain’t” (line 2), g-
dropping, etc. – Poštulka would need to include more nonstandard Czech language to write
even less poetic and more authentic text.
4.2.15. “Lucille”
Roger Dale Bowling and Hal Bynum 1977:
Lucille
In a bar in Toledo across from the depot
On a barstool, she took off her ring
I thought I’d get closer so I walked on over
I sat down and asked her name
When the drinks finally hit her she said “I’m no quitter
But I finally quit livin’ on dreams
I’m hungry for laughter and here ever after
I’m after whatever the other life brings”
In the mirror, I saw him and I closely watched him
I thought how he looked out of place
He came to the woman who sat there beside me
He had a strange look on his face
The big hands were calloused, he looked like a mountain
For a minute I thought I was dead
Michael Janík 1979:
Lásko, mně ubývá sil
Já sám pozdě večer jsem do sálu vešel,
sedl za stůl a uslyšel smích,
krásná se zdála a na mě se smála,
já se zeptal, jak říkat jí smím.
Jestli chceš, tak mi tykej, jak chceš mi říkej
a máš-li touhu, tak líbat mne smíš
a bílá jak svíce už neřekla více
a já se jen díval, jak sedá si blíž.
A pak jsem ho spatřil, on k silákům patřil,
vzápětí namířil k nám,
já cítil, jak blednu a dech můj se krátí,
já malý byl a byl jsem sám.
To, co potom se stalo, mě úplně vzalo
měl začít a právem mě zbít,
59
But he started shaking, his big heart was breaking
He turned to the woman and said
“You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I’ve had some bad times, lived through some sad times
But this time your hurting won’t heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille”
After he left us, I ordered more whiskey
I thought how she’d made him look small
From the lights of the barroom to a rented hotel room
We walked without talking at all
She was a beauty but when she came to me
She must have thought I’d lost my mind
I couldn’t hold her ‘cause the words that he told her
Kept coming back time after time
“You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I’ve had some bad times, lived through some sad times
But this time your hurting won’t heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I’ve had some bad times, lived through some sad times
But this time your hurting won’t heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille”
však zničil mé plány, řek namísto rány slov pár,
dodnes slyším je znít.
Řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil,
já říkal si dávno, že bídným jsem byl,
já cítil se králem, teď chudák jsem málem
a v mlhách se ztrácí můj cíl,
řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil.
Dál vím, že zmizel jak spadané listí,
ale jeho stín nezmizel s ním,
my jsme dál tu hru hráli, ve dveřích stáli,
i tam s námi stál ten stín.
Byla krásná, jak nebe, já slyšel sám sebe,
jak říkám, že nepůjdu dál,
už nevím nic o ní, jen hlavou se honí
těch slov pár a stín co tam stál.
Řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil,
já říkal si dávno, že bídným jsem byl,
já cítil se králem, teď chudák jsem málem
a v mlhách se ztrácí můj cíl,
řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil.
Řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil,
já říkal si dávno, že bídným jsem byl,
já cítil se králem, teď chudák jsem málem
a v mlhách se ztrácí můj cíl,
řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil.
Table 16 “Lucille”
Although Janík did a good job preserving the overall message of the original song, the Czech
version is, once again, narrated a bit differently. Both the songs tell a story of a man that – in
a bar or a similar facility – encounters a woman that is above his level, and her ex-husband,
who comes to them and talks to her.
The main difference – as far as the meaning of the song is concerned – is the indirect
description of the female character. In the original, she is the pro-active one who gives the
signals to the protagonist by taking “off her ring” (Bowling and Bynum 1977: line 2) and
saying she is “after whatever the other life brings” (Bowling and Bynum 1977: line 8). In the
Czech version, the same nature is not attributed to her much, and she is portrayed as a
somewhat more reserved one.
60
Bowling and Bynum 1977: lines 1-8:
In a bar in Toledo across from the depot
On a barstool, she took off her ring
I thought I’d get closer so I walked on over
I sat down and asked her name
When the drinks finally hit her she said “I’m no quitter
But I finally quit livin’ on dreams
I’m hungry for laughter and here ever after
I’m after whatever the other life brings”
Janík 1979: lines 1-8:
Já sám pozdě večer jsem do sálu vešel,
sedl za stůl a uslyšel smích,
krásná se zdála a na mě se smála,
já se zeptal, jak říkat jí smím.
Jestli chceš, tak mi tykej, jak chceš mi říkej
a máš-li touhu, tak líbat mne smíš
a bílá jak svíce už neřekla více
a já se jen díval, jak sedá si blíž
Literal translation:
Late at night, I walked alone into the hall
I sat at the table and I heard a laughter
she seemed beautiful and she smiled at me
I asked her how I can call her
If you want, we can be on first-name terms,
you can call me whatever you like
and if you desire it, you can kiss me
and white as a candle she said nothing more
and I just watched as she was sitting closer
“Bar” changes into a “hall”, instead of taking her ring off, the woman just laughs at the
protagonist and the fact that when she starts to talk it is only because “the drinks finally hit
her” (Bowling and Bynum 1977: line 5) completely disappears. The alcohol vanishes from
another part of the text too. Although the Czech text is quite straightforward – in comparison
to others – the language in it is, too, more poetic than in the original. The line: “a máš-li
touhu, tak líbat mne smíš” (Janík 1979: lines 6) sounds a lot more archaically than it should in
a type of a song such as this.
Like in the case of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”, the American working-class
values disappear from the song and are ignored completely:
Bowling and Bynum 1977: lines 17-21:
“You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille
With four hungry children and a crop in the field
I’ve had some bad times, lived through some sad times
61
But this time your hurting won’t heal
You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille”
Janík 1979: lines 17-21:
Řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil,
já říkal si dávno, že bídným jsem byl,
já cítil se králem, teď chudák jsem málem
a v mlhách se ztrácí můj cíl,
řekl jí lásko, mně ubývá sil.
Literal translation:
He said to her, love, I’m losing my strength
I told myself a long time ago that I was miserable
I felt like a king and now I’m almost a loser
And my purpose is getting lost in the fog
He said to her, love, I’m losing my strength
What happens in the refrain completely changes the story that is being told. Whereas in the
original, the man is hurting because the woman left “with four hungry children and a crop in
the field” (Bowling and Bynum 1977: line 18), and there is indicated that she did something
similar before, because he says: “this time your hurting won’t heal” (Bowling and Bynum
1977: line 18), the Czech version is less definite. And what is more, the listener might be
under the impression that the man is the one to be blamed for the disagreements.
If the semantic discrepancies were ignored, stylistically, the Czech text is on a very
similar level. The grammar used corresponds with the original and had the sense stayed the
same, it would be a very successful translation. Nonetheless, the changes made to the lyrics
are too big to consider the target text a translation. Like in many other songs, the alcohol
disappears and the language is a bit more refined. And maybe because it would not be
exemplary to sing about a mother leaving a family of six, this fact vanishes from the text too.
Perhaps the most faithfully translated part of the lyrics is the second half of the last
verse. Unlike the first one wherein the Czech text, the protagonists are staying in the doorway
as opposed to the original, where the text explicitly says that they are heading “to a rented
hotel room” (Bowling and Bynum 1977: line 24). Changes like these are far from an isolated
case. It cannot be said for sure if the lyricist made them to fit the classic image of a nice song,
if the regime intervened or if the original message of the text simply did not appeal to the
artist.
62
4.2.16. “Coward of the County”
Roger Dale Bowling and Billy Edd Wheeler 1979:
Coward of the County
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He’d never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow
But something always told me, they were reading Tommy wrong
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy, ‘cause he was my brother’s son
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
“Son, my life is over, but yours has just begun”
“Promise me, son, not to do the things I’ve done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it won’t mean you’re weak if you turn the other cheek
I hope you’re old enough to understand
Son, you don’t have to fight to be a man”
There’s someone for everyone and Tommy’s love was Becky
In her arms, he didn’t have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky an’ there was three of them
Tommy opened up the door and saw Becky crying
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy’s picture
As his tears fell on his daddy’s face, he heard these words again
“Promise me, Son, not to do the things I’ve done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it won’t mean you’re weak if you turn the other cheek
I hope you’re old enough to understand
Son, you don’t have to fight to be a man”
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor
When Tommy turned around they said, “Hey look! Old Yellow’s leaving”
But you could’ve heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
He wasn’t holding nothing back, he let ‘em have it all
When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing
He said, “This one’s for Becky”, as he watched the last one fall
And I heard him say
“I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you’ve done
I walk away from trouble when I can
Now please don’t think I’m weak, I didn’t turn the other cheek
And Papa, I should hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a man”
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
Michael Janík 1981:
Drž se zpátky, chlapče můj
Říkávali: To je on, ten, co se stále bojí.
To snad ani není chlap, když neumí se prát.
Jeho jméno zapomněli a kdo chtěl hodit blátem,
Ten klidně blátem házel, ostatní se mohli smát.
Nejspíš nikdo nevěděl, co mu jeho táta řekl,
Od té doby uběhla už hezká řádka dní.
Můj soused o tom povídal, že slyšel, dřív než smekl,
Co na srdce mu kladl ve své chvíli poslední.
Stůj, klidně stůj a drž se zpátky, chlapče můj,
Od malérů drž se raděj dál.
Ruku na to dej, špatný příklad ve mně měj.
Já na siláka rád si často hrál,
Teď vidíš sám, za co můj život stál.
Pak přešla léta a pravá láska do cesty mu vešla.
Byla krásná jako sen, a kdekdo záviděl.
Když jednou byla sama, na návštěvu přišlo
Pár nezvaných hostí, každý dělal to, co chtěl.
Když pak vstoupil do dveří a uslyšel, jak pláče,
Pochopil, že stane se jen to, co udělá.
Kouk’ na obrázek táty a chvíli se mu zdálo,
že znovu slyší, jako kdysi, ta slova vzdálená.
Stůj, klidně stůj a drž se zpátky, chlapče můj,
Od malérů drž se raděj dál.
Ruku na to dej, špatný příklad ve mně měj.
Já na siláka rád si často hrál,
Teď vidíš sám, za co můj život stál.
Když po stopách těch výtečníků šel rozvážným krokem,
Prázdno v duši měl a v očích divný chlad.
Jen malou chvíli volali: To je ten, co se bojí.
Pak v tichu náhlém byl by slyšet špendlík, kdyby spad’.
Jen malá muška na zdi snad podívat se směla
Na spousty boulí, podlitin a různých jiných ran.
Když odcházel, tak oslovil ta sténajíci těla:
Jó, každý totiž uléhá, jak ustele si sám.
A pro sebe si řekl:
Já celý život svůj se držel zpátky, táto můj,
Vždyť vím, že to sis vždycky nejvíc přál.
