Sen o Warszawie (Dream about Warsaw) - Czesław Niemen
This song is the anthem of football club Legia Warszawa, being sung by fans before every match. It touches the hearts of Varsovians, not only Legia fans, and still gets a lot of airtime on the radio.
First experience
The first time I heard it on the radio,
I felt the emotion, the pride, and it sounded melancholic to me. At that time my knowledge of the Polish was close to zero, so it got me curious.
I felt the emotion, the pride, and it sounded melancholic to me. At that time my knowledge of the Polish was close to zero, so it got me curious.
You'll not understand if you aren't one of us
I can remember good that I practiced the first few sentences over and over, I did not know the meaning of all words though. As a football fanatic, one of my dreams was to visit a match of Legia Warsaw. My brother-in-law arranged tickets, under one condition: "You MUST learn the lyrics, the whole stadium sings it so if you go you also have to."
Matchday
Shirt: check. Scarf: check. Lyrics: check.
I remember it like it was yesterday. The moment the floodlights got visible on the horizon, the groups of fans melting into one while walking to the stadium, love it.
I had visited many football stadiums before, so knew the drill. When we reached our seats, I noticed that no one was sitting except the section with business seats. That looked promising...
While kickoff was getting closer and closer, the stadium speaker yelled something through his microphone.
Everyone held his or her scarf above their heads (old school!) and then it happened.
The first chords of Sen o Warszawie blasted through the stadium speakers.
Within a few seconds the hair on my neck and arms stood up. Fans were literally screaming the first sentence, which gave me the heaviest goosebumps I ever experienced. After a while, I stopped singing and watched around. People were watching into nomansland, like in trance. The atmosphere was raw, people singing from the gut. At the last line I saw tears rolling from the cheek of the woman standing next to me. She smiled.
I remember it like it was yesterday. The moment the floodlights got visible on the horizon, the groups of fans melting into one while walking to the stadium, love it.
I had visited many football stadiums before, so knew the drill. When we reached our seats, I noticed that no one was sitting except the section with business seats. That looked promising...
While kickoff was getting closer and closer, the stadium speaker yelled something through his microphone.
Everyone held his or her scarf above their heads (old school!) and then it happened.
The first chords of Sen o Warszawie blasted through the stadium speakers.
Within a few seconds the hair on my neck and arms stood up. Fans were literally screaming the first sentence, which gave me the heaviest goosebumps I ever experienced. After a while, I stopped singing and watched around. People were watching into nomansland, like in trance. The atmosphere was raw, people singing from the gut. At the last line I saw tears rolling from the cheek of the woman standing next to me. She smiled.
That was the moment I realised that this city has something very special. The pride and melancholy was bursting from the stands.
I wanted to meet its soul, explore, suck up historical information and blend in. Just like the walk to the stadium.
I wanted to meet its soul, explore, suck up historical information and blend in. Just like the walk to the stadium.
Sen o Warszawie - Dream about Warsaw
Translated lyrics, source: www.tekstowo.pl
Liked to read this? Then go to www.mywarsawdream.blogspot.com and see more!
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