Sadly Whisper the Leaves of the Willow: Polish Partisan and Folk Songs

The modern nation of Poland is barely 100 years old, having been established in 1918 following the end of World War I. Yet it has a rich tradition of folk songs developed over the centuries. By one count over 60,000 folk songs are part of the Polish Folk Music Collection in Warsaw. In this recording, released in 1981, Aleksander Kulisiewicz, a survivor of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, sings a collection of 13 traditional Polish folk songs and 5 partisan songs from World War II. Many of them are fragments of the originals, their verses forgotten or lost over time. Kulisiewicz also recorded Songs from the Depths of Hell (FWFW37700) for Folkways.

Liner notes include background information on the songs with lyrics in Polish and English.

Track Listing

101	Rozszumialy Sie Wierzby (Sadly Whisper the Leaves of the Willow)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	03:06
102	Marsz Gwardii Ludowej (March of the People's Batallion)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:46
103	Szturmówka (Storm-Battalion Song)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:18
104	Dzis Do Ciebie Przyjsc Nie Moge (I Can't Come to You Today, Dear)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	02:31
105	Po Partyzancie Dziewczyna Placze (A Girl Cries for the Partisan)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:54
106	Siekiera, Motyka (Hatchet and Hoe)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:01
107	Trabia, Trabia (The Trumpets Blast)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:38
108	Cztery Mile Za Warsawa (Just Four Miles Away from Warsaw)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:59
109	Czemu Ty, Dziewczyno (Why, My Dear Girl)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:36
110	Jestem Sobie (I Am a Fine Young Blade)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:15
201	Góralu (Goral, Oh Won't You Feel Sad)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	02:32
202	Idzie Maciek (Here Goes Our Bold Matthew)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	02:26
203	Nie Placz O Mnie (Don't Cry for Me)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	02:45
204	Ostatni Mazur (The Last Mazurka)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:05
205	Zaszumialy Góry (My Mountains Are Roaring)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	02:20
206	Pije Kuba (Drinker's Song)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:04
207	Dwa Ludowe Walczyki (Two Folkwaltzes)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	01:21
208	W Murowanej Piwnicy (In One Walled-up Cellar Deep)	Aleksander Tytus Kulisiewicz	02:08