Však nemá smyslu víc ráně nastavovat líc,
Když chlapem zkrátka člověk už se stal,
Tak přijde někdy čas, aby se pral.
Říkávali: To je on, ten, co se stále bojí.
Table 17 “Coward of the County”
Janík’s text is, once again, a good demonstration of the changes that were happening during
the process of translation – or adaptation – of the American songs during the Normalization
63
period in Czechoslovakia. In terms of meaning, the Czech lyrics might seem identical to their
original. Yet closer examination ensures the differences start popping up.
Bowling and Wheeler 1979: lines 1-4:
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He’d never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow
But something always told me, they were reading Tommy wrong
Janík 1979: lines 1-4:
Říkávali: To je on,
ten, co se stále bojí.
To snad ani není chlap, když neumí se prát.
Jeho jméno zapomněli
a kdo chtěl hodit blátem,
Ten klidně blátem házel, ostatní se mohli smát.
Literal translation:
They used to say: That’s him,
the one that is scared all the time
He’s not even a man, when he cannot fight
They forgot his name
and who wanted to throw the mud
Threw the mud and the others just laughed
As with other songs this thesis deals with, the changes identified are the most common on the
level of imagery of the text. The English text is direct, and the descriptions of events, things,
and actions are specific. Whereas in the original, the protagonist is called the “coward of the
county” (Bowling and Wheeler 197: line 1), in the Czech version, he is depicted as “the one
that is scared all the time” (author’s translation of Janík 1981: line 1) which is an expression
far less expressive than the original one.
The protagonist’s and his love’s names, the timings, and some of the facts – like the
one that “his daddy died in prison” (Bowling and Wheeler 1979: line 5) either disappear or
get replaced with more general information:
Bowling and Wheeler 1979: lines 14-17:
There’s someone for everyone and Tommy’s love was Becky
In her arms, he didn’t have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky an’ there was three of them
Janík 1979: lines 14-17:
Pak přešla léta
Literal translation:
Then years had passed
64
a pravá láska do cesty mu vešla.
Byla krásná jako sen,
a kdekdo záviděl.
Když jednou byla sama,
na návštěvu přišlo pár nezvaných hostí,
každý dělal to, co chtěl.
and a true love had crossed his way
She was beautiful as a dream
and everyone envied him
Once when she was alone,
a few uninvited guests came to visit,
every one of them did what they wanted
Aside from the fact that a lot of information is omitted, the ones that are preserved are
communicated differently. The phrase: “One day while he was working” (Bowling and
Wheeler 1979: line 16) explicitly says when the event occurred, the Czech “když jednou byla
sama” (Janík 1981: line 16) is somewhat remote and much less specific. There is probably no
need to say that the fact that the “Gatlin boys […] took turns at Becky” (Bowling and
Wheeler 1979: lines 16-17) is euphemized – the Czech text says that “the uninvited guests
[…] did what they wanted” (author’s translation of Janík 1981: lines 16-17) which describes
the same situation, but not quite accurately – or specifically enough.
The original can be considered a natural and authentic piece of work, the Czech text,
although the theme of it is the same, reads somewhat differently. The lyricists probably aimed
to create more likable lyrics that would not provoke as much as the originals.
4.2.17. “Stranger”
Kristoffer Kristofferson 1977:
Stranger
Maybe she was smilin’ in the mirror
Maybe I was too, ‘cause I was stoned
Singin’ every sad song on the juke-box one more time
Honey, they were hittin’ close to home
And I said - Maybe this’ll make you think I’m crazy
Honey, don’t feel lonesome if you do
But if you wanna make a young man happy one more time
I’d sure like to spend the night with you
And she said – Stranger shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin’ believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
Maybe you got all you got together
Vít Hrubín 1981:
Známě se míň, než chvíli
Její úsměv v zrcadle jsem zahlíd
Možná že i já se usmíval
Poslouchal jsem staré písně, co hrál automat
Zpíval jsem s ním, každou z nich jsem znal.
A já řek: vidíme se prvně, jsem tu cizí,
Ale cítím, že tě dlouho znám,
A pokud tě snad trápí, že jsi sama jako já,
Dám ti radu, chci být s tebou sám.
Ona řekla: Vím, že známe se míň než chvíli,
Jen chvíli budem se možná mít,
Věř mi chvíli, že máme se léta rádi,
Tu chvíli, s tebou chci kde chceš být.
Možná máš jen to, co nosíš s sebou,
65
Maybe you keep rollin’ like a stone
Maybe some old lonesome song’ll take you by surprise
And leave you just a little more alone
Singing – Stranger shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin’ believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
Keep Singing – Stranger shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin’ believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
Možná máš jen to, co já ti dám,
Snad až se mnou tuhle starou píseň dozpíváš,
Budeš ještě víc než před tím sám.
Já vím, že známe se míň než chvíli,
Jen chvíli budem se možná mít,
Věř mi chvíli, že máme se léta rádi,
Tu chvíli, s tebou chci kde chceš být.
Řekla: vím, že známe se míň než chvíli,
Jen chvíli budem se možná mít,
Věř mi chvíli, že máme se léta rádi…
Table 18 “Stranger”
Although Hrubín did a good job transferring the original meaning of the text, the lyrics of
“Známe se míň, než chvíli” are no exception to the rule that the Czech songs miss something
in comparison with their English-written originals. The changes, though, are not nearly as
extensive as in the other texts.
Kristofferson 1977: lines 1-4:
Maybe she was smilin’ in the mirror
Maybe I was too, ‘cause I was stoned
Singin’ every sad song on the juke-box one more time
Honey, they were hittin’ close to home
Hrubín 1981: lines 1-4:
Její úsměv v zrcadle jsem zahlíd
Možná že i já se usmíval
Poslouchal jsem staré písně, co hrál automat
Zpíval jsem s ním, každou z nich jsem znal.
Literal translation:
I saw her smile in the mirror
Maybe I was smiling too
I listened to the old songs from the jukebox
I sang with it, I knew all of them
The source text is translated quite literally, nonetheless, the strategy of omitting
the controversial topics, such as smoking, drinking, violent behavior, etc., as well as avoiding
the translation of English idiomatic expressions and replacing them with more neutral Czech
ones is applied. These strategies make the target text somewhat flattened and not as authentic
as the original.
Whereas in the original, right in the second line, the protagonist says that he was
smiling “‘cause [he] was stoned” (Kristofferson 1977: line 2), in the Czech lyrics, the element
66
of smoking (a joint, presumably) completely disappears. The lyricist does not even make the
effort of substituting it with something more acceptable – or something the listener could
relate to – that would preserve the original mood of the lyrics better. With an omission like
this, the text acquires a whole other subtext, although it is very similar to Kristofferson’s
version.
Another feature that occurs in this case (as in many others) is replacing the idioms and
elements of spoken English that help to create the impression of the realness of the lyrics –
with non-idiomatic, standard Czech language expressions. This results in a noticeable
reduction of the target texts’ authenticity and spontaneity. In the original, the songs the
protagonist sings about are “hittin’ close to home” (Kristofferson 1977: line 4), which could
likely be translated more suitably than the prosy: “každou z nich jsem znal” (Hrubín 1981:
line 4).
Although the texts are very similar and it looks like a translation, the slight alterations
and deletions make it a case of adaptation. The line between the two types of target texts is,
though, very thin. And with narrative songs, such are the ones by Kris Kristofferson, the
translation process is bound to be more difficult than in cases of others. The changes made
can probably be attributed to the rules implied in the period in which the Czech versions – not
only this particular one – were created. The notion of a song appropriate for being performed
during the normalization era was definitely different from what was acceptable in the US at
that time.
The refrain, too, is noticeably different, although its message is the same:
Kristofferson 1977: lines 9-12:
And she said – Stranger shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin’ believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
67
Hrubín 1981: lines 9-12:
Ona řekla: Vím,
že známe se míň než chvíli,
Jen chvíli budem se možná mít,
Věř mi chvíli,
že máme se léta rádi,
Tu chvíli,
s tebou chci kde chceš být.
Literal translation:
She said: I know
we’ve known each for other less than a moment
Only for a moment, we will maybe have each other
Trust me for a moment
that we’ve liked each other for years
For a moment,
I want to be with you where you want to be
The lyrics have the same form, and they tell the same story, the Czech version is, though,
euphemized a great deal. “And while we lay there, makin’ believe you love me”
(Kristofferson 1977: line 11) indicates a different turn of events than the innocent Czech:
“Věř mi chvíli, že máme se léta rádi” (Hrubín 1981: line 11). The Czech version of the lyrics
seems to be short of the information that makes it rich and spicy. Once again, the author’s
distinctive style is superseded by the neutral and common one. Hrubín tries to approximate
the style of the original. He does so by using the colloquial Czech expressions – mainly
skipping endings in past tenses of verbs – which is not enough, unfortunately.
4.2.18. “My Rifle, My Pony and Me”
Paul Francis Webster 1959:
My Rifle My Pony and Me
The sun is sinking in the west
The cattle go down to the stream
The redwing settles in the nest
It’s time for a cowboy to dream
Purple light in the canyons
That’s where I long to be
With my three good companions
Just my rifle, pony and me
Gonna hang (gonna hang) my sombrero (my sombrero)
On the limb (on the limb) of a tree (of a tree)
Coming home (coming home) sweetheart darling (sweetheart darling)
Just my rifle, pony and me
Just my rifle, my pony and me
(Whippoorwill in the willow
Sings a sweet melody
Riding to Amarillo)
Michael Žantovský 1984:
Mé tělo má duše a já
Já bloudil ulicemi měst
a nenašel nic oč bych stál
mé dlaně zšedly prachem cest
jen má touha mě nutí jít dál
Cesta má se v dálce ztrácí
a bezcílnou se mi zdá
jen šlápot pár tou cestou kráčí
jen mé tělo duše a já
Každý z nás jinam míří
každý svou cestu má
jen šlápot pár mou cestou zvíří
jen mé tělo duše a já
možná však, že někde v dáli
za obzorem se protíná
cestá má (cesta má) s něčí jinou (s něčí jinou)
68
Just my rifle, pony and me
No more cows (no more cows) to be roping (to be roping)
No more strays will I see
Round the bend (round the bend) she’ll be waiting (she’ll be waiting)
For my rifle, pony and me
For my rifle, my pony and me
pak mé tělo má duše a já
pochopí (pochopí), že došli k cíli (došli k cíli)
ani smrt (ani smrt) pak není zlá
pak prach všech cest smyjem z dlaní
mé tělo, duše a já
moje tělo má duše a já
Table 19 “My Rifle, My Pony and Me”
The replacement text written by Michael Žantovský is a peculiar case of what might seem like
an adaptation at a first sight/listen. The main reason for this is the trinity in its name and the
whole text. However, the original tells a story of a cowboy, traveling with his horse and a
firearm, that changes into an almost spiritual song. Žantovský’s text tells about the
inevitability of reaching the end of the proverbial road of life. The triad of “rifle”, “pony” and
“me” (Webster 1959) changes into very poetic and almost spiritual “body”, “soul” and “me”
(author’s translation of Žantovský 1984) that completely changes the whole theme of the
song.
