Born on April 12, 1944 in Kroměříž, today Czech Republic, son of Karel Kryl and Marie Krylová. His father owned printing business, which was confiscated from the family in 1948 upon communist takeover.
Karel Kryl moved to Prague in 1968, as an assistant in Czechoslovak TV. In his spare time he played his songs in numerous small clubs. When armies of Warsaw Pact occupied Czechoslovakia on August 21, 1968 to suppress the democratization movement of Prague Spring, Karel Kryl released album Bratříčku zavírej vrátka (English: Close the Gate, Little Brother), full of songs describing his disgust over the occupation, life under the communist rule, and rude inhumanity and stupidity of the regime. The album was released in early 1969 and was banned and removed from shelves shortly after. This work became icon of anti-communist movement for years to come — when he returned from exile in 1989 during the Velvet Revolution, almost every little child in Czechoslovakia knew the lyrics of these songs by heart.
Faced with certain imprisonment, Kryl left Czechoslovakia in 1969, and lived in West Germany. Most of the time in exile he worked for Radio Free Europe. In exile, Kryl released a number of albums. Some of his songs almost became traditionals, known by everybody in the Czech Republic, sung by all campfires.
During the enthusiastic November days in 1989, Kryl returned to Czechoslovakia only to experience bitter disappointment with the transformation of society.
On March 3, 1994, just a month before his fiftieth birthday, Karel Kryl died of a heart attack in Munich hospital.
He recieved posthumously the Order of the White Lion - the highest czech decoration.
Glória
Karel Kryl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a nevidět více kov s příchutí slanou,
pláč na písku ulpívá u paty hor
a vánoční svíce dnes na hrobech planou,
Gloria nezní, tlí mudrci v krytech a Herodes bdí,
Gloria nezní, jsou střepiny v bytech u rozbitých zdí.
Vše zalito svitem, i neony měst,
svět pohrdl citem a táže se hvězd,
proč proroctví lichá jsou podobna hraně,
Gloria nezní, teď zpívají hlavně žalm "Chtíc, aby lkal",
Gloria nezní vzdor hvězdě, jež slavně plá nad hřbety skal.
Je tichá noc svatá, v níž nepadá sníh
a šílenec Svět řekou bláta se brodí,
je slepý a hmatá po ořízkách knih,
snad po stovkách let znova Kristus se zrodí,
Gloria zazní a přeroste tráva přes písečný vír,
Gloria zazní, buď na nebi sláva a na Zemi mír.
The song "Gloria" by Karel Kryl talks about the absence of the angels' choir and the lack of Christmas spirit in the night. The lyrics describe how we are not seeing the glory of Christmas, and instead, it is a depressing night with salty taste metal, sand and tears by mountains. The song depicts a world in crisis, where people have lost their emotional connection to the holiday, and they are left with shattered homes and broken hearts. The mages of the song are heaven, earth, and the world in between. It reflects on how society has become disconnected from the beauty of Christmas and how we must rediscover its true meaning.
The song also highlights a few more important themes such as war, suffering, and salvation. It symbolises how war has disrupted people's lives and how they are struggling for peace. Kryl emphasised that even in the midst of such chaos, there is hope, that Christmas brings joy and peace to those who seek it. In the end, the song is a plea to humanity to come together, to celebrate the beauty of Christmas and to stand by each other through hard times.
Line by Line Meaning
Je noc, v které nezpívá andělů chór
It's a night where the chorus of angels aren't singing
a nevidět více kov s příchutí slanou,
No more to see metal with salt flavor
pláč na písku ulpívá u paty hor
Crying on the sand, sticking at the foot of the mountains
a vánoční svíce dnes na hrobech planou,
And the Christmas candles today burn on the graves
Gloria nezní, tlí mudrci v krytech a Herodes bdí,
No Gloria sounds, the wise men decay in shelters and Herod is vigilant
Gloria nezní, jsou střepiny v bytech u rozbitých zdí.
No Gloria sounds, there are shards in apartments by broken walls.
Vše zalito svitem, i neony měst,
Everything is lit up by light, even the neon lights of the cities
tři vteřiny ticha, v nichž umlkly zbraně,
Three seconds of silence in which the weapons fall silent
svět pohrdl citem a táže se hvězd,
The world despised emotion and asks the stars
proč proroctví lichá jsou podobna hraně,
Why are the prophecies that are doubtful similar to the edge?
Gloria nezní, teď zpívají hlavně žalm "Chtíc, aby lkal",
No Gloria sounds, now they mostly sing the psalm "Wishing he would bark"
Gloria nezní vzdor hvězdě, jež slavně plá nad hřbety skal.
No Gloria sounds despite the star that proudly burns over the ridges.
Je tichá noc svatá, v níž nepadá sníh
It's a silent holy night in which snow doesn't fall
a šílenec Svět řekou bláta se brodí,
And the insane world wades through a river of mud
je slepý a hmatá po ořízkách knih,
It's blind and fumbling for the crumbs of books.
snad po stovkách let znova Kristus se zrodí,
Perhaps after hundreds of years, Christ will be born again.
Gloria zazní a přeroste tráva přes písečný vír,
Gloria will sound and grass will grow over the sandy whirlpool.
Gloria zazní, buď na nebi sláva a na Zemi mír.
Gloria will sound, let there be glory in heaven and peace on earth.
Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.