Suzanne Vega - The Queen And The Soldier

Suzanne Vega live at Das Fest, Karlsruhe, Germany 1997. A great performance and a beautiful setting. Broadcast on German TV. 2 Songs
The Queen and The Soldier
World Before Columbus
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[@StLProgressive]

This song affected me so much when I was a teenager. Still does.

[@Sironae]

same!!

[@benevolentlovemama]

No matter how many years that pass between when I've listened to this and I have not - I remember every word. Thank you, Suzanne.

[@tonyjohnson8752]

Makes me cry every time I listen.

[@Jay.Kellett]

Unfortunately, only the dead have seen the end of war. It's just "The Human Condition." Ultimately it will destroy us all. Sorry.

[@hemmojito]

This is the single most stunning live performance of suzanne vega, that you can find on youtube. I've been watching other videos, I always come back for this one. You gotta just love this woman. there's something secretive and mysterious about her and yet something so ... pure. I can't tell. I can't help it, when she sings I feel ...well, free! I don't know how to put it else. Thank you for so much inspiration suzanne.

[@robinsnell2231]

I agree. Hard to put in words.

[@portcullis5622]

I first saw her play live in 1986 and most recently in 2017. Her voice was virtually unchanged. A wonderful songwriter with a beautiful voice.

[@josepha.sojajr.2725]

Completely spellbinding performance. Perfection.

[@thedudeabides3930]

It's hard for me to admit how great this song is, and how much I loved it when I was 19.

[@ChessVertigo]

How much music I lost when I was in my 20s... In 1987 I was 22, and just now I discover this treasure. Thank you all to share it. Thanks Suzanne for magic.

[@soacker25]

At the end She seems so sad and touched for a moment. Amazing. Shes so beautiful. So authentic....

[@ConsciousLiving]

One of my favourite songs of her. Beautiful voice and such gentle guitar. Love it. Lyrics for this song are also beautiful.

[@peterpowis4145]

she is brilliant live!! :)

[@portcullis5622]

A masterpiece from a truly great artist.

[@DouglasKew]

My fave! Never have I heard unrequited love so beautifully explained.

[@bugabootang]

so true

[@evilpride21]

omg her voice. her and Bryan Adam are my favorite musicians. their voices omg even without background sound. this song is so sad. i love it. its just so powerful.

[@neutralizor]

I always loved this song as a tragic love story. What hobgoblin said casts a different light on the words- As a lament for those who's love for their homeland and their kin, in who's defence they would gladly suffer are dishonoured by the reckless and selfish motives of political and religious war-makers who care little for their welfare or the dignity of their sacrifice. Suzanne Vega is very special and to me her songs instil peace even in the face of the harsh realities they sometimes confront

[@earthtripgirl]

One of my all time favorite songs. And as for that night in Princeton, Suzanne, you outshine Duncan any day with this one.

[@Chomin35]

I don't have words to express que means Suzzane Vega to me; at least thousands of minutes of joy listen to her music (no matter what song). Thanks for your contribution to the pop music

[@donrosenbaum]

What a great artist and fantastic composer she is, without any doubt one of the greatest artists of our time !

[@jonmaxwell74]

takes my breath away.

[@ncdcdancer]

i love this song!

[@aidanmcgrath911]

just met her yesterday,shes a lovely person

[@WeWereYoungandCrazy]

Suzanne Vega is my best friends favorite singer. So that puts her automatically into my top 5 or 6. Beautiful song and great production.

[@Lavendergaljackie2]

I think this song is such a sad one. I loved it the first time I heard it. Suzanne sings it beautifully.

[@lorrieatLDP]

Powerful. Thanks Tim for sending this one out to me.

[@Jofph]

She's awesome. Her songs, the lyrics & her soft voice..

[@Shad0wplay]

This is the true nature of beauty. Thank you so much Suzanne Vega :-)

[@margaretkaczorowski2215]

love love this song. still brings tears to my eyes.

[@killyourtelllievision]

Dayyum! Didn't see THAT coming! Killer song! Literally.

[@rgitte]

I've never heard suzanne before now, and I don't get that easily touched by music, but this was something real. I just feel it through my whole body! I just want to cry, don't know why, but it's so beautiful!