Webster’s version of the song is a classic example of an old western – or cowboy –
song; it is promoting the values of the American life of the 19th century as well as praising the
beauty of American nature. The song “My Rifle, My Pony and Me” was featured in a 1959
Western movie about a town in Texas and the events that took place there (AFI|Catalog).
Although the genre of Western movies and books was familiar in Czechoslovakia and a large
portion of folk and country songs were about cowboys and the Wild West, Žantovský decided
to change the meaning of the song completely. One can only guess what caused his decision
to do so since the source text is not a violent or otherwise inappropriate one.
Webster 1959: lines 1-4:
The sun is sinking in the west
The cattle go down to the stream
The redwing settles in the nest
It’s time for a cowboy to dream
Žantovský 1984: lines 1-4: Literal translation:
69
Já bloudil ulicemi měst
a nenašel nic oč bych stál
mé dlaně zšedly prachem cest
jen má touha mě nutí jít dál
I wandered the streets of the cities
And I found nothing that would interest me
My palms turned grey with the dust of the roads
Only my desire makes me move on
Instead of describing the nature of the Wild West and rhapsodizing its beauties, the Czech
text’s protagonist tells a story about rambling the streets and about how his “road is getting
lost in the distance” (author’s translation of Žantovský 1984: line 5). The lyrics, again, end up
implying – like Poštulka’s “Veď mě dál, cesto má” – that all roads lead to an inevitable end.
Although the original text suggests that there is, in fact, an end of a road – of a
lonesome cowboy who is “coming home [to his] sweetheart darling” (Webster 1959: line 11)
– the Czech text speaks about a completely different road and about the unavoidable reaching
of the destination (Žantovský 1984: line 18) and claims that “ani smrt pak není zlá /pak prach
všech cest smyjem z dlaní / mé tělo, má duše a já” (Žantovský 1984: lines 19-21).
The changes made to the text are very similar to those that can be observed in the case
of the lyrics of “Veď mě dál, cesto má”, written almost ten years earlier by Vladimír Poštulka,
already mentioned in the subchapter 4.2.10.
4.2.19. “Birthday Song”
Don McLean 1972:
Birthday Song
If I could say the things I feel,
it wouldn’t be the same
Some things are not spoken of,
some things have no name
And though the words come hard to me
I’ll say them just for you
For this is something rare for me
this feeling is so new
You see I love the way you love me
Love the way you smile at me
I love the way we live this life we’re in
Long ago I heard the song
Vladimír Poštulka 1984:
Právě tak
Měl bych možná něco říct
Ale nevím, jak
O tom, co je za námi
A co bude pak
Slovy se to nedá snad
Jsou věci, které vím
A náhle zmizí, bůh ví kam
Dřív, než je vyslovím
Vím jen že právě tak se díváš
A právě tak se usmíváš
A právě tak i já tě mám nejraději
Jednu starou písničku
70
that lovers sing to me
And through the days with each new phrase
I hummed that melody
And all along I loved the song
but I never learned it through
But since the day you came along,
I’ve saved it just for you
You see I love the way you love me
Love the way you smile at me,
I love the way we live this life we’re in
I don’t believe in magic
but I do believe in you
And when you say you believe in me
There’s so much magic I can do
Now you see me, now you don’t
watch me dive below
Deep down in your love lake
where the sweet fish come and go
And I might sink, and I might drown
but death don’t mean a thing
‘Cause life continues right or wrong
when I play this Birthday song
I learned from you
And you can’t even sing...
Jsem slyšel někde hrát
Dobře nevím, čím to je
Ale mám ji dodnes rád
Vím, že možná správně má
Jinak znít, než ji hraju já
Kéž ji přijmeš místo prázdných slov
Je tobě podobná
Ty totiž právě tak se díváš
A právě tak se usmíváš
A právě tak i já tě mám nejraději
Nejsou to žádná kouzla
Věřím spíše náhodám
Nemám nic, než jen spoustu plánů
Ale rád ti všechny dám
Naučím se hrát ten song
Nač mi slova jsou
Skočím do té tůně
Kde se zlaté rybky třou
A možná víc mě nespatříš
To vůbec nevadí
Vždyť vím, že život půjde dál
Před chvílí tu někdo hrál
Ten starý song
Co znám už tolik dní
Table 20 “Birthday Song”
Although the lyrics of the Czech version of Don McLean’s song are not transferred to Czech
quite literally, there is no substantial shift in the meaning of Poštulka’s version. The language
of both versions is similarly simple and relevant. There are no overly poetic expressions that
would change the initial mood of the English-written version. In spite of the fact that the word
“love” that occurs throughout the original text is changed for a perhaps semantically weaker
“like”, the theme and the overall impression of the songs are the same.
McLean 1972: lines 12-19:
Long ago I heard the song
That lovers sing to me
And through the days with each new phrase
I hummed that melody
And all along I loved that song but I never learned it through
But since the day you came along
I’ve saved it just for you
71
Poštulka 1984: lines 12-19:
Jednu starou písničku
Jsem slyšel někde hrát
Dobře nevím, čím to je
Ale mám ji dodnes rád
Vím, že možná správně má
Jinak znít, než ji hraju já
Kéž ji přijmeš místo prázdných slov
Je tobě podobná
Literal translation:
An old song
I heard playing somewhere
I don’t know why
But I still like it
I know it should probably sound
Different from how I play it
May you accept it instead of empty words
It is like you
Though the lyrics are not identical, they tell the same story. Some of the passages are more
alike, some are altered to a greater extent, but the main message of both the texts stays the
same.
McLean 1972: lines 27-36:
Now you see me, now you don’t
watch me dive below
Deep down in your love lake
where the sweet fish come and go
And I might sink, and I might drown
but death don’t mean a thing
‘Cause life continues right or wrong
when I play this Birthday song
I learned from you
And you can’t even sing...
Poštulka 1984: lines 27-36:
Naučím se hrát ten song
Nač mi slova jsou
Skočím do té tůně
Kde se zlaté rybky třou
A možná víc mě nespatříš
To vůbec nevadí
Vždyť vím, že život půjde dál
Před chvílí tu někdo hrál
Ten starý song
Co znám už tolik dní
Literal translation:
I will learn to play that song
What do I need the words for
I will jump into the pool
Where the golden fish spawn
And maybe you won’t see me ever again
That doesn’t matter at all
Because I know that life will go on
Just a while ago someone played here
That old song
I have known for so many days
The strategy that occurs throughout the Czech text and can be demonstrated on the example
above is the implicitation. Whereas in the original, the text says: “And I might sink, and I
72
might drown / But death don’t mean a thing” (McLean 1972: lines 31-32), the Czech text
euphemizes the statement by only implying the same information by the lines: “A možná víc
mě nespatříš, to vůbec nevadí” (Poštulka 1984: lines 31-32). This change in explicitness
results in the target text being somewhat more poetic, for it tries to avoid the specific
descriptions of events and replaces them with less informative ones.
There are, nonetheless, instances where the source text is more poetic (even more
explicit) than the target text. The “love lake” (McLean 1972: line 29) is substituted by a
“pool” (Poštulka 1984: line 29), and the “song that lovers sing to [the protagonist]” (McLean
1972: lines 12-13) becomes “an old song that was playing somewhere” (author’s translation
of Poštulka 1984: lines 12-13). These instances are somehow equalizing the level of the two
lyrics and make them more balanced as far as the explicitness and imagery go
4.2.20. “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer”
Kim Carnes, David Ellingson 1980:
Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer
Just look at you sitting there
You never looked better than tonight
And it’d be so easy to tell ya I’d stay
Like I’ve done so many times
I was so sure this would be the night
You’d close the door and want to stay with me
And it’d be so easy to tell ya I’ll stay
Like I’ve done so many times
Don’t fall in love with a dreamer
‘Cause he’ll always take you in
Just when you think you’ve really changed him
He’ll leave you again
Don’t fall in love with a dreamer
‘Cause he’ll break you every time
Oh, put out the light
Just hold on
Before we say goodbye
Now it’s mornin’ and the phone rings
And you say you’ve gotta get your things together
You just gotta leave before ya change your mind
And if ya knew what I was thinkin’, girl
I’d turn around if you’d just ask me one more time
Vladimír Poštulka 1986:
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej
Když odcházím, předem vím,
Co řečí zas zítra uslyšíš.
Nemůžeš být víc krásná, než si právě teď,
Když Tě cítím blíž a blíž.
Já naštěstí jsem už dospělá
A lásku člověk stěží utají.
A tak si málo všímám, když zkušení a moudří
Tisíckrát nám říkají.
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej,
Má jen spoustu krásných gest,
Bude Tě chtít do svých snů vlákat,
Do svých síti vplést.
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej,
Nenechá si svůj klid vzít.
Prý slova jen lžou,
Marná jsou,
Když vím, že mám už jít.
Teď je ráno, čajník píská,
Zas se spálím, jako mockrát předtím,
Jenže neumím si na lásku jen hrát.
A tak i já každý den poslouchám,
Jak někdo říká, abych Tě míň, než mám, měl rád.
73
Don’t fall in love with a dreamer
‘Cause he’ll always take you in
Just when you think you’ve really changed him
He’ll leave you again
Don’t fall in love with a dreamer
‘Cause he’ll break you every time
Ooooooh, put out the light
Just hold ooon
Before we say goodbye
Before we say goodbye
Goodbye
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej,
Má jen spoustu krásných gest,
Bude Tě chtít do svých snů vlákat,
Do svých sítí vplést.
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej,
Nenechá si svůj klid vzít.
Prý slova jen lžou,
Marná jsou,
Když vím, že mám už jít
Když vím, že mám už jít
Mám jít
Table 21 “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer”
“He’s letting her know that he’ll be out of there. They’re saying it to each other, but it’s really
a confessional to her on the last night they’ll be together.” (Carnes, Roger’s Duet: “Don’t
Fall in Love With a Dreamer”?) Kim Carnes and David Ellingson wrote a song about two
people who love each other and find it hard to leave one another, although they know it is the
best thing they can do. There is no third party having an opinion on their relationship. It is a
dialogue in which they share their feelings and thoughts.
