Lili Marlene
Mel Torme & George Shearing Lyrics
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Doo, doo, doo doo, doo
Would you like to hear the story
Of a girl that many soldiers know?
It's a tale of love in all its glory
They tell when the lights are soft an' low
Standing all alone every night you'll see her wait
She waits for a boy who marched away
And though he's gone, she hears him say
"Oh promise you'll be true
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene
'Till I return to you
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene"
This is the story of Lili Marlene
With a kiss she gave her promise
To be constant as the stars above
Every soldier knows she's kept her promise
And she has been faithful to her love
Underneath the lamp post by the brigade
Standing all alone every night you'll see her wait
For this is the place a vow was made
And breezes sing her serenade
"Oh promise you'll be true
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene
'Till I return to you
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene"
This is the story of Lili Marlene
Though wee stems have an ending
No one knows just what the end will be
But tonight when twilight is descending
If you'll come along, here's what you'll see
Underneath the lamp post by the brigade
Standing all alone every night you'll see her wait
And as they go marching to the fray
The soldiers all salute and say
"We'll tell him you've been true
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene
'Till he returns to you
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene"
The song "Lili Marlene" tells the story of a girl named Lili who every soldier knows for her tale of love and devotion to a soldier who has marched away to war. The lyrics describe how Lili waits patiently underneath a lamp post every night for her beloved, to whom she has promised to be faithful until he returns. The passage of time is marked by the twilight descending and the soldiers marching off to the fray. As they pass by Lili, they salute her and promise to let her beloved know of her unwavering devotion.
The song beautifully captures the themes of love, devotion, and the sacrifices that soldiers and loved ones make during times of war. Lili represents the countless women who have waited patiently for their loved ones to return from battle, their love and hope sustaining them through dark times. The lyrics also highlight the loyalty and brotherhood that exists between soldiers, who honor and support each other through the horrors of war.
Overall, "Lili Marlene" is a timeless tribute to the human spirit in times of war and the hope and love that keep us going through the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the story of Lili Marlene
Let me tell you a story about a girl named Lili Marlene
Would you like to hear the story
Of a girl that many soldiers know?
Do you want to listen to a tale about a girl who is known by many soldiers?
It's a tale of love in all its glory
They tell when the lights are soft an' low
It's a story of love at its finest, narrated when the environment is serene and calm
Underneath the lamp post by the brigades
Standing all alone every night you'll see her wait
Every night, you can find her standing by the lamppost near the barracks, waiting for someone
She waits for a boy who marched away
And though he's gone, she hears him say
She is waiting for a boy who left for war and even though he's absent, she hears his voice
"Oh promise you'll be true
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene
'Till I return to you
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene"
"Promise me you'll stay loyal until I come back to you, farewell Lili Marlene"
With a kiss she gave her promise
To be constant as the stars above
She made a vow with a kiss to be loyal like the stars in the sky
Every soldier knows she's kept her promise
And she has been faithful to her love
All the soldiers recognize that she has kept her word and stayed committed to her love
For this is the place a vow was made
And breezes sing her serenade
This is where they made their promise and the wind sings her love song
"Oh promise you'll be true
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene
'Till I return to you
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene"
"Promise me you'll stay loyal until I come back to you, farewell Lili Marlene"
This is the story of Lili Marlene
Though wee stems have an ending
No one knows just what the end will be
This is the tale of Lili Marlene, and though all things come to an end, no one knows how this one will finish
But tonight when twilight is descending
If you'll come along, here's what you'll see
But tonight, as the sky turns to dusk, if you come with me, this is what you'll witness
And as they go marching to the fray
The soldiers all salute and say
And as the soldiers go off to war, they honor her by saluting and saying
"We'll tell him you've been true
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene
'Till he returns to you
Fare thee well, Lili Marlene"
"We'll let him know you've been loyal until he comes back, farewell Lili Marlene"
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Hans Leip, Norbert Schultze
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind