Привет из России / Greeting from Russia
Рю́мка вóдки на столе́
A glass of vodka on the table
This song will be guessed by almost everyone in Russia from the first word of its refrain which means virtually from its first two notes. If you start singing 'тóлько' following the tune, your Russian friend will sure enough continue 'рю́мка вóдки на столе́'. You can try and check it. I will venture 10 bucks :-)
A dramatic, one of a kind melody, deep and poetic lyrics by Yevgeny Grigoryev, a bit abstract but at the same time revealing the innermost, and the unique expressiveness of Grigory Leps's voice make this song a real masterpiece.
When Yevgeny Grigoryev wrote the song in 1995 he meant it to be a rock-ballade, but there are lots of blues elements in the Leps's version (Leps bought the rights for this song in 2000).
But you must be getting really impatient to actually listen to the song so it is high time for me to share the link to the official video from youtube with you. The clip was created in 2002 by Alexander Solokha (the director) and Sergey Danduryan (camera operator). Enjoy :-)
So, what's you impression? How Russian is the song in your opinion?
***
Now once you have enjoyed the song itself let's have a look at the lyrics and learn some Russian!
First, I am going to provide the lyrics with some grammar comments and a literal translation revealing the typically messed up Russian word order. Then I am going to make a tanslation from disfigured English into a more or less comprehensible language. I shall start with the refrain, not with the couplets, as the refrain is the nasties part of the haunting tune.
Тóлько рю́мка вóдки (noun+noun, Gen.) на столé (Prep.),
Only a (shot) glass of vodka on the table
Вéтер (Masc., Nom.) плáчет (Pres., 3rd pers., sg.) за окнóм (Instr.),
The wind is crying behind the window (outside)
Ти́хой бóлью (adj.+noun, Fem., Instr.) отзывáются (Pres., pl, 3rd pers., pl., relfex. suf) во мнé (Prep.)
With quite pain are responding in me
Э́той молодóй луны́ (pron+adj+noun in Gen.) кри́ки (pl., Nom).
Of this young moon the cries.
***
There is only a glass of vodka on the table.
Outside the wind is crying.
The cries of the young moon are echoing in me with quiet pain.
1st couplet
Ночь (Fem., Nom.) по ýлицам (pl., Prep.) пошлá (Past, Perf., Fem.)
The night down the streets started walking
Звёздной пóступью (adj+noun Fem., Instr.) цари́ц (pl., Gen.),
With a starry footfall of the empresses (traritzas)
Слов и чи́сел (pl., Gen.) простотá (Fem., Nom.)
Of words and numbers simplicity (elegance)
У небéсного мостá (adj.+noun Masc., Gen.)
At (near) the heavenly bridge
Раскидáла (Past, Fem., Perf.) пéрья (pl., Acc.) птиц (pl., Gen.).
Has scattered the feathers of birds.
Не забýдутся (pl., refl., Fut., Perf.) никéм (pron., Instr.)
Will not be forgotten by noone
Прáздник (Masc., Nom.) губ (Gen., pl.) , оби́ды (pl., Nom.) глаз (pl., Gen.).
The feast / celebration of lips, the offences of the eyes.
Забери́ (2nd pers. sg., Imperat., Perf.) меня́ (Acc.) в свой плен (pron+noun, Acc.),
Take me into your captivity
Э́ту ли́нию (pron.+noun Fem., Acc.) колéн (pl., Gen.)
This line of knees
Целовáть (Inf., Imperf.) послéдний раз (adj.+noun, not sure about the case, formally it is Nominative, but it is hard to pose 'a case question'. To be checked).
To kiss for the last time.
***
The night started walking down the streets with her queenly footfall
The elegance of words and numbers has scattered the bird feathers at the heavenly bridge
(Please, don't ask me what this line means, that is too poetic for my earthly brain, but that does sound beautiful)
The feast of the lips and the offences of the eyes will not be forgotten by anyone.
Take me into your captivity to kiss this line of knees for the last time.
2nd couplet
Нелегкó (Adverb) тебя́ (pron., Gen.) отдáть (Inf., Perf.)