The Czech version is seemingly very similar even though the protagonists are not the
ones who want to end their relationship instead they are advised to do so from the outside. It
is indicated right in the first verse when the protagonist says: “Když odcházím, předem vím, /
co řečí zas zítra uslyšíš.” (Poštulka 1986: lines 1-2). From these first two lines, it is clear that
the important thing is not how the two lovers feel but what the others will think about their
relationship. There are several references to what the outside world thinks about their life
throughout the song.
Carnes and Ellingson 1980: lines 5-8:
I was so sure this would be the night
You’d close the door and want to stay with me
And it’d be so easy to tell ya I’ll stay
Like I’ve done so many times
Poštulka 1986: lines 5-8:
Literal translation:
74
Já naštěstí jsem už dospělá
A lásku člověk stěží utají.
A tak si málo všímám,
když zkušení a moudří
Tisíckrát nám říkají.
Fortunately, I’m an adult now
And love is hard to hide.
And so I pay little attention
When the experienced and the wise
Tell us a thousand times.
The refrain of the original is supposedly something the others would say had they had the
chance to do so. Or perhaps it is something the protagonists heard several times from people
around them. It is, nonetheless, right, they cannot be together, and they know it. The words of
the refrains are very similar, it is the rest of the song points out what the others are often
saying to the two lovers.
Carnes and Ellingson 1980: lines 9-17:
Don’t fall in love with a dreamer
‘Cause he’ll always take you in
Just when you think you’ve really changed him
He’ll leave you again
Don’t fall in love with a dreamer
‘Cause he’ll break you every time
Oh, put out the light
Just hold on
Before we say goodbye
Poštulka 1986: lines 9-17:
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej,
Má jen spoustu krásných gest,
Bude Tě chtít do svých snů vlákat,
Do svých síti vplést.
S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej,
Nenechá si svůj klid vzít.
Prý slova jen lžou,
Marná jsou,
Když vím, že mám už jít.
Literal translation:
Don’t start anything with that fool
He just has a lot of beautiful gestures
He’ll want to lure you into his dreams
Weave you into his nets
Don’t start anything with that fool
He won’t let you take his peace away
They say words only lie
They are useless
When I know, I have to go
The message of the refrain of both versions is identical, the rest of the song not that much.
Although the refrain probably sums up the advice the lovers were given by others, there is no
direct indication of it anywhere else in the text. By contrast, the Czech text is crawling with
them. Maybe it was more relatable for people – in the mind of the translator or the controller
– that the protagonists would want to leave each other because of the outside influence:
75
Carnes and Ellingson 1980: lines 18-22:
Now it’s mornin’ and the phone rings
And you say you’ve gotta get your things together
You just gotta leave before ya change your mind
And if ya knew what I was thinkin’, girl
I’d turn around if you’d just ask me one more time
Poštulka 1986: lines 18-22:
Teď je ráno, čajník píská,
Zas se spálím, jako mockrát předtím,
Jenže neumím si na lásku jen hrát.
A tak i já každý den poslouchám,
Jak někdo říká,
Abych Tě míň, než mám, měl rád.
Literal translation:
Now it’s morning, and the teapot whistles
I’ll burn myself again, like so many times before
But I cannot just act being in love
And so every day even I listen to
Someone saying
To like you less than I do
The difference between the two texts is perhaps best shown towards the end of the lyrics in
the last verse. Whereas in the original, the feelings and actions discussed are only limited to
what the protagonists say and do, the Czech version implicitly says that someone is telling
them what to do.
As far as the language of the songs is concerned, the texts are very alike. The language
is similarly simple and straightforward, there are some idioms used in both of the versions
that keep the lyrics appealing but not overly poetic. The similarity might be a result of
preserving the original form of a dialogue which probably allowed less room for change than
if the translator decided to change the structure of the song completely.
Poštulka even wanted to preserve the original ending of the song to make the Czech
version resemble the English one even more – he kept the English word “goodbye” in the last
line of the refrain. The controllers, though, returned the text and said it needed to be altered
for the English word is too Americanizing (Česká televize 2004). Such comments made by the
inspectors controlling the Czech cover versions of Western songs might have been the reason
for the numerous alterations in most of them.
76
4.2.21. “Sail Away”
Rafe Van Hoy 1977:
Sail Away
Across the bay a lady waits to hold me tight
And my boat and I are ready to set sail
If the weather keeps on holdin’ and the wind is right
I’ll be wrapped up in my sweet one’s arms tonight
And we will sail away on the wings of love into the night
Cast out our fortunes on the sea
Then we will go to sleep together with the rocking of the water
And dream of how our life will someday be
When she sails away with me
As I skip across the waves my sails are high and full
My mind is on the one I wait to see
And I dream about an island somewhere in my mind
Where someday I will take her off with me
And we will sail away on the wings of love into the night
Cast out our fortunes on the sea
Then we will go to sleep together with the rocking of the water
And dream of how our life will someday be
When she sails away with me
Then a smile comes upon me as I look across the bow
I see a lady on the side
But she will wait no more as I head for the shore
‘Cause tonight I’m gonna take her for a ride
And we will sail away on the wings of love into the night
Cast out our fortunes on the sea
Then we will go to sleep together with the rocking of the water
And dream of how our life will someday be
When she sails away with me
Sail away on the wings of love into the night
Cast out our fortunes on the sea
Then we will go to sleep together with the rocking of the water
And dream of how our life will someday be
When she sails away with me
Sail away on the wings of love into the night
Vladimír Poštulka 1987:
A tak to půjde dál
Když píseň narodí se, vždycky zdá se mi,
že ty předešlé svou slávou přeskočí.
Ale pak je všechno jinak, nic se nezmění.
Musím podívat se pravdě do očí.
A tak to půjde dál, stane se jen to, co má se stát
Vždycky se úspěch neslaví.
Vím, že čas je soudce přísný, vybírá z té spousty písní
a jen pár jich to přečká ve zdraví.
Těch už se jen tak nezbavím
Zase sítě budu házet, a co vylovím,
to si snadno můžu se zlatou rybkou splést.
Možná ze všech pístní tíhnu právě k takovým,
které nechtějí si říkat o potlesk
A tak to půjde dál, stane se jen to, co má se stát
Vždycky se úspěch neslaví.
Vím, že čas je soudce přísný, vybírá z té spousty písní
a jen pár jich to přečká ve zdraví.
Těch už se jen tak nezbavím
Ale pak se náhle stane, že se píseň objeví
a ta se líbí mě i vám.
Je tu a nezmizí, jde se mnou a já jdu s ní.
Je tu i když ji zrovna nezpívám.
A tak to půjde dál, stane se jen to, co má se stát
Vždycky se úspěch neslaví.
Vím, že čas je soudce přísný, vybírá z té spousty písní
a jen pár jich to přečká ve zdraví.
Těch už se jen tak nezbavím
Table 22 “Sail Away”
Like in the cases of the majority of the replacement texts this thesis deals with, the text of the
original is completely substituted by one that has nothing in common with it. This might seem
like an unnecessary comment, nonetheless in the case of the lyrics of the song “Sláma v
botách”, the situation is different.
77
Although there is no obvious political or ideological reason for the lyrics to be
changed completely, the author of the Czech text decided to do so. A love song about sailing
to the protagonist’s beloved one changes into a song about songwriting with a sort of a
nihilistic undertone.
Van Hoy 1977: lines 5-9:
And we will sail away on the wings of love into the night
Cast out our fortunes on the sea
Then we will go to sleep together with the rocking of the water
And dream of how our life will someday be
When she sails away with me
Poštulka 1987: lines 5-9:
A tak to půjde dál,
stane se jen to, co má se stát
Vždycky se úspěch neslaví.
Vím, že čas je soudce přísný,
vybírá z té spousty písní
a jen pár jich to přečká ve zdraví.
Těch už se jen tak nezbavím
Literal translation:
And so it will go on,
whatever is supposed to happen, happens
You can’t always celebrate success
I know that time is a strict judge,
it chooses from the plenty of songs
And only a few survive in good health
I can’t get rid of them easily
Like in the cases of “Veď mě dál, cesto má”, “Pojď stoupat jak dým” and “Mé tělo, má duše a
já”, the original text of the song is substituted with one that resignedly comments on the
inevitable events of human life. What distinguishes this one from the others mentioned above
is the fact that the source lyrics are completely harmless as far as the concerns of the
communist regime go. Whereas with the songs investigated earlier in the thesis, the original
lyrics were rhapsodizing the American nature, American way of life or they had an
objectionable theme – like the one of smoking of a joint – “Sail Away” is a love song with no
elements that might have been an issue in the time of the normalization. Still, the lyricist
altered the text considerably and made it into another song about the inevitable turn of events.
78
4.2.22. “My Hometown”
Bruce Springsteen 1985:
My hometown
I was eight years old
And running with a dime in my hand
To the bus stop to pick
Up a paper for my old man
I’d sit on his lap in that big old Buick
And steer as we drove through town
He’d tousle my hair and say, son, take a good look around
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
In ‘65 tension was running high
At my high school
There was a lot of fights
Between the black and white
There was nothing you could do
Two cars at a light on a Saturday night
In the back seat there was a gun
Words were passed in a shotgun blast
Troubled times had come
To my hometown
To my hometown
To my hometown
To my hometown
Now Main Street’s whitewashed windows
And vacant stores
Seems like there ain’t nobody
Wants to come down here no more
They’re closing down the textile mill
Across the railroad tracks
Foreman says, these jobs are going,
boys and they ain’t coming back
To your hometown
To your hometown
To your hometown
To your hometown
Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
Talking about getting out
Packing up our bags, maybe heading south
I’m thirty-five, we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel
And said, son, take a good look around
This is your hometown
Michael Žantovský 1988:
Můj rodný dům
Bylo mi šestnáct let
já znát chtěl svět, náš dům byl jen mříž,
Táta jen kýv,
řek’ máš svůj věk, tak pojď chlapče blíž.
Do kapsy sáh a dal mi klíč,
řek cestu dál už znáš
Až poznáš svět a budeš chtít kam se vrátit máš.
Je to tvůj rodný dům
Tvůj rodný dům
Tvůj rodný dům
Tvůj rodný dům
Pak přešel čas a přišel mi list
Můj strýc mi psal
A já věděl dřív
Než jsem začal číst,
že si bůh tátu k sobě vzal
Na vlak jsem sed, pak městem šel
A dlouho bloudil tmou,
Ale když jsem vzhléd’, náhle jako stín
Tam stál přede mnou
Můj rodný dům,
Můj rodný dům
Můj rodný dům
Můj rodný dům
Náš plot, rozbitá okna
a pár holých zdí,
Stará houpací židle,
Nikdo však neseděl v ní,
Byl tam cizí muž,
Na šatech prach, bílou přilbu měl,
Klíč mi na zem spad a můj vlastní
hlas náhle se chvěl,
To je můj rodný dům,
Můj rodný dům
Můj rodný dům
Můj rodný dům
Řek’ měl jste přijít dřív, už není čas,
Raději běžte kousek dál.
