«The Godmother of punk rock» translated the national anthem of Ukraine into English

Patti Smith translated the national anthem of Ukraine into English. She wrote about this on her Instagram.

«This is what I heard in my sleep and goes through my head all day all night long like a tragic hit song. A raw translation of the Ukrainian anthem that the people are singing through defiant tears», – Smith said.

 

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Публикация от This is Patti Smith (@thisispattismith)

Translated text:

Ukraine’s freedom has not perished

nor her glory gone.

Once again all Ukraine’s

fate will smile upon.

Enemies will perish

like dew in the sun.

We shall posess all my people

a free land of our own.

 We will lay down soul and body

and show that we are one.

We will stand together for our freedom

none shall rule our home. 

Ukraine’s freedom has not perished

nor her glory gone.

We will stand together for our freedom

none shall rule our home.

Patti (Patricia Lee) Smith is an American singer, poet, composer, and «the godmother of punk rock». In the 70s, she played an important role in the formation of punk rock. Patti’s debut album Horses (1975) was ranked among the 500 most significant albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2007, Patti Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2019, her autobiographical book «just kids» was published in Ukrainian translation by Vivat publishing house.

Ukraine was also supported by Margaret Atwood, Olga Tokarczuk, Frédéric Beigbeder, Joanne Rowling, Yuval Noah Harari, Bernardine Evaristo, Alison Killing, Neil Gaiman, Witold Szabłowski, Elif Shafak, Stephen King.

Read also: Artist or artist’s mistress: what young Patti Smith dreamed of.