We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
This famous medieval Latin university drinking song, also known as On The Brevity of Life, is an example of Goliardic verse, of which Carmina Burana is the best known example.
The Latin and English words are below the fold - but there's a big gap first which I cannot fix.
Why people stand for a student drinking song is beyond me.
Gaudeamus igitur, Juvenes dum sumus; Post icundum iuventutem, Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus.
Let us therefore rejoice, While we are young; After our youth, After a troublesome old age The ground will hold us.
Vita nostra brevis est, Brevi finietur; Venit mors velociter, Rapit nos atrociter; Nemini parcetur.
Our life is brief, It will shortly end; Death comes quickly, Cruelly snatches us; No-one is spared.
Ubi sint qui ante nos In mundo fuere? Vadite ad superos, Transite in inferos Hos si vis videre.
Where are those who before us Existed in the world? You may go up to the gods, You may cross into the underworld If you wish to see them.
Vivat academia, Vivant professores, Vivat membrum quodlibet, Vivat membra quaelibet; Semper sint in flore!
Long live the university, Long live the teachers, Long live each male student, Long live each female student; May they always flourish!
Vivat et republica Et qui illam regit. Vivat nostra civitas, Maecenatum caritas Quae nos hic protegit.
Long live the state And those who rule it. Long live our city, And the charity of benefactors Which protects us here.
Vivant omnes virgines, Faciles, formosae! Vivant et mulieres, Tenerae, amabiles, Bonae, laboriosae.
Long live all young women, Easy and beautiful! Long live wives as well, Tender, loveable, Honest, hardworking.
Pereat tristitia, Pereant osores. Pereat diabolus, Quivis antiburschius Atque irrisores!
Perish sadness, Perish haters. Perish the devil, Whoever is against the student fraternity, As well those who mock us!
Quis confluxus hodie Academicorum? E longinquo convenerunt, Protinusque successerunt In commune forum.
Who has gathered now Of the university? They gather from long distances, Immediately joining Our common forum.
Boy, these sure are violent times here on the once-bucolic Maggie's Farm. Yesterday, it was "Bring back the lash", advocating medieval tortures for such heinous acts as graffiti and auto theft.
Today, it's death to anyone who mocks us, not to mention those awful "haters".
When I was a kid my Dad listened to Erich Kunz singing German University Songs a lot and I hated them. He literally wore out his LPs. I bought him a replacement set of CDs and wound up buying a second set for myself.
Kunz does a great version of Gaudeamus Igitur.
The only online one of these traditional German University songs I could find is is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32n5yncfmM
Alan Sherman utilized some of the melody of Gaudeamus Igitur in his song The Dropouts March. The boldfaced lyrics show where he used the melody.
(No more pencils, no more books,
No more teachers' dirty looks.
Dropouts! dropouts! Yeah team!)
On, dropouts, down the field,
Ain't we the national shame.
Cheer for our fun-loving breed,
Who can't hardly read,
Or write our name.
March, dropouts, backward march.
Ain't we a tragedy.
Leave us unite, and fight, fight, fight
For good old stupidity.
Duh!
Duh!
Drop, dropouts, out of school,
Proud of the will to fail.
You won't find us in the school halls.
Look in the pool halls, or in jail.
Long may our colors wave,
Sons of the black and blue.
Light-hearted chaps
Who steal hubcaps,
We've got nothing else to do.
Ignoramus there you are,
Sitting in your hopped-up car,
And your brains ain't up to par,
And your ears stick out too far.
Go, dropouts, go and buy,
One comic book or two.
You need some rest and enjoyment,
Your unemployment check is due.
Soon, dropouts, very soon,
You'll wear a different hat.
Soon you will be in the Army.
Just try dropping out of that
Such lyrics couldn't be written today. Too Politically Incorrect. Only at Maggie's Farm could I find out that Alan Sherman was giving me some kulcha' - I didn't even realize it until now.
I found it difficult to follow the lyrics. While I don't know much German, I can follow lyrics in German song for at least several minutes. Not in Latin, apparently.