[@kindbluey]

Wow! Incredible. Suzane sings beautifully.

[@FoxtrotAlpha173]

Timeless masterpiece 👌❤️❤️👌

[@OrickRaven]

I love the way she says "why". Great song. Great lyrics about man - woman relationship in general.

[@thedragonsflame]

I love this song,ever since I first heard it...

[@gingerhedgemonkey]

So so good.

[@kakaduty]

Thank uuuuu twooooo!!!!

[@reckadrian9740]

Suzanne Vega com sua tradicional franjinha; nos encantado sempre com suas canções! 👍👍👍❤️💐💐💐🙏🏼✌️🇧🇷🌎

[@windsong1962]

This lady is awesome, both singer and songwriter - hairs standing up on the back of my neck !

[@lescot2000]

a great performance with compassion . thanks for posting ... Viva Vega !

[@BlackLaval]

Suzanne rules!

[@THissobeautiful]

Brilliant song. Very evocative.

[@skypboy]

Such a beautiful song. Just goes to show, you don't need a band or backup if you've got true talent. So thought provoking. I love all of Suzanne's work, but this is a long standing favourite. Although, I can't help but think that the Queen sounds like my boss!!

[@darbukagirl]

I've always wanted to sing this in a band, but I can never get through it without bawling. This is my very favoritest song of hers!

[@michaelpolese3440]

I love you Suzanne Vega ❤

[@alexdesslin]

cool !!

[@luciusavenus8715]

still a compelling song

[@colinsmylie1]

Or we could all like this because it's a brilliant song??? ;-)

[@DELBRM]

when I heard this song couple years ago in spite I,m about 60,s,I tried to download the lyrics without knowing English well.I just felt the strait of the song

[@Jannnnnnis]

Beautiful!

[@anDromedaIOT]

beautiful as ever

[@BruceLevitan]

bibribbob2010 - Suzanne STILL sounds great. She was touring last year and I saw at the Lowry, Salford, UK. She sounded just as great as ever. I love this song: it has such a chilling end. A seemingly fairy tale song, but with a twist at the end: no compromises!

[@Lazman65]

a great emotional song.

[@haggisforT]

god, what a gr8t thing, discovering Suzanne Vega! She's been one of the greatest inspirations for me as a musician. Check out Luka and the album that's on. Think The Queen & The Soldier is on it too. Can't remember it's name at the minute, sorry. Enjoy!

[@ehairgrove]

The Dali Lama once said that "Western women would save the world". He was speaking of the likes of Suzanne

[@SlowBloke123]

I doubt he has even heard of her ..... love how the internet gives powers to state "facts" as simply as that. Having said that Im a big fan and picked up the guitar because of her / Paul Simon and Ralph McTell.

[@ehairgrove]

SlowBloke Perhaps developing some reading comprehension would be in your best interest. The sentence said the "likes of Suzanne" which means "like her" not necessarily her. And in this particular case the Dali Lama spoke directly of women like Susanne- with highly developed sensitivity, compassion, and a desire to offer help to an ailing global consciousness.

[@solarson7363]

Shiva Ganesha wow, this comment hasnt aged well..

[@philipwatling]

In many ways my life is just beginning. It may take a few years, but my wife and I will get there one day. Maybe I'll go when she is in her 70s :)

[@MegaAmif]

great song!

[@jay1bug]

Fantastic track. Amazing lady!

[@blackbloodcell5147]

Nice

[@punkeasy]

This song makes me cry

[@obriensa]

This song has been a favourite of mine since I was 11, that was 1987! It never fails to stir me. This is one of my top 10 songs. Beautiful. She's a wondeful songwriter!

[@VidlakJura]

i have everytime creeps on my back, when i m listening this song

[@Ilseschrijft]

I think she's the best accapella singer ever!

[@Insane0industry]

gotta love this

[@989Mojo]

Thank heavens for people like Suzanne Vega... The world would be a much darker place without the likes of her.

[@JosieLawrenceFan]

she was at bestival she was awesome !!

[@plazmaki]

i miss you.

[@Shekateq]

sooo cooooooool!^^ yesssss........................ thats it^^!

[@Passengerseatxxx]

Masterpiece.

[@robtherub]

someone best tell her to make sure the song before and after whenever she plays this live are the ones she really wants them to hear, cos this is the song they gonna remember forever, the true folk song, storysong, though i have loved many others of hers, but this one will last even if the web goes down the government crumbles and we live in caves somewhere, someone will be singing this song, i reckon

[@kurtiklaas]

The second one is "The World Before Columbus" of her fifth Album "Nine Objects Of Desire (1996)".

[@gavinc8330]

This is why I'm a single cat. The tune of my life.

[@REIworker]

I felt like the soldier during my tour of Lebanon in the army.

[@victoriaraneyingram6413]

To me, this song is compromised of two sisters Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth I. Beautiful diddy done by a very talented woman. #SuzanneVega

[@rac7773]

This song and Winter by Tori Amos are possibly the two best songs ever composed by women.

[@steveharris5008]

An excellent anti-war song that also is a slap in the face of all so-called leaders of any persuasion and that includes isis...

[@moonoggin]

She shore can sing a tale=)

[@majortom2688]

How powerful

[@ronward3949]

A Bold song, coming face to face, Wars not denoting, my Power is not to kill, the problems I must face, so you cannot tell me, a thing I will always know, your schemes like a Show, of shaadows awaiting you, while I come and shall go, while the Manics still glow with that Manic drone, who is to know how I ddisappeared beffore you showed any Remorse?

[@gavinc8330]

Still trying to make sense of your words. I assume you have a life, but Killen words. Not nice, "we an take a walk Epping forest"

[@ronward3949]

@gavinc8330 my words reflect my path of non-violence in a world that often demanded violence for protection of the Queen in the song.

[@gavinc8330]

One of you people, don't tree hug me here. This an anthem of the West. Take your religion & disappear. I'm English, used to a Queen. So, you? Unfortunately, this life. We always have to fight for the politics, BS. It's a story of life, hope. Otherwise why do I get out of bed in the am?

[@ronward3949]

@gavinc8330 to hug trees, allow for growth, they fill me up with their amazing attributes, besides I am usually an early bird, do bird studies, it is all wndrous

[@Fenris357]

@tishhead i love small blue thing! mind the ladies not done a duff song yet in-fairness.

[@bikerke71]

deze is voor Renata, en ik hoop dat ik snel dat licht weer zie.

[@robtherub]

The best song, in the Universe, ever. Rub Review. A story song, the original type of song, the somg that doesn't get written any more with all these verse chorus pop meaningless nothings we have been subjected to by corporate music. 3/4 the ultimate songwriting time signature noone uses anymore. Note to aspiring songwriters; write a story song in 3/4. Now, to make it an authentic review i have to say something snarky: It's clearly Elizabeth the first the Queen she is talking about. No matter how hard americans try they cannot see, "the world before columbus". The world begins with America. Redo the album and make up some tales from the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. Talking of snarky, i heard she got hate mail from women who recognised themselves in The Queen and took this song personally, to all of them i have to say, you are the war. Who the cap fit let them wear it.

[@judaica4less]

Efrai , i will always love you :-(

[@kisslite2]

@bnelson723 that is very deep and very touching

[@Dorsal81]

Hmm, am I crazy or this is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen? Jessica Alba etc etc BS, SUZANNE VEGA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ezandman6804]

I am here for the second song.....

[@Life3is]

People do lack love. Materiality will never ever do what only the love, the soul can do. Nothing can replace love. Look at Jesus Christ...!

[@AliasTemple]

"From East to West" Imagine a revelation of thought. A human mind. A time machine you can watch like a vast television. On the main channel that we live through the arrows of time. With your remote control you can go forwards or backwards. Now imagine just the way you picture a figure of graphics. Before you paint it on your canvas. It is your decision as to how it will look and... You can change it as you create this movie within the medium. Now within this time machine you manipulate. At any point while traveling forwards or backwards. Paradoxes are as common as the simple gesture of feeding a bird. And...at any given point you could then travel off into a completely different direction. Therefore, changing the future of what you will then see on that given channel. Changing the actual channel, you are seeing before you. The possibilities are then endless. Now imagine that every human with a brain that you are distant viewing. Is a walking endless set of paradoxes waiting to change destiny at your own desires. The roads that can be taken might be manipulated by traveling both forward and then back again to change the outcome to your own desires. Very much like creating a dream within someone's sleep. By projecting the movie that you visualize down inside them. You will be changing either the past and then the future path. Now if while viewing any one of the endless branches of the tree of life you are creating before you and that individual. You should be lucky enough to have a remote control within your hand. If you should witness an atrocity. And should make the decision to stop the "play" or "movie" that you are creating within your mind. The question is...Should I then change the outcome to be one full of life's riches? Or would you allow destiny to take its course? In its own way. Now imagine while sitting at your control board. While changing the channels. From one human to another within their minds that you view. That you might find greatness and riches. Or wars. Would you let them be the ones that are great? Would you let the wars rage on to see what the outcome brings? Now imagine leaving all conscious morals aside. To go further than anyone has ever seen. Or backwards to the BIG BANG. To how it was all created. Or how will it. If it does all end. Could making a decision like,feeding that bird. Change everything?

[@Gunnabee]

thats very self preserving of you :)

[@jorgeluisarangurenbardelli6440]

👸💂☘😎

[@thestar13]

she's almost like Simon and Garfunkel, with a beautiful feminine touch

[@carillatn]

[@roughampark]

10 million veterans in the UK.......

[@robtherub]

i wanna play this one to Lizzie the Lizard! ha ha, God Bless America! for real, viva zapata viva obama viva africa god save the marfar queen... innit though? bless Suzanne Vega for this one, her original songwriting innit

[@Quinnknights]

always reminds me of a certain girl ^_^

[@j.b.9260]

2:28 Nice hands.

[@eldiran2]

It has deeper implications too (nothing with Vega is ever obvious or simplistic)....that all "Battles" are Outer reflections of Inner battles. Jesus sopposedly said (in Gnostic Gospels--censored by the church) "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you".

[@gavinc8330]

Or "This Love"

[@FeaturingMaxAsMax]

"The Queen and the Soldier" is a masterpiece, one of my five favorite songs of all time. The diversity of comments here testifies to that -- there are so many ways of hearing this song. One person thinks it's an anti-war song. I see it as a song about the way we lock ourselves into fortresses and hurt the people who try to help us. All of these meanings are possible. I love this version, but I miss one thing that was on the recorded version -- the organ. In the record, most of the soldier's speeches are accompanied by the organ, while the queen's are accompanied by the guitar. The dialogue between the two instruments reinforces the dialogue between the two characters. The song ends with the organ music trailing off softly into the distance, signifying that the spirit of the soldier is *not* dead or broken. There is hope at the end. This version, on the other hand, is utterly bleak.

[@steveharris5008]

love your sentiments; I will need to hear the version you are talking about.

[@stevebeutelspacher1157]

Very insightful. Agree this is an incredible and moving piece of music. It strikes me as an example of speaking truth to power and the consequences thereof.

[@Anthony-js3ki]

What are the other four?

[@valenciawhitehead9589]

Love your take on this and TOTALLY agree about the organ!

[@robinsnell2231]

Yes, you are right. I don't know how you worked it out, but it is there in this recording kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3rCaICVf8qGpcU

[@CrazyBernieFurniture]

Had the pleasure of seeing her perform at Joes Pub in NYC in November 2014. I requested this song and she played it just for me and my wife. AWESOME

[@majortom2688]

So magic moment. A song far away from the usual hits.

[@twoblackthorned]

I missed her when she played. She made a point to smile upon me though, even so. =-)

[@Selenareznik25]

That is so amazing! I did a cover of this for my KZbin channel and sent it to Suzanne. No response but a lot of people on twitter really like the cover. I’ll put the link here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIjafI2opp51d9U

[@gavinc8330]

❤

[@CaseModVideos]

She is depth, softness, beauty and incredible Talent. The world is a better place - I love everything about this lady.

[@micheleammaturo3584]

Me too, completely...