Katy Carr, an award winning British recording artist with Polish roots, is truly an ambassador of Polish history in Great Britain. She shared with us six beautiful Polish songs recorded in the gorgeous All Hallows Church in Camden.

Today we’re sharing remaining three songs (this time from the World War II period), as we promised a couple of weeks ago, in our #PolishCultureKatchUp series. 

Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą – I have a date with her at nine 

It was a very popular song in 1930s Poland and will be included in Katy’s upcoming record. Written by Henryk Wars in 1933, it was a popular hit – Wars was the Musical Director of the Polish Record label Syrena Records and was also a well known composer.

Eugeniusz Bodo is an icon of Polish culture, music and cinema. He was a huge star in 1920s 30s Poland and his legendary status continues to rise as more and more people discover his incredible depth of work.

During WWII, since he possessed a Swiss passport, he was subjected to gross brutality by the Soviet authorities who accused him of espionage. Eventually he died through starvation and physical weakness in a Soviet work camp (gulag). 

Rozszumiały się wierzby płaczące – The sound of the weeping willows

The song was updated from a popular Polish marching tune of 1912 – Pożegnanie Słowianki.  

In 1943, an unknown author updated the tune and used the metaphor of the Weeping willow trees to express the sadness of the girl who has to say goodbye to her beloved as he departs to fight for freedom in the Partisans. 

Dziś do Ciebie przyjść nie mogę (Kołysanka) – I can’t come to you today (The Lullaby) 

Both lyrics and music were written in 1943 by Stanisław Magierski (pseudonym “Jacek II”). The song describes the longing of a Polish Partisan who is unable to come see his beloved one because he has to hide out in the forest.