Za pár dní tu bude nová trať a ten dům nám v cestě stál.
Pak vyšlehl blesk a děsný třesk z úst mu slova vzal,
Já dál tam stál a do očí
černý prach mi slzy hnal,
Můj rodný dům
Můj rodný dům
Table 23 “My Hometown”
79
The original lyrics are a testimony of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in the American East. They
were inspired by the events that took place in the United States and that influenced the lives
of a great number of American working-class people, such as a car accident Springsteen
witnessed in 1965, etc. (My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen). The Czech cover version starts
similarly with describing the idyllic memories of childhood but the overall message ends up
being different and in the next verses, the lyrics differ more and more.
Springsteen 1985: lines 1-8:
I was eight years old
And running with a dime in my hand
To the bus stop to pick
Up a paper for my old man
I’d sit on his lap in that big old Buick
And steer as we drove through town
He’d tousle my hair and say, son, take a good look around
This is your hometown
Žantovský 1988: lines 1-8:
Bylo mi šestnáct let
já znát chtěl svět,
náš dům byl jen mříž,
Táta jen kýv,
řek' máš svůj věk, tak pojď chlapče blíž.
Do kapsy sáh a dal mi klíč,
řek cestu dál už znáš
Až poznáš svět
a budeš chtít kam se vrátit máš.
Je to tvůj rodný dům
Literal translation:
I was sixteen years old
I wanted to know the world,
our house only meant bars
Dad just nodded
He said you’re old enough, so come closer boy
He reached into his pocket and gave me a key
He said you know the way
When you get to know the world
and you want to, you have a place to come back to.
It is your family home
Whereas the original describes the nostalgic memories of the protagonist’s childhood, the
Czech version talks about the teenage boy’s desire to go and discover the world outside his
house. The original continues with the protagonist witnessing the racial violence, economic
problems connected with “closing down the textile mill” (Springsteen 1985: line 29) resulting
in empty streets and “vacant stores” (Springsteen 1985: line 26) and finally leaving the
hometown with his partner and their child. The song closes as it began with a father and a son
driving through their hometown.
80
In the Czech version, the boy’s father dies several years after he leaves home. The
protagonist comes back only to spectate the demolition of the house. Whereas the original
ending implies that the memories of the family will be preserved and that maybe one day, the
protagonist’s son may return to his hometown and continue the tradition, the Czech version
ends with irreversible destruction of the house and the place to come back to:
Springsteen 1985: lines 36-42:
Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
Talking about getting out
Packing up our bags, maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five, we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel
And said, son, take a good look around
This is your hometown
Žantovský 1988: lines 1-8:
Řek' měl jste přijít dřív,
už není čas,
Raději běžte kousek dál.
Za pár dní tu bude nová trať
a ten dům nám v cestě stál.
Pak vyšlehl blesk a děsný třesk
z úst mu slova vzal,
Já dál tam stál a do očí
černý prach mi slzy hnal,
Můj rodný dům
Literal translation:
He said You should have come sooner,
there is no more time
You better step aside
In a few days, there will be a new track
and the house stood in the way
Then lightning flashed and a terrible bang
took the words right of his mouth
I was standing there and into my eyes
The black dust brought tears
My family home
As far as the language and imagery of the texts go, they are well balanced. There are almost
no instances of overly poetic expressions in the target text where there are none in the original
and the language is adjusted accordingly to fit the mood of the song. The Czech version is
clearly inspired by Springsteen’s version and to a certain extent, it tries to imitate it. The
mood of Žantovský’s lyrics is, nonetheless, again somewhat more pessimistic and hopeless in
contrast with the promising atmosphere of the original that, most of all is promoting the value
of the family.
81
4.3. Findings
Based on the thorough examination of all the lyrics listed in Table 1, at the beginning of this
chapter, it is possible to divide the texts into three categories discussed in the theoretical part
of the thesis. The boundaries between translation and adaptation are truly thin, but for most
cases, the type of the target text is clear, based on the amount of similarity to the source text.
Of the 22 Czech lyrics examined, there are nine translations, seven adaptations, and
six replacement texts. The texts in the category of “translations” are usually very free
translations – as is the case of majority translations of poetry and song – and some might
argue that a few of them should be considered adaptations (and vice versa). The reason for
this is the personal bias that must necessarily show when working with material such as this.
The author, nonetheless, tries to list enough reasons for justifying her decisions.
In the three subchapters below, the songs belonging to each of the three different
categories are listed. The features and the most common changes made in process of
translation/adaptation/writing the Czech lyrics of each of those categories are summarized.
The categories are sorted accordingly to the number of changes made in each of them; from
the most changed to the closest resembling their originals.
4.3.1. Replacement Texts
Year of
Release Name Author
1970 Úsvit Jiří Grossmann
1975 Pojď stoupat jak dým Vladimír Poštulka
1975 Veď mě dál, cesto má Vladimír Poštulka
1977 Sláma v botách Vladimír Poštulka
1984 Mé tělo, má duše a já Michael Žantovský
1987 A tak to půjde dál Vladimír Poštulka Table 24 Replacement texts
82
As was mentioned earlier, Bobek chose the songs he wanted to sing as well as the artists he
wanted to write the lyrics very consciously. He required the meaning of the original to be
preserved as well as its sound (Česká Televize 2004). He demanded the lyrics written for him
resembled the original as much as possible as far as the meaning and the sound were
concerned – which sometimes made it very difficult for the lyricists to create the Czech text.
In some cases, the lyricists did not succeed in preserving both, and the Czech lyrics are
so far from the original form that the result of the mediation can no longer be qualified as a
translation – or an adaptation – although the lyricists might have intended to do so. The task
of creating the Czech lyrics accordingly to Bobek’s wishes was definitely even harder,
considering the period in which they were written, and the regime that ruled the country back
then.
There is not much direct evidence that the lyricists were somehow – even obliguely –
forced by the regime to alter the lyrics. The changes made to them can, nonetheless, very
often be regarded as a result of the regime’s preferences and rules. When examining
Poštulka’s “Pojď stoupat jak dým”, the author of the thesis relies on the information obtained
from an article “NEJ HITY: Pavel Bobek – Raději víno, o trávě jen zpívám” (Dědek 2012)
and a television show Kam zmizel ten starý song (Česká televize 2004). In these sources,
Vladimír Poštulka – the man who created hundreds of lyrics for Pavel Bobek and other
Czechoslovak artists – admits that some of the changes made to the lyrics were forced by the
Communist censorship.
Out of the six replacement texts, two are rather entertaining. The lyrics of “Úsvit” are
mainly supposed to imitate the sound of the English language and the original rhymes and
rhythms which helped Jiří Grossmann with writing a mellow love song. In the case of the
song “Sláma v botách”, the Czech text in a way ridicules the original, yet not overly or
83
unmannerly. The sound simulates the original, and it could, perhaps, be even considered a
special type of adaptation – for the themes of the songs are related.
The strategy of replacing the original text with one that has no overt relationship to the
original and instead the target lyrics have somewhat hopeless and fatalistic undercurrent can
be observed in the remaining four of the song lyrics investigated in this thesis. Three of these
four lyrics are works of Vladimír Poštulka, and therefore the changes made might be
attributed to his style rather than to anything else.
The song “Pojď stoupat jak dým” is a unique case about which the author of the lyrics
himself says that he managed to preserve the original meaning in it. It is only well hidden so
the lyrics passed the censorship test. He, nonetheless, did so good a job hiding it that not
many – if any – listeners managed to interpret it correctly. Lyrics describing the act of
smoking a joint were replaced with text about letting go and traveling up to the skies.
As for the meaning of the remaining three songs, the shifts are significant, although
often somewhat illogical – for the original meaning is not really objectionable for the regime
or otherwise potentially harmful for the Czechoslovak listeners. The lyrics concerned are:
“Take Me Home, Country Roads”, “My Rifle, My Pony and Me” and “Sail Away” and
consequently “Veď mě dál, cesto má”, “Mé tělo, má duše a já” and “A tak to půjde dál”.
The first two lyrics’ originals are celebrating the beauties of American nature and
the home in it. The last one is a love song about sailing and traveling to the loved one. They
are all replaced with texts about reaching the proverbial destination and about the inevitable
end of life.
84
4.3.2. Adaptations
Year of
Release Name Author
1971 Krajem já šel Jiří Grossmann
1975 Má dívka ‘N’ Vladimír Poštulka
1975 Tak já se loučím Zdeněk Rytíř
1977 Proč mám v koutě stát Vladimír Poštulka
1979 Lásko, mně ubývá sil Zdeněk Rytíř
1986 S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej Michael Janík
1988 Můj rodný dům Vít Hrubín Table 25 Adaptations
The shifts and changes that are perhaps the most difficult to determine are present in the
category of adaptations. After hearing/reading the two versions of the songs, the
listener/reader might often be under the impression that the lyrics are identical – or at least
very similar. Once the research begins, the discrepancies start to show.
Interestingly, the meaning of the target songs changes - in contrast to replacement
texts and translations - whereas language-wise and stylistically, the texts are on a very similar
level. This might be caused by the fact that the deflection from the original meaning allows
the author of the target text to use more similar language. There are, of course, cases when the
Czech versions are confirming the hypothesis of flattening and poeticizing of the original raw
lyrics (“Má dívka ‘N’”, “Tak já se loučím” and “Proč mám v koutě stát”), the rest of them,
though, shows no such tendency. In the remaining four lyrics, the language used and the
narrative style corresponds with the original to a great extent.
The changes are mostly made to the sense of the lyrics due to a kind of domestication.
The American cities and places change to smaller-scale and probably Czechoslovak places
(“Krajem já šel”, “Lásko, mně ubývá sil”, “Můj rodný dům”) or, on the contrary, to the
indefinite notion of a whole world (“Tak já se loučím”). Like in the case of translations, the
mentions of alcohol and other drugs either disappear (whiskey in “Lucille”) or their
significance changes (“Proč mám v koutě stát”).
85
The Czech versions of the songs are usually very distant parallels to their English
originals. The meanings are, nonetheless, changed to such a great extent that the cover
versions can no longer be considered translations. The inspiration for the Czech lyrics is clear
each time but as a result of altering the lyrics too much – whether because of the regime’s
rules or the mediators’ preferences – the songs acquire different meanings.
