How about Russian heavy metal?

How about Russian heavy metal?

Dear friends,

I would really like to introduce you this wonderful song "Я свобо́ден / I am free", whose original version was recorded in 1997. Most of the sources in the Internet define its genre as a rock-ballade.

This song is known to almost everyone in Russia and is mostly asoociated with Sergei Mavrin / Серге́й Ма́врин, a guitar virtuoso, and Valerii Kipelov / Вале́рий Кипе́лов, tenore di grazia, who are definitely the two most widely known Russian rock musicians.

Below you can see the music video and the lyrics with the English translation and some grammar comments.

Слова́ / Lyrics

На́до мно́ю (Pron., Instr.) тишина́ (Fem., Nom.),

Не́бо по́лное (noun+ adj., Neut., Nom.) дождя́ (Masc., Gen.),

Дождь (Masc., Nom.) прохо́дит (Pres., 3rd Pers. sg.) скво́зь меня́ (Acc.),

Но бо́ли (Fem., Gen.) бо́льше нет. 

Под холо́дный шёпот (adj.+noun, Masc., Acc.) звёзд (Gen., pl)

Мы сожгли́ (Past., Perf., 3rd Pers. pl) после́дний мост (adj.+noun, Acc.), 

И всё в бе́здну (Fe., Acc.) сорвало́сь (Past., Perf., 3rd Pers. Sg, Refl.). 

Свобо́дным (adj. Instr) ста́ну я от зла (Neutr., Gen.) и от добра́ (Neutr., Gen.), 

Моя́ душа́ (Fem., Nom) была́ на ле́звии (Neut., Prep.) ножа́ (Masc., Gen.).

Silence is above me, and the sky full of rain,

The rain is piercing / passing through me,

But there is no pain any more.

While the stars where whispering coldly

(Lit.: Under the cold whisper of stars)

 We have burnt the last bridge

And everything has fallen down into the abyss

I will become free from the evil and the good

My soul has been on the razor blade.

Я бы мог (Part., 1st pers., sp., Masc., Imperf.) с тобо́ю (Instr.) быть (Inf., Imperf.),

Я бы мог про всё забы́ть (Inf., Imperf.), 

Я бы мог тебя́ (Acc.) люби́ть (Inf., Imperf.), 

Но э́то лишь игра́ (Fem., Nom.).

В шу́ме (Masc., Presp.) ве́тра (Masc., Gen.) за спино́й (Fem., Istr.)

Я забу́ду (Fut., Perf., 1st Pers. sg) го́лос твой (noun+pron., Acc.)

И о той любви́ земно́й (noun+adj., Fem., Prep.), 

Что нас сжига́ла (Past., 3rd Pers. sp., Fem., Imperf.) в прах.

И я сходи́л (Past., 1rd Pers. sp., Masc., Imperf.) с ума́ (Masc., Gen.),

В мое́й душе́ (Fem., Prep.) нет бо́льше ме́ста (Neutr., Gen.) для тебя́ (Gen.).

I could be with you,

I could forget about everything,

I could love you,

But it is only a game.

In the noise of wind behind the back

I will forget your voice

And about the earthly love,

Which was burning us to ashes

And I going crazy

In my soul there is no place

For you any more.

Припе́в / Refrain

Я свобо́ден (Masc.) сло́вно пти́ца (Fem., Nom.) в небеса́х (pl, Prep),

Я свобо́ден, я забы́л (Past, 1 Pers. sg., masc., Perf), что зна́чит (Pres., 3rd Pers. sg) страх (Masc., Nom). 

Я свобо́ден с ди́ким ве́тром (adj.+noun., Masc., Instr.) наравне́, 

Я свобо́ден наяву́, а не во сне́ (Masc., Prep.).

I am free like a bird in the sky

I am free, I have forgotten what fear is

I am free and equal to the wild wind

I am free in reality, not in my dreams.

На́до мно́ю тишина́, не́бо по́лное огня́ (Masc., Gen.), 

Свет (Masc., Nom.) прохо́дит сквозь меня́ (Acc.), 

И я свобо́ден вновь. 

Я свобо́ден от любви́ (Fem., Gen.), 

От вражды́ (Fem., Gen.) и от молвы́ (Fem., Gen.), 

От предска́занной судьбы́ (Participle, Past, Passive + noun Fem., Gen.)

И от земны́х око́в (adj.+noun, Gen., pl), от зла (Neutr., Gen.) и от добра́ (Neutr., Gen.) 

В мое́й душе́ (Fem., Prep.) нет бо́льше ме́ста (Neutr., Gen.) для тебя́ (Gen.).

Silence is above me, and the sky full of fire,

The light is passing though me

And I am free again.

I am free from love,

From hatred (enmity) and gossips,

From predicted destiny

And from earthly chains, from the good and the evil

In my soul there is no place

For you any more.

In 2016 the song reemerged on TV being perfomred by Danil Pluzhnikov, the winner of the show Го́лос Де́ти 3 / Voice Children 3 who impressed the jury and the viewers with his talent and courage.

I love the combination of the deep lyricism of the melody and Kipelov's voice and the brutality of typiically heavy metal strumming and percussion. Probably the Russian lyricism will penetrate into every decent piece of music even if it is the heaviest metal in the world.

Thank you for reading this post. Hope you have learnt something new and enjoyed the rock-ballade. You are very welcome to leave your feedback below. 

Have a good day and very musical greeeting from Russia!