MORE DAMNED ACCORDIONS

One of the clips on youtube is somewhat disturbing, but only if you know the historical background. And yes, it has accordions.
No man who has seen clips of North Korean children playing those daemonic instruments can watch it without shuddering, and many sharp tacks who were alive during the seventies remember the European communists praising that infernal device as the perfect emblem of righteous proletarian artistic endeavor.

In actual fact, almost the only performers in recent times to redeem that horrendous object are the Cajun musicians in Louisiana, and Weird Al Jankovic; a true hero of the not-quite-so working classes.

Dr. Demento featuring such artists as The Toons, also contributed mightily musically.

Who can possibly forget The Punk Polka?
It was truly inspired.


忠字舞和革命歌
LOYALTY DANCING, AND REVOLUTIONARY SONG


[Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icWRopAhtuk.
From the movie 'The Last Emperor' (末代皇帝), about the life of Aisin-Gioro Puyi (溥儀), by Bernardo Bertolucci.]


Transcription:

革命無罪，造反有理！
革命無罪，造反有理！
拿起筆，作刀槍，
集中火力打黑幫。
革命師生齊造反，
文化革命當闖將！
---
革命無罪，造反有理！
革命無罪，造反有理！
要革命，就跟我走，
不革命，就滾他媽的蛋！

Transliteration:

Gémìng wúzuì, zàofǎn yǒulǐ!
Gémìng wúzuì, zàofǎn yǒulǐ!
Ná qǐbǐ, zuò dāoqiāng,
Jízhōng huǒlì dǎ hēibāng.
Gémìng shī shēng qí zàofǎn,
Wénhuà gémìng dāng chuǎngjiàng!
---
Gémìng wúzuì, zàofǎn yǒulǐ!
Gémìng wúzuì, zàofǎn yǒulǐ!
Yào gémìng, jiù gēn wǒ zǒu,
Bù gémìng, jiù gǔn tā mā de dàn!

Paraphrasis:

Revolution has no faults, it is right to rebel.
Pick up your pens, be like guns and knives,
And concentrate your forces to hit the black gang.
Revolutionary teachers and students must fight together,
The Cultural Revolution leads the way.
The revolution has no faults, it is right to rebel.
Forward the revolution, and come with me.
If you don't rebel, kiss my xxx!

Note that the last clause is a contextual translation; what it really says is "boil his mother's egg". Which is a very unprintable locution.


During the Seventies, the socialists in the Netherlands and elsewhere in Western Europe were enamoured of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, and enthusiastically supported the extremism of the age.
Everything done under the guise of Maoism was in their eyes only good, and no fault could be found. It was very American and imperialist to doubt that! They were united and vociferous on that score.

Naturally, the European leftwing also praised the Khmer Rouge.

They were, then as now, on the wrong side of history.
Many reprehensible excesses were committed.
Not least of which: accordion music.


If the video clip above reminds you of recent manifestations in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and the Schilderswijk, so much the better.
Such nice fresh-faced cheerleaders, utterly sincere too.
Inspiringly misguided. Terrifying.
Well-practised.


Ve hamevin yavin.



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