4.3.3. Translations
Year of
Release Name Author
1970 Oh, Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát Jiří Grossmann
1973 Nedělní ráno Vladimír Poštulka
1973 Vincent Zdeněk Rytíř
1975 Já jsem byl bloud Vladimír Poštulka
1975 Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést? Zdeněk Rytíř
1977 Dvě stě cest, jak sbohem dávat Michael Žantovský
1981 Drž se zpátky, chlapče můj Michael Janík
1981 Známe se míň než chvíli Vít Hrubín
1984 Právě tak Vladimír Poštulka Table 26 Translations
The nine songs listed above are evaluated as translations for the resemblance between the
originals and the Czech versions are the closest. Although some shifts in a sense appear, they
are – for the most cases – nearly negligible.
One of the hypotheses assumes that most likely the only theme that stays untouched
during the process of translating the lyrics is love. By examining the different lyrics-pairs this
hypothesis is confirmed. Where there is love in the original, it appears in the cover version
too. The protagonists have the same feelings and their nature is depicted similarly. The
original messages of the songs are preserved and the cover versions allow the listener to
gather the same meaning they would obtain from the original.
The changes made are minimal, nonetheless, the assumed flattening of the lyrics and
deletion on the controversial topics occurs even in this category of texts. Although the degree
86
of change is not as high as in the other two categories, the changes are apparent. The
manifestations of patriotism (“Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”) and cases of violence
or death (“Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” and “Vincent) disappear or are only
implicated (“Birthday Song”). The mentions of drugs and alcohol are either completely
omitted (“Stranger”) or replaced with a somewhat more euphemistic version of the initial
action (“Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”) and a considerable degree of domestication can be
observed (“I’ve Been a long Time Leavin’”, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and “Coward of
the County”).
As for the connection of different lyricists with the type of changes made in the
individual lyrics, none are found. Every one of the six lyricists whose works are included in
the category of “translations” seems to apply at least some of the strategies listed above. The
lyrics of “Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést?” by Zdeněk Rytíř might be considered
an exception to this rule, the reason for this, though, might simply be the brevity and the
simplicity of the original. The tendencies do not seem to change over time either, although the
lyrics were created within fourteen years.
Like in the categories mentioned earlier, the changes on the language level appear.
There is a slight shift in imagery in some cases. It is most apparent when it comes to
Kristofferson’s works in which his authentic personal style, which is characterized by irony
and rawness, is somewhat polished and made less provocative and more likable. In a majority
of works in this category, the figurativeness and language used are very similar, and the
Czech-language texts are very faithful copies of their originals.
None of the changes made to the cover versions included in this category are extensive
enough to alter the sense of the original songs completely. The shifts made are only minor as
compared to the lyrics listed in the two previous subchapters.
87
5. Conclusion
The aim of this thesis was to substantiate the claim that most of the lyrics’ meanings of songs
translated for Pavel Bobek in the second half of the 20th century are somewhat changed during
the process of translation. The assumption was that because of the Communist regime, the
lyrics were flattened and deprived of the – for the regime – disputable content.
After finishing the examination of the research material, the author managed to
partially confirm the initial hypotheses. In addition, she identified other frequent tendencies.
Her initial assumption that most of the changes are made due to the regime that ruled the
country at the time of the creation of the Czech texts, unfortunately, cannot be confirmed
fully, for there is not enough material that would offer the testimony of all of the lyricists.
Although it is not explicitly written or said anywhere, there is a strong likelihood that the
heavy-handed censorship is behind most of the changes made to the lyrics. The interview with
Vladimír Poštulka (Česká televize 2004) and several other sources at least partially confirm
the author’s theory. The fact that Pavel Bobek himself insisted on the target lyrics resembling
the source ones as much as possible is another reason for assuming that the majority of the
changes made to the meanings of the songs were involuntary.
The explanation for most of the changes made can be somehow connected to the
regime’s rules. The reasons for assuming that the alterations of the lyrics were made because
of the censorship are described in the individual lyrics’ assessments, mostly they are only
assumptions of the author founded by the information acquired in secondary sources.
One of the hypotheses was that the theme of love stays untouched. This claim is
confirmed for the most part. There are often shifts in meaning, and the protagonists’
characterization changes somehow, the love, nonetheless, stays. If there is a mention of love
88
in the original - whether it is the romantic kind or the love of the family/friends - it is
preserved in the cover version.
The main objective of the thesis was to confirm that there is a strong tendency to
smoothen the texts and erase the somewhat undesirable features. The initial assumption was
that the changes that occur in the texts are mostly on the meaning level. The research showed
that apart from deleting and altering the information contained in the source texts, there is a
strong tendency to smoothen the lyrics and make them more likable as far as the language is
concerned. Instead of the raw expressions and the non-standard language used in the originals
to emphasize the writing styles of their authors, and to approximate the environment about
which the original songs tell stories, the Czech versions are plain. They tend to use
metaphors, overly poetic expressions, and archaic phrases to sustain the impression of
a nice song.
None of the tendencies seems to change over time, for the strategies are the same – or
very similar – in songs written in the early 1970s as in the late 1980s. There is, though, a
certain pattern in the works of the different lyricists. Some of them have a kind of unique
personal style that allows distinguishing their works from the works of the others. Jiří
Grossmann’s works can be said to resemble the most originals in sound. Zdeněk Rytíř’s texts
are amongst the most faithful translations – as far as both the meaning and the language used
are concerned. The court lyricist of Pavel Bobek Vladimír Poštulka is behind the most
changed lyrics in Bobek’s repertoire examined in this thesis. Although the changes made on
the language level of the texts can be attributed to the lyricist’s personal preferences, the
alterations and deletions made can be considered involuntary – forced by the regime – ones.
One of the aims of this thesis was to determine a prevailing tendency in each of the
three categories of the examined texts. The results of the research are summed up in the
subchapter above. The changes do not differ in type, it is their extent that varies. In other
89
words, the tendencies are the same with translations, adaptations, and replacement texts, only
the range of the changes made is greater in each of the categories as listed. The style of the
changes made to the texts in the category of “replacement texts” can be probably attributed to
the fact that the majority of these lyrics are written by Vladimír Poštulka. His lyrics can be
distinguished from others by being written in even more poetic and metaphoric language than
the works of the other authors.
This thesis examined only a fraction of Bobek’s repertoire – the greater part of which
is composed by Vladimír Poštulka. This is caused by the fact that he was the one working
with Bobek the most often. Had Jiří Grossmann live longer, the composition of Bobek’s
repertoire would probably be different. To truly determine all the types of changes in the
lyrics written for Pavel Bobek, the research should constitute a much larger number of lyrics
by different authors, and it should contain the same amount of work by each of them, ideally
written at the same times and under similar circumstances.
Apart from the interviews and the articles about Poštulka’s work, the author of the
thesis did not manage to find any testimony of the other lyricists, which would help to
determine the reason for the changes discovered.
Despite the limited sources of information about the intentions of the Czechoslovak
lyricists, and the scarcity of the lyrics examined the author of this thesis can confirm her
initial hypothesis. The target texts are flattened and euphemized to a certain extent through
changing the language and altering or deleting some of the information occurring in the
source texts.
90
6. References
Primary Sources
Bowling, Roger D. and Hal Bynum (1977). Lucille [Recorded by Kenny Rogers]. On Kenny
Rogers. United Artists. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kenny-Rogers/Lucille
Bowling, Roger D. and Billy E. Wheeler (1979). Coward of the County [Recorded by Kenny
Rogers]. On Kenny. United Artists Group. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kenny-Rogers/Coward-of-the-County
Carnes, Kim and David Ellingson (1980). Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer. [Recorded by
Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes]. On Gideon. United Artists. Retrieved March 1,
2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kenny-Rogers/Don-t-Fall-in-Love-
With-a-Dreamer
Cooke, Sam (1961). Cupid. On Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963. RCA. Retrieved
February 25, 2021, from https: //genius.com/Sam-cooke-cupid-lyrics
Danoff, Bill, John Denver and Taffy Nivert (1971). Take Me Home, Country Roads
[[Recorded by John Denver]. On Poems, Prayers & Promises. RCA Records.
Retrieved February 2, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/John-
Denver/Take-Me-Home-Country-Roads
Diamond, Neil (1971). I Am… I Said. On Stones. Uni. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from
https: //www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/neildiamond/iamisaid.html
91
Everly, Isaac Donald and Philip Everly (1958). Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet.
On Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. Cadence. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Everly-Brothers/Who-s-Gonna-Shoe-Your-Pretty-
Little-Feet
Foster Jerry D. and Bill Rice (1977). Country Memories [Recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis]. On
Country Memories. Mercury. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//genius.com/Jerry-lee-lewis-country-memories-lyrics
Gibb, Maurice Ernest; Barry Alan Gibb and Robin Hugh Gibb (1970). Give Your Best
[Recorded by Bee Gees]. On Odessa. Polydor. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Bee-Gees/Give-Your-Best
Grossmann, Jiří (1970). Oh, Ruby, nechtěj mi lásku brát [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On
Antologie (výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https: //pisnicky-
akordy.cz/pavel-bobek/oh-ruby-nechtej-mi-lasku-brat
Grossmann, Jiří (1970). Úsvit [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On The best of Pavel Bobek.
Supraphone. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https: //www.karaoketexty.cz/texty-
pisni/bobek-pavel/usvit-339295
Grossmann, Jiří (1975). Má dívka ‘N’ [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/M%C3%A1-d%C3%ADvka-N
Hrubín, Vít (1977). Proč mám v koutě stát [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.karaoketexty.cz/texty-
pisni/bobek-pavel/proc-mam-v-koute-stat-871445
92
Hrubín, Vít (1981). Známe se míň než chvíli [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/Zn%C3%A1me-se-
m%C3%AD%C5%88-ne%C5%BE-chv%C3%ADli-Stranger
Ingber, Elliot and Lawrence J. Wagner (1968). Don’t Bogart Me [Recorded by Fraternity of
Man]. On The Fraternity of Man. ABC Records. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Fraternity-of-Man/Don-t-Bogart-Me
Janík, Michael (1979). Lásko, mně ubývá sil [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/L%C3%A1sko-mn%C4%9B-
ub%C3%BDv%C3%A1-sil
Janík, Michael (1981). Drž se zpátky, chlapče můj [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/Dr%C5%BE-se-zp%C3%A1tky-
chlap%C4%8De-m%C5%AFj-Coward-Of-The-County
Kristofferson, Kristoffer (1969). Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down [Recorded by Ray Stevens].
