The Corvin lads

By Géza Bereményi. Sung by Tamás Cseh. Lyrics. Song.

I never imagined that in my life

I would think of him once more,

but I see him clearly the boy

in rags, the big boy from next door

he came wild-eyed after drinks on Saturday,

pulled me aside: I've a ballad you need to hear

I never imagined that in my life

I would think of him once more,

but I hear him again, as I sense the wine vapour

the big boy from next door

he whispers: the Corvin lads

and looks aside to see who's keeping tabs

In Corvin square the big boys gathered,

oh long time ago

took up arms, some one-two hundred

there was nowhere else to go

they were the Corvin lads

and he looked aside to see who's keeping tabs

They took up arms, all of them

oh some time ago,

they gathered in Corvin square

there was nowhere else to go

they were orphans, like you and me

they were nobodies, like you and me

It was them, it was them, it was them, it was them,

it was them, it was them, it was them, Them,

in fire and in rags, orphaned and glad

without names, without gains

forced before the eye of God

Life is worthless, that's all they knew,

and there's nowhere else to go

but gather all in Corvin square

with God's eye looking below

as they took up arms to be big boys

and said let's make some noise

They attacked us with weapons, they shot us with tanks,

on the square of Corvin

whispered the boy in such a way,

to make sure no one's listening

the world crushed on the boys

so orphans won't make noise

Since God's eye rested on them

briefly as he saw fit,

they fired back, made a comeback,

then the tanks they all lit

and they learnt the torched Russians

were just like them, orphans

In Corvin square the big boys

they all burst in song,

God's eye briefly rested on them,

then moved along

searching for fodder that feeds the rag-fire

to put man and his words on a funeral pyre

More tanks came,

whispered the boy from next door

orphan fired on another orphan

and so went on the war

and the world will never hear

what went on in Corvin square

Cos it was them, it was them, it was them, it was them,

it was them, it was them, it was them, Them,

in fire and in rags, orphaned and glad

without names, without gains

forced before the eye of God

(Just as they flashed

before God's eye

he looked on them,

lit on fire

they died and no one will hear

who were the lads of Corvin square)

On Saturday night he whispered this ballad

The boy from next door

Mum called out

and told us all

that a ragman always teaches wrong

now come and eat, as is custom

Rags they burn,

fire up the sky and fall

so burns my vision on a Saturday night,

resting 'gainst a wall

a God in rags, an old ragman,

Corvin graveyard, Corvin orphan

a God in rags, an old ragman,

Corvin graveyard, Corvin orphan

It was them, it was them, it was them, it was them,

It was them, it was them, it was them, Them,

in fire and in rags, orphaned and glad

without names, without gains

forced before the eye of God