It is not easy to give you (away / back – can mean both)
Парусáм (pl., Dat.) ветрóв (pl., Gen.) и птиц (pl., Gen.),
To the sails of winds and birds
Мóжет дáже не поня́ть (Inf., Perf.),
Maybe even not to understand - Maybe it is even impossible to understand
*See more detailed explanation below
Мóжет дáже не узнáть (Inf., Perf.)
Maybe even not to recognize - Maybe it is even impossible to recognize
Среди́ ты́сяч же́нских лиц (num.+adj.+noun pl., Gen.).
Among thousands of women's / female faces
Пусть глáза мои́ (noun+pron pl., Nom.) молчáт (Pres., 3rd pers. pl.),
Let my eyes be silent / Let it be if my eyes keep silence / Although my eyes are silent – all meanings are possible
Мóлча (Transgr.) смóтрят (Pres., 3rd pers. pl ) на лýну (Fem., Acc.),
Silently [are] looking at the moon
Éсли кто (pron., Nom.) поймáет (Fut., Perf., 3rd pers. sg) взгляд (Masc., Acc.),
If somebody catches [my] look / meets [my] gaze
Поторóпится ( Fut., Perf., 3rd pers. sg.) назáд,
[He/she] will hurry back
Сам (pron., Masc., Nom.) не знáю (Pres., 1st pers sg.), почемý.
Myself don't know why.
***
It is not easy to give you away / back to the sails of winds and birds
Maybe it is even impossible for me to understand you
Maybe it is even impossible for me to recognize you among thousands of women's faces.
Let my eyes be silent and stare silently at the moon
If somebody meets my gaze, he / she will hurry back, [although] I don't really know why.
* The above promised clarifications
'Мóжет дáже не поня́ть, мóжет дáже не узнáть...'
The formula 'pronoun / noun in Dative + particle not + Perf. Inf.' means 'it is impossible for me / him / her / us / you / them to do something.
Мне не поня́ть – It is impossible for me to understand / I can't understand. Мое́й подрýге не уви́деть – It is impossible for my (female) friend to see / My friend can't see.
However, the phrase 'Ей не помóчь' can actually mean both she can't help and she can't be helped. It is impossible to help her and it is impossible for her to help. Beware of the double meaning!
Sometimes the pronoun is omitted in this pattern (like it is in the song). В э́той ситуáции не помóчь. It is impossible to help in this situation.
Здесь не разобрáться без 100 грам. Haha, this is a humorous phrase and a quite popular one. It is impossible to understand / puzzle out / make sense here without 100 grams (meaning 100 grams of vodka, of course). Just trying to keep with the topic of the post:-)
Ok, for now I think more information on the subject will be already too much. Thank you reading this post, watching the song video and taking interest in Russian music :-)
I hope you have enjoyed listening to the song and improved your Russian by picking up some interesting vocabulary or becoming aware of some useful Grammar patterns.
Maybe I will give you one more recommendation for dessert. As you know practice makes perfect so if you really loved the song you could sing it along. Here is the link to the karaoke version:
If you feel shy about singing or doubt you vocal skills there is always a 'рю́мка во́дки на столé' to help you with that:-) I think it is a good way to improve here. And I also hope your neighbors will share your music tastes and become fascinated by Russian music. So if they happen to drop by and ask you about this awesome music, don't forget to tell them about me and my blog.
If you feel shy about singing or doubt you vocal skills there is always a 'рю́мка во́дки на столé' to help you with that:-) I think it is a good way to improve here. And I also hope your neighbors will share your music tastes and become fascinated by Russian music. So if they happen to drop by and ask you about this awesome music, don't forget to tell them about me and my blog.
I am trying my best to make you fall in love with the Russian culture if you still haven't.
Have a good and musical day!
Warm greetings from Russia and a big bear hug for you and your musical neighbors!
Love and be loved and take care of your close ones!
PS: I would really appreciate if you leave your comments below. What are your impressions about this song? Would you like to know more Russian songs? Did you find my translation / vocabulary and grammar comments useful? Maybe you would like to know anything else on the subject? Thank you so much :-)
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