Music of the Week: April 19, 2024: Marlene Dietrich – Sag mir wo die Blumen sind

The war machine is churning again, crunching our assets, our loved ones, our precious time and attention, and our plans for the future. War is of great profit to Mr. Global, who earns from all sides of conflict. War is a racket. When will we ever learn?

The original of our Music of the Week was written in 1955 by American folk singer Pete Seeger. Wikipedia cites its inspiration as coming from Russian author Mikhail Sholokhov, who wove it into a scene of his Nobel prize-winning novel And Quiet Flows the Don, where it is sung by the Cossack soldiers—”the free people” according to the etymology of their name.

But the song ultimately owes its international fame to iconic German actress and singer Marlene Dietrich, who performed it in German, French, and English. She sings it here in her legendary style during a 1962 UNICEF concert in Düsseldorf.

Where have all the flowers gone
Long time passing?
Where have all the flowers gone
Long time ago?
Where have all the flowers gone
Young girls picked them every one.
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Related:

Original by Pete Seeger

Where Have All the Flowers Gone? (Wikipedia)

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