"Red Beer" genre: Polka
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	A traditional and once very popular Bohemian Polka (Pivo C'ervený) presented in a somewhat modernized derivation of the arrangement created in the 1920's by the legendary Louis Vitak.
	MP3.com CD: Trouchu Bohémský - buy it! Credits: After the arrangement by Louis Vitak
	Story Behind the Song from Alex Draznik's "Reminiscences From My Life" ...1927 presented here by Robert A. Draznik, grandson, email gfoxx@msn.com CHECH DRINKING SONG ("Pivo Cerveny") After the Bohemian National Hall was built and a tavern was opened up inside, the countrymen, both happy and sad alike, came to drink late into the night. Often heard from the inside were hoarse voices singing a Czech drinking song which went like this: "When I am tormented by my fate, my thirst gives me no rest. When poverty is chasing me, myfriends stay away. So I go to the tavern, and sit by my mug, this being my only joy. And why shouldn't I be, merry in my livelihood? And why shouldn't I also have a pretty girl for myself? A dear pretty girl and a red beer, These the Czechs hold the most dear. Let the Italian have his vine groves, he can praise them all he wants. The Hungarian can enhance the sweetness of his wine, The Russian and Pole can have their brandy, beer is our only friend. And when our heads are covered with gray, and when our dark grave is opening before us, a Czech still goes strong. He takes ahold of his mug and his heart laughs with joy." Lyrics from Alex Draznik's "Reminiscences From My Life" ...1927 presented here by Robert A. Draznik, grandson, email gfoxx@msn.com CZECH DRINKING SONG ("Pivo Cerveny") ORIGINAL CZECH LANGUAGE VERSION KdyĹž mne osud trápí Ĺžizen nedá spáti, kdyĹž mne bida stiha, pritel se vyhyba, tu zajdu do hospody, sednu ke korbeli, tam je radost moje jedina. A proc bych nemel byti, vesel v zivobyti? A proc bych nemel take hezke devce miti? Hezke devce mile, pivecko cervene, tot jsou barvy Cechu milene. Necht si Vlach sve haje, opevuje, jak chce, Mad'ar vinnou revu zvelebuje sladce, Rus, Polak, palenku, cti jak svou milenku, my jsme jen pivecka pratele. A kdyz sedinami, hlava se pokryva, a kdyz se pred nami tmavy hrob otvira, tu Cech jeste smele

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