On Have a Little Talk with Myself. Monument. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from
https: //www.lyrics.com/lyric/140227/Ray+Stevens/Sunday+Morning+Coming+Down
Kristofferson, Kristoffer (1972). Smokey Put the Sweat on Me. On Border Lord. Monument
Records. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kris-
Kristofferson/Smokey-Put-the-Sweat-on-Me
93
Kristofferson, Kristoffer (1974). I May Smoke Too Much. On Spooky Lady’s Sideshow.
Monument. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kris-
Kristofferson/I-May-Smoke-Too-Much
Kristofferson, Kristoffer (1977). Stranger. On Songs of Kristofferson. Monument. Retrieved
March 1, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kris-Kristofferson/Stranger
McLean, Don (1972). Birthday Song. On Don McLean. United Artists. Retrieved March 1,
2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Don-McLean/Birthday-Song
McLean, Don (1971). Vincent. On American Pie. United Artists Records, BGO Records.
Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Don-
McLean/Vincent
Miller, Roger (1966). I’ve Been a Long Time Leavin’ (But I’ll Be a Long Time Gone). On
Words and Music. Smash Records. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Roger-Miller/I-ve-Been-a-Long-Time-Leavin
Poštulka, Vladimír (1971). Krajem já šel [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Krajem já šel.
Supraphone. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https: //textypisni.youradio.cz/pavel-
bobek/profil/krajem-ja-sel
Poštulka, Vladimír (1973). Nedělní ráno [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek-feat-Franti%C5%A1ek-Ringo-
%C4%8Cech-Studiov%C3%A1-skupina/Ned%C4%9Bln%C3%AD-r%C3%A1no-
Sunday-Mornin-Comin-Down
94
Poštulka, Vladimír (1975). Já jsem byl bloud [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/J%C3%A1-jsem-byl-bloud
Poštulka, Vladimír (1975). Pojď stoupat jak dým [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek-Franti%C5%A1ek-Ringo-%C4%8Cech-
Sm%C3%AD%C5%A1en%C3%BD-sbor-Studiov%C3%A1-skupina/Poj%C4%8F-
stoupat-jak-d%C3%BDm-Don-t-Bogart-Me
Poštulka, Vladimír (1975). Veď mě dál, cesto má [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/Ved-me-dal-cesto-Ma-Take-Me-Home-
Country-Roads
Poštulka, Vladimír (1977). Sláma v botách [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.karaoketexty.cz/texty-
pisni/bobek-pavel/slama-v-botach-74972
Poštulka, Vladimír (1979). Pojď dál a zpívej [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/Poj%C4%8F-d%C3%A1l-a-
zp%C3%ADvej
Poštulka, Vladimír (1984). Právě tak [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
95
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek-Bezinky-Skupina-
Gro%C5%A1/Pr%C3%A1v%C4%9B-tak-Birthday-Song
Poštulka, Vladimír (1986). S tím bláznem si nic nezačínej [Recorded by Pavel Bobek and
Marie Rotterová]. On Antologie (výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from
https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek-feat-Marie-Rottrova/S-Tim-
Blaznem-Si-Nic-Nezacinej-2
Poštulka, Vladimír (1987). A tak to půjde dál [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/A-tak-to-p%C5%AFjde-d%C3%A1l
Rytíř, Zdeněk (1973). Vincent [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/Vincent
Rytíř, Zdeněk (1975). Tak já se loučím [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie (výběr).
Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek-Studiov%C3%A1-skupina-
Franti%C5%A1ek-Ringo-%C4%8Cech/Tak-j%C3%A1-se-lou%C4%8D%C3%ADm-
Smokey-Put-the-Sweat-On-Me
Rytíř, Zdeněk (1975). Víš, kdo ti smí z tvých vlásků copy splést? [Recorded by Pavel Bobek].
On The best of Pavel Bobek. Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/V%C3%AD%C5%A1-kdo-ti-
sm%C3%AD-z-tv%C3%BDch-vl%C3%A1sk%C5%AF-copy-spl%C3%A9st
96
Simon, Paul (1975). 50 Ways to Leave your Lover. On Still Crazy After All These Years.
Columbia. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Paul-
Simon/50-Ways
Sommers, John M. (1975). Thank God I’m a Country Boy [Recorded by John Denver]. On An
Evening with John Denver. RCA. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.metrolyrics.com/thank-god-im-a-country-boy-lyrics-john-denver.html
Springsteen, Bruce (1985). My Hometown. On Born in the U.S.A. Columbia. Retrieved
March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/brucespringsteen/myhometown.html
Tillis, Melvin (1969). Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town [Recorded by Kenny Rogers and
The First Edition]. On Ruby Don’t Take Your Love to Town. Reprise. Retrieved
February 25, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kenny-Rogers/Ruby-
Don-t-Take-Your-Love
Van Hoy, Rafe (1977). Sail Away [Recorded by Sam Neely]. On The Oak Ridge Boys Have
Arrived. MCA. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.lyrics.com/lyric/3293185/Sail+Away
Vrba, Pavel (1975). Dík, že smím pár přátel mít [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek-Franti%C5%A1ek-Ringo-%C4%8Cech-
Mu%C5%BEsk%C3%BD-sbor-Studiov%C3%A1-skupina/D%C3%ADk-%C5%BEe-
sm%C3%ADm-p%C3%A1r-p%C5%99%C3%A1tel-m%C3%ADt-Give-Your-Best-
to-Your-Friends
97
Webster, Paul F. (1959). My Rifle, My Pony and Me [Recorded by Dean Martin]. Single in
Rio Bravo. Armada Productions. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Dean-Martin/My-Rifle-My-Pony-and-Me-Bathroom-
vocal
Wheeler, Billy E. (1964). Ann [Recorded by The Kingston Trio]. On Back in Town. Capitol.
Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Kingston-
Trio/Ann
Williams, Don (1977). Lay Down Beside Me [Recorded by Kenny Rogers]. On Kenny
Rogers. United Artists. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kenny-Rogers/Lay-Down-Beside-Me
Žantovský, Michael (1977). Dvě stě cest, jak sbohem dávat [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On
Elpíčka. Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https: //hudba.zoznam.sk/pavel-
bobek/piesen/200-cest-jak-sbohem-davat/
Žantovský, Michael (1984). Mé tělo, má duše a já [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.karaoketexty.cz/texty-pisni/bobek-pavel/me-telo-ma-duse-a-ja-207775
Žantovský, Michael (1984). Permanentní flám [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On Antologie
(výběr). Supraphone. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https:
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/Permanentn%C3%AD-fl%C3%A1m
Žantovský, Michael (1988). Můj rodný dům [Recorded by Pavel Bobek]. On The best of
Pavel Bobek. Supraphone. Retrieved February 5, 2021, from https:
98
//www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pavel-Bobek/M%C5%AFj-rodn%C3%BD-
d%C5%AFm
Secondary Sources
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon. (n.d.). Songfacts. Retrieved April 12, 2021,
from https: //www.songfacts.com/facts/paul-simon/50-ways-to-leave-your-lover
AFI|Catalog. (n.d.). AFI Catlog. Retrieved April 18, 2021, from https:
//catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/53001
Andreas, Petr (2020). Od odpovědnosti ke kontrole. Cenzura za rané normalizace (září 1968 –
srpen 1969). Soudobé dějiny, 27(3-4), 439-476. Doi: 10.51134/sod.2020.027
Retrieved March 22, 2021, from https: //sd.usd.cas.cz/artkey/sod-202003-0001_from-
responsibility-to-control-censorship-during-the-early-normalisation-period-september-
1968-8211-
august.php?back=%2Fsearch.php%3Fquery%3DSrpen%2B1968%26sfrom%3D0%26
spage%3D30
ani0ryba0ani0curak0 (2010, January 16). Bigbít 1956 - 1989 03 / 3 [Video]. YouTube.
Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFsD5W-
46tI&list=PL1CBCFA868352D6C2&index=17
ani0ryba0ani0curak0 (2010, January 2). Bigbít 1956 - 1989 01 / 5 [Video]. YouTube.
Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJDLmhGJXSw
99
ani0ryba0ani0curak0 (2010, January 23). Bigbít 1956 - 1989 04 / 1 [Video]. YouTube.
Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4AGHikW6M8&list=PL1CBCFA868352D6C2&inde
x=22
ani0ryba0ani0curak0. (2010, March 18). Bigbít 1956 - 1989 09 / 6 [Video]. YouTube.
Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYawK_jdKDA&list=PL1CBCFA868352D6C2&index
=62
Antonín Novotný. (n.d.). Pražský hrad. Retrieved March 13, 2021 from https:
//www.hrad.cz/cs/prezident-cr/prezidenti-v-minulosti/antonin-novotny
Bartošová, Monika (2016). Morální panika konstruovaná státem: Proces s protistátním
spikleneckým centrem v čele s Rudolfem Slánským ve veřejném mediálním diskurzu
doby. Mediální studia 02, 191-216. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https:
//www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=583731
Brewerton, Erik (1924). Song Translation. The Musical Times, 65(980), 893-894. doi:
10.2307/911747 Retrieved January 11, 2021, from https:
//www.jstor.org/stable/911747?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Calvocoressi, M-D. (1921). The Practice of Song-Translation. Music & Letters, 2(4), 314-
322. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from http: //www.jstor.org/stable/726587
Carnes, Roger’s Duet: “Don’t Fall in Love With a Dreamer”? (2019, December 1). Country
Thang Daily. https: //www.countrythangdaily.com/carnes-rogers-dreamer/
100
Carnes, Roger’s Duet: “Don’t Fall in Love With a Dreamer”? (2019, December 1). Country
Thang Daily. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https:
//www.countrythangdaily.com/carnes-rogers-dreamer/
Česká televize (n.d.). Volba prezidenta České republiky 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2021,
from http: //www.ceskatelevize.cz/prezident-2013/casova-osa/
Česká Televize. (2004, January 18). Kam zmizel ten starý song: Vladimír Poštulka. https:
//www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady/1127325486-kam-zmizel-ten-stary-
song/20454215601-vladimir-postulka/
Daňková, Magdaléna (2014, February 25). Česko si připomíná únorový převrat, uběhlo už 66
let. Aktuálně.cz. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https:
//zpravy.aktualne.cz/domaci/cesko-si-pripomina-unorovy-prevrat-ubehlo-uz-66-
let/r%7E7bb845189e2211e3b5aa0025900fea04/
Dědek, Honza (2012, October 8). NEJ HITY: Pavel Bobek - raději víno, o trávě jen zpívám.
