She was a very popular and prolific Polish singer in her youth. She spent first years of her life in Solec Kujawski. She graduated a Glazier Technical and Vocational school in Polanica Zdrój. She pursued her vocal career afterwards. She was promoted by Zdzisław Górzyński who recommended her to Tadeusz Sygietyński, director and founder of the Mazowsze - Polish State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble in 1951.
In 1959 Irena Santor left Mazowsze and started her solo career making first public debut in December that year. She toured many European countries giving numerous performances and earning prestigious prizes. She recorded many hits of that era, composed exclusively for her by such composers like Jerzy Wasowski, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Piotr Figiel, Wojciech Karolak a.o. In 2000 her album Santor Cafe was released, including covers of the greatest world hits of Burt Bacharach, Michel Legrand, and Hubert Giraud.
She is now retired from the music stage but performs occasionally.
Her greatest hits: Embarras, Powrócisz tu, Tych lat nie odda nikt, Maleńki znak, Na krzywym kole, Kamienne schodki, Odrobinę szczęścia w miłości, Pójde na stare miasto, Warszawa, ja i ty.
Dumka
Irena Santor Lyrics
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Jasno już na niebie
Jakże ciężko, jakże nudno
Że nie widać ciebie
Jam innego nie lubiła
Choć was wielu miała
Bodaj ciebie nigdy była
Nigdy nie widziała
Nigdy nie widziała
Ah, jam ciebie pokochała
A ty kochasz inne
Bodajś po niej tak przepadał
Jak za tobą ginę
Albo niech się ja oddalę
Gdzie w dalekie strony
Albo niechaj mi zadzwonią
Raz ostatni w dzwony
Albo niechaj mi zadzwonią
Raz ostatni w dzwony
Jak przed miłym Bogiem stanę
Będę płakać na cię
Że z twej łaski mnie zamknęli
W tej dębowej chacie
A jak staniesz na tym miejscu
Moja gdzie mogiła
To pomyślisz, to podumasz
Jakem cię lubiła
To pomyślisz, to podumasz
Jakem cię lubiła
The lyrics of Irena Santor's song "Dumka" convey a sense of longing and heartache as the singer expresses her feelings towards her beloved. The opening lines set the scene for a bright day, but the absence of the person she loves makes everything feel heavy and dull. Despite having had other suitors in the past, she never truly loved anyone else like she loves this particular person, whose presence she desperately misses. The repetition of the refrain "Bodaj ciebie nigdy była, Nigdy nie widziała" emphasizes the wishful thinking and regret for not having met or seen this beloved sooner.
In the next stanza, the singer reveals the anguish of loving someone who loves another, highlighting the pain of unrequited love. She wishes that this person would feel the same intensity of love for her as she does for them, even if it means risking everything for that love. The imagery of sacrificing oneself or distancing oneself to cope with unreciprocated feelings adds a layer of depth to the emotional turmoil depicted in the lyrics. The mention of the ringing of bells symbolizes a final farewell or closure, indicating a desire to move on from this one-sided love.
The third stanza takes a more dramatic turn, as the singer envisions a scenario where she stands before God, lamenting the fact that she feels trapped in a metaphorical oak hut by the grace of her beloved. The imagery evokes a sense of entrapment and helplessness, as she reflects on the intensity of her emotions and the impact that unrequited love has had on her. The mention of a grave where she once lay emphasizes the depth of her love and the potential finality of the situation, as she imagines her beloved standing over that very spot with a newfound understanding of her feelings.
The final stanza brings the song full circle, as the singer expresses a mix of sorrow and resignation towards her unattainable love. She imagines her beloved reflecting on their past together and realizing the depth of her affection, suggesting a sense of regret or nostalgia for what could have been. The repetition of "To pomyślisz, to podumasz, Jakem cię lubiła" underscores the bittersweet reflection on lost opportunities and unfulfilled love. The overall tone of the lyrics in "Dumka" conveys a complex array of emotions, from yearning and heartbreak to acceptance and introspection, making it a poignant portrayal of unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Przychodź, miły, dzień już biały
Come, my dear, the day is already bright
Jasno już na niebie
Brightly in the sky
Jakże ciężko, jakże nudno
How hard, how dull
Że nie widać ciebie
That you cannot be seen
Jam innego nie lubiła
I didn't love another
Choć was wielu miała
Even though I had many of you
Bodaj ciebie nigdy była
I wish you had never been
Nigdy nie widziała
I never saw you
Ah, jam ciebie pokochała
Oh, I fell in love with you
A ty kochasz inne
And you love others
Bodajś po niej tak przepadał
I wish you loved her as much
Jak za tobą ginę
How I perish for you
Albo niech się ja oddalę
Or let me go away
Gdzie w dalekie strony
To faraway lands
Albo niechaj mi zadzwonią
Or let them ring me
Raz ostatni w dzwony
One last time in bells
Jak przed miłym Bogiem stanę
When I stand before the dear God
Będę płakać na cię
I will cry for you
Że z twej łaski mnie zamknęli
That I was closed off by your grace
W tej dębowej chacie
In this oak hut
A jak staniesz na tym miejscu
And when you stand in that place
Moja gdzie mogiła
Where my grave is
To pomyślisz, to podumasz
You will think, you will ponder
Jakem cię lubiła
How much I loved you
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