All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight

Song All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight
Artist 97th Regimental String Band
Album Tenting on the Old Camp Ground: Civil War Era Songs, Vol. IV

Lyrics

[00:00.000] 作曲 : Traditional Song
[00:04.753] "ALL quiet along the Potomac to-night!"
[00:09.231] Except here and there a stray picket
[00:13.713] Is shot, as he walks on his beat, to and fro,
[00:18.471] By a rifleman hid in the thicket.
[00:22.954] 'Tis nothing! a private or two, now and then,
[00:27.426] Will not count in the news of the battle;
[00:31.906] Not an officer lost, only one of the men,
[00:37.511] Moaning out, all alone, the death rattle.
[00:42.267] All quiet along the Potomac to-night!
[00:54.034] "ALL quiet along the Potomac to-night!"
[00:58.514] Where the soldiers lie peacefully dreaming;
[01:03.260] And their tents in the rays of the clear autumn moon,
[01:07.729] And the light of the camp-fires are gleaming.
[01:12.209] There's only the sound of the lone sentry's tread
[01:16.983] As he tramps from the rock to the fountain,
[01:21.473] And he thinks of the two on the low trundle-bed,
[01:27.063] Far away in the cot on the mountain.
[01:31.819] All quiet along the Potomac to-night!
[01:43.574] His musket falls slack; his face, dark and grim,
[01:48.057] Grows gentle with memories tender,
[01:52.524] As he mutters a prayer for the children asleep,
[01:57.000] And their mother—"may Heaven defend her!"
[02:01.487] The moon seems to shine as brightly as then—
[02:05.958] That night when the love, yet unspoken,
[02:10.442] Leaped up to his lips, and when low, murmured vows
[02:16.047] Were pledged to be ever unbroken.
[02:20.812] All quiet along the Potomac to-night!
[02:32.284] Then drawing his sleeve roughly over his eyes,
[02:36.769] He dashes off tears that are welling,
[02:40.971] And gathers his gun closer up to his breast
[02:45.457] As if to keep down the heart's swelling.
[02:49.940] He passes the fountain, the blasted pine-tree,
[02:54.419] And his footstep is lagging and weary;
[02:58.620] Yet onward he goes, through the broad belt of light,
[03:04.224] Toward the shades of the forest so dreary.
[03:08.994] All quiet along the Potomac to-night!
[03:20.195] Hark! was it the night-wind that rustled the leaves?
[03:24.399] Was it moonlight so wondrously flashing?
[03:28.882] It looked like a rifle: "Ha! Mary, good-by!"
[03:33.374] And the life-blood is ebbing and plashing.
[03:37.600] "All quiet along the Potomac to-night!"
[03:42.355] No sound save the rush of the river,
[03:46.833] While soft falls the dew on the face of the dead,
[03:52.431] The picket's off duty forever!
[03:56.910] All quiet along the Potomac to-night!
[04:06.437] All quiet along the Potomac to-night!

Pinyin

[00:00.000] zuò qǔ : Traditional Song
[00:04.753] " ALL quiet along the Potomac tonight!"
[00:09.231] Except here and there a stray picket
[00:13.713] Is shot, as he walks on his beat, to and fro,
[00:18.471] By a rifleman hid in the thicket.
[00:22.954] ' Tis nothing! a private or two, now and then,
[00:27.426] Will not count in the news of the battle
[00:31.906] Not an officer lost, only one of the men,
[00:37.511] Moaning out, all alone, the death rattle.
[00:42.267] All quiet along the Potomac tonight!
[00:54.034] " ALL quiet along the Potomac tonight!"
[00:58.514] Where the soldiers lie peacefully dreaming
[01:03.260] And their tents in the rays of the clear autumn moon,
[01:07.729] And the light of the campfires are gleaming.
[01:12.209] There' s only the sound of the lone sentry' s tread
[01:16.983] As he tramps from the rock to the fountain,
[01:21.473] And he thinks of the two on the low trundlebed,
[01:27.063] Far away in the cot on the mountain.
[01:31.819] All quiet along the Potomac tonight!
[01:43.574] His musket falls slack his face, dark and grim,
[01:48.057] Grows gentle with memories tender,
[01:52.524] As he mutters a prayer for the children asleep,
[01:57.000] And their mother" may Heaven defend her!"
[02:01.487] The moon seems to shine as brightly as then
[02:05.958] That night when the love, yet unspoken,
[02:10.442] Leaped up to his lips, and when low, murmured vows
[02:16.047] Were pledged to be ever unbroken.
[02:20.812] All quiet along the Potomac tonight!
[02:32.284] Then drawing his sleeve roughly over his eyes,
[02:36.769] He dashes off tears that are welling,
[02:40.971] And gathers his gun closer up to his breast
[02:45.457] As if to keep down the heart' s swelling.
[02:49.940] He passes the fountain, the blasted pinetree,
[02:54.419] And his footstep is lagging and weary
[02:58.620] Yet onward he goes, through the broad belt of light,
[03:04.224] Toward the shades of the forest so dreary.
[03:08.994] All quiet along the Potomac tonight!
[03:20.195] Hark! was it the nightwind that rustled the leaves?
[03:24.399] Was it moonlight so wondrously flashing?
[03:28.882] It looked like a rifle: " Ha! Mary, goodby!"
[03:33.374] And the lifeblood is ebbing and plashing.
[03:37.600] " All quiet along the Potomac tonight!"
[03:42.355] No sound save the rush of the river,
[03:46.833] While soft falls the dew on the face of the dead,
[03:52.431] The picket' s off duty forever!
[03:56.910] All quiet along the Potomac tonight!
[04:06.437] All quiet along the Potomac tonight!