Lily Marlene

Cheap shot. Why mess with history? Nothing to say so evoke something iconic and say nothing...

Underneath the lantern, By the barrack gate, Darling, I remember The way you used to wait. ’Twas there that you whispered tenderly That you loved me, You'd always be, My Lily of the Lamplight, My own Lily Marlene.

Time would come for roll call, Time for us to part. Darling, I'd caress you And press you to my heart, And there 'neath that far-off lantern light, I'd hold you tight , We'd kiss good night, My Lily of the Lamplight, My own Lily Marlene.

Orders came for sailing Somewhere over there. “All confined to barracks,” Was more than I could bear. I knew you were waiting in the street. I heard your feet, But could not meet, My Lily of the Lamplight, My own Lily Marlene

Resting in our billets, Just behind the lines, Even tho' we're parted, Your lips are close to mine. You wait where that lantern softly gleams. Your sweet face seems To haunt my dreams, My Lily of the Lamplight, My own Lily Marlene

We are the D-Day Dodgers, Out in Italy, Always on the vino, Always on the spree. Eighth Army skivers and their tanks, We live in Rome among the Yanks We are the D-Day Dodgers, Out in Italy.

We landed at Salerno, A holiday with pay. Jerry brought his bands out To cheer us on his way, Showed us the sights and gave us tea, We all sang songs, the beer was free. For we are the D-Day Dodgers, The lads that D-Day dodged

Palermo and Cassino Were taken in our stride, We didn't go to fight there, We just went for the ride. Anzio and Sangro are just names, We only went to look for dames, For we are the D-Day Dodgers, In sunny Italy.

On our way to Florence, We had a lovely time, We drove a bus from Rimini, Right through the Gothic Line, Then to Bologna we did go, And went bathing in the Po, We are the D-Day Dodgers, Out in Italy.

We hear the boys in France Are going home on leave, After six months service A shame they're not relieved. We're told to carry on a few more years, Because our wives don't shed no tears. We are the D-Day Dodgers, Out in sunny Italy.

Once we had a "blue light" That we were going home, Back to dear old Blighty, Never more to roam. Then someone whispered: 'In France we'll fight,' We said: 'Fuck that, we'll just sit tight,' We are the D-Day Dodgers, Way out in Italy.

Dear Lady Astor, You think you know a lot, Standing on a platform And talking tommy rot. England's sweetheart and her pride, We think your mouth is much too wide That's from the D-Day Dodgers, In sunny Italy.

Look around the hillsides, Through the mist and rain, See the scattered crosses, Some that bear no name. Heartbreak and toil and suffering gone, The lads beneath, them slumber on. They are the D-Day Dodgers, Who'll stay in Italy.

Point is...show some respect, in your comfortable 21st century worlds,, bolstered by technology, affluence, a dubious education in arts. sociology and information media...just know what those guys bought you.....

I think I'd had too much beer when I wrote those...that was a long time ago because not had any for 3 years. It's easy to forget, cut and paste imagery. Lilly Marlene always gets connected with Marlene Dietrich. Because of that it always gets connected with Blue Angel but is a famous song in its own right. It was written in German during WW1 and became the most popular song among all nations during WW11. More than anything its a soldiers song. D Day Dodgers is a song that should be remembered because one day, though history lessons teach us the causes, the campaigns and the outcomes, the lads themselves will be forgotten. Nancy Astor ones infamously said that those serving in Italy had dodged France. The above comments were in some way saying it's already lost because later generations have captured just the iconic Marlene.