Warszawa

wikipedia says: The arrangement is meant to evoke the desolation of Warsaw at the time of Bowie's visit in 1973. The mysterious lyrics and the piece of melody in the middle part of the song are based upon a recording of a Polish folk choir ÅšlÄ…sk. And Bowie himself once said, he created a kind of fantasy language for this song.

I don't know if they mean anything, but I'm from Poland and I can tell you they have nothing to do with the Polish language.

actually, it doesn't mean anything in polish. doesn't even sound like it to be honest. i have no idea what's the deal with this song.

I had to listen to it, when I read the title. I hoped for some Polish words in lyrics... Hmm. It definitely does not look or sound like Polish.

I always thought it was like a requiem for Warsaw in 1945, destroyed by the Nazis. Disappoited to hear the words don't mean anything!

This song is getting me thrilled. It's surely a massive masterpiece and that's why I'm so frustrated that I don't know what he actually meant writing this. As far as I'm concerned he wrote if after the journey through Soviet Union, being in Warsaw just a while (don't know how long though) on his way back to England. So it may have been the things he saw in USSR that moved him, you know, like for example Siberia landscapes, or things he saw both in there and in Poland, I mean, the way people lived at that moment, the way they were treated and so on. Because when is comes to music it's sure that it's based on the song of the Polish folk choir which he heard on a CD that he bought during his stay in Warsaw. Anyway, the origin of the lyrics will remain a secret forever I guess.

And I just got the idea that maybe the lyrics, which apparently are written in some made-up language, are done this way to make a reference to the censorship which is one of the commmunistic symbols and the fact that something like that touches people inspired him. Maybe he wanted to show that in order to express what you really feel you need your own words, or even language. Or to talk about an issue that's forbidden for some reason. And for me, this links to censorship.

Does anyone know where I can find an English translation for this song?

I don't think there is one. I'm pretty sure it's just made-up Polish meant to fit the music (as Subterraneans was made-up English?)

Not a single Polish word there but the title. Won't say much more as I'm yet trying to get this song. Yup, I haven't heard it :]