Lidovky.cz. Retrieved April 9, 2021, from https: //www.lidovky.cz/kultura/nej-hity-
pavel-bobek-radeji-vino-o-trave-jen-zpivam.A121007_182259_ln_kultura_wok
Foret, Miroslav (1988). Některé problémy výzkumu populární hudby (na příkladu
USA). Sociologický Časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 24(4), 416-428. Retrieved
March 18, 2021, from http: //www.jstor.org/stable/41130420
Franzon, Johan (2008). Choices in Song Translation. The Translator, 14: 2, 373-399, DOI:
10.1080/13556509.2008.10799263 Retrieved January 16, 2021, from https:
//www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13556509.2008.10799263
101
Gordin, A. A. (2014). Czechoslovakia in 1968. Russian Studies in History, 49(4), 18-33.
ISSN 1061-1983. DOI: 10.2753/RSH1061-1983490401 Retrieved January 16, 2021,
from http:
//web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.muni.cz/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=5df61
da0-d0c3-4c1a-9c22-42b9895ffde0%40pdc-v-sessmgr02
Hamouzová, Iveta (2008, June 2). Edvard Beneš podepsal abdikační listinu. Česká televize.
Retrieved March 16, 2021 from https: //ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/archiv/1452809-edvard-
benes-podepsal-abdikacni-listinu
Hartman, Ivan (2013, November 20). Repertoár i politické názory zesnulého Pavla Bobka
určovala euroatlantická kultura. Hospodářské Noviny. Retrieved March 10, 2021,
from https: //art.ihned.cz/hudba/c1-61278940-rozhovor-pavel-bobek-krest-alba-kruhy-
americky-sen
Havelková, Tereza (n.d.). Období 1945–1989 (ca 1945 - 1989). Antologie české hudby.
Retrieved March 16, 2021 from http: //www.antologiehudby.cz/texty.php?obdobi=8
Houda, Přemysl (2011). Pódia znovu jen pro prověřené. „Normalizace” oficiální populární
hudby v Československu 70. let. Soudobé dějiny 03, 310-329. Retrieved January 16,
2021, from https: //www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=108752
Hromková, Dominika (2017, November 24). Galerie ukazuje, jak se žilo za socialismu.
Lákadlem je Husákovo 3+1. IDNES.Cz. Retrieved March 31, 2021, from https:
//www.idnes.cz/brno/zpravy/vystava-panelak-moravska-galerie-
brno.A171124_366408_brno-zpravy_vh
102
Janovská, Adina (2017, November 5). Zpíval anglicky, bratr emigroval… Jak to, že country
králi přesto vždycky všechno prošlo? Tajnosti slavných. Krajské Listy. Retrieved
January 11, 2021, from https: //www.krajskelisty.cz/praha/18161-zpival-anglicky-
bratr-emigroval-jak-to-ze-country-krali-presto-vzdycky-vsechno-proslo-tajnosti-
slavnych.htm
Kadlec, Petr (2009, October 8). Hudba za totality aneb Umění posluhující - Z myšlenek a
postřehů Milana Slavického. Časopis Harmonie. Retrieved January 20, 20211, from
https: //www.casopisharmonie.cz/rozhovory/hudba-za-totality-aneb-umeni-
posluhujici-z-myslenek-a-postrehu-milana-slavickeho.html
Kuchyňová, Zdeňka (2016, August 7). Jiří Grossmann byl gurmán, pojídání svíčkové bylo
obřadem, vzpomíná. Radio Prague International. Retrieved February 20, 2021, from
https: //cesky.radio.cz/jiri-grossmann-byl-gurman-pojidani-svickove-bylo-obradem-
vzpomina-nada-urbankova-8218080
Let’s Rock! (2016, June 14). The Everly Brothers - Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet
? [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved March 12, 2021, from https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKigcoosm-w
Levý, Jiří (1957). Umělecké otázky překladu. Česká Literatura, 5(4), 379-401. Retrieved
March 18, 2021, from http: //www.jstor.org/stable/43322343
Low, Peter (2003). Singable translations of songs, Perspectives: Studies in Translatology, 11:
2, 87-103, DOI: 10.1080/0907676X.2003.9961466 Retrieved January 21, 2021, from
https: //www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0907676X.2003.9961466
Low, Peter (2017). Translating song. New York: Routledge.
103
Low, Peter (2013). When Songs Cross Language Borders, The Translator, 19: 2, 229-
244, DOI: 10.1080/13556509.2013.10799543 Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https:
//www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13556509.2013.10799543
Michal Tučný (2014, December 23). Legendy folku a country 1 [video] [Video]. YouTube.
Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=com7t-
dTc0g&ab_channel=MichalTu%C4%8Dn%C3%BD
Miroslav Miroslav (2012, August 14). Abeceda komunistických zločinů - Normalizace
[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved January 12, 2021, from https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QZYZ1qHi_A
Moore, Rick (2020, April 21). Behind the Song: Kenny Rogers, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love
to Town.” American Songwriter. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https:
//americansongwriter.com/kenny-rogers-ruby-dont-take-love-town-behind-the-song/
Munday, Jeremy (ed.) (2009) The Routledge Companion to Translation Studies, London &
New York: Routledge.
My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen. (n.d.). Songfacts. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https:
//www.songfacts.com/facts/bruce-springsteen/my-hometown
Myant, Martin (2008). New Research on February 1948 in Czechoslovakia. Europe-Asia
Studies, 60(10), 1697-1715. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from http:
//www.jstor.org/stable/20451655
Paulson, Dave (2020, October 27). Story Behind the Song: Don McLean’s “Vincent.”
Nashville Tennessean. Retrieved April 4, 2021, from https:
104
//eu.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/story-behind-the-
song/2020/10/23/story-behind-song-don-mcleans-vincent/3712328001/
Petr Horký (2021, February 8). Normalizace - víc loajality než schopností. Stehlíkův kurz
moderních dějin 7/10 [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved February 20, 2021, from https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLuSZ0Hv4ek
Rypens, Arnold (2020, May 21). The Originals © by Arnold Rypens - WHO’S GONNA SHOE
YOUR PRETTY LITTLE FEET. The Originals by Arnold Rypens. Retrieved April 12,
2021, from http: //www.originals.be/en/originals/14116
Smith, Marion (2019, August 30). Communism and Religion Can’t Coexist. WSJ. Retrieved
March 31, 2021, from https: //www.wsj.com/articles/communism-and-religion-cant-
coexist-11567120938
Songs Our Daddy Taught Us - The Everly Brothers | Songs, Reviews, Credits. (n.d.).
AllMusic. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https:
//www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000604335
Song-Translation. (1921). Music & Letters, 2(3), 211-224. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from
http: //www.jstor.org/stable/726056
Stárek, František and Martin Valenta (2018). Podzemní symfonie Plastic People. Praha: Argo.
Stoneman, Anna J. (2015). Socialism With a Human Face: The Leadership and Legacy of the
Prague Spring. The History Teacher, 49(1), 103-125. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from
http: //www.jstor.org/stable/24810503
105
Supraphone. (n.d.). Pavel Bobek. Supraphonline.Cz. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from https:
//www.supraphonline.cz/umelec/206-pavel-bobek
Susam-Sarajeva, Şebnem (2008). Translation and Music, The Translator, 14: 2, 187-200,
DOI: 10.1080/13556509.2008.10799255 Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https:
//www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13556509.2008.10799255
Vlček, Tomáš (n.d.). Rok 1968 - 21. srpen 1968: TOTALITA. Totalita. Retrieved March 22,
2021, from http: //www.totalita.cz/1968/19680821.php
Vránková, Karolína (2009, August 9). Džínová diverze. Týdeník Respekt. Retrieved April 6,
2021, from https: //www.respekt.cz/tydenik/2009/33/dzinova-diverze
West Virginia University Athletics. (2017, August 7). Take Me Home, Country Roads.
Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https:
//wvusports.com/news/2014/1/29/24994_131465976649784385.aspx?path=general
Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs. Record Research.
Zacharia, Paul (2020, December 17). What did Karl Marx say about religion. The New Indian
Express. https: //www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2020/dec/17/what-did-
karlmarx-say-about-religion-2237307.html
106
7. English Resumé
This diploma thesis deals with song translation during the normalization period in
Czechoslovakia. On a sample of works written for Pavel Bobek by six different lyricists in a
span of almost 20 years, it examines the changes made to the individual texts. The main goal
of the thesis is to determine the overall propensity of the majority of the target texts. And also
to explain the possible connection of the alterations with the period that the lyrics were
composed within. The aim is to demonstrate the tendency to smoothen and flatten the texts
and delete undesirable elements that appear in the originals. To do so, the author examined
each 22 lyrics pairs in detail and summarized the changes made in each of the Czech
translations/adaptations/replacement texts. The alterations made to the texts are summed up in
the last subchapter, in the fourth part of the thesis.
Although the initial hypotheses were confirmed, and the author managed to
substantiate the claim that the meaning of the majority of the songs changed in process of
translation, some assumptions remain unconfirmed. To generalize the claim that the
normalization period affected the song translation and the meaning and form of all the songs
translated between 1968 and 1989, much broader research would have to be conducted and
hundreds, even thousands, of lyrics examined. The results of the author’s research,
nonetheless, show that in the 22 songs investigated, the tendencies to alter the text in a certain
way are strong and persisting even though some of the lyricists’ works show a stronger
tendency to change the meaning of the original than the creations of the others.
107
8. Czech Resumé
Tato diplomová práce se zabývá překladem písňových textů v období československé
normalizace. Na vzorku prací, které pro Pavla Bobka napsalo šest různých textařů v rozmezí
téměř 20 let, zkoumá změny, které se objevují v jednotlivých textech. Hlavním cílem práce je
určit typ změny převládající u většiny cílových textů a pokusit se vysvětlit možnou souvislost
s obdobím, ve kterém české texty vznikaly. Cílem práce je poukázat na tendenci vyhlazovat a
zplošťovat texty a odstraňovat z nich nežádoucí prvky, které se objevují v originálech. Za
tímto účelem autorka podrobně prozkoumala každý z 22 textových párů a shrnula změny
provedené v každém z českých překladů/adaptací/náhradních textů. Změny, které se v textech
objevují, jsou podrobně popsány v poslední podkapitole ve čtvrté části diplomové práce.
Ačkoliv se podařilo potvrdit výchozí hypotézy a autorka doložila tvrzení, že význam
většiny písní se v procesu překladu změnil, není možné říct, že se tento fenomén projevuje
také u tvorby jiných autorů. K tomu, aby se dalo zobecnit tvrzení, že normalizační období
ovlivnilo význam a jazykovou podobu všech písní přeložených v letech 1968 až 1989, bylo
by třeba provést mnohem širší výzkum a v jeho rámci prozkoumat stovky, ba tisíce textů.
Výsledky autorčina výzkumu nicméně ukazují, že ve 22 zkoumaných písních jsou tendence
měnit text určitým způsobem silné a přetrvávající, i když práce některých textařů vykazují
silnější sklon k měnění význam originálu než díla ostatních.