Jump to content

A Tribute To Vladimir Visotsky


gamavor

Recommended Posts

I was thinking about starting a thread about bards. We already have given our Rouben Hakverdian alot of attention, who wholeheartedly deserves it, but lets go on. The name of Vladimir Visotsky has become an emblem, - an icon of the dissident spirit in former Soviet Block. An individual with multifaceted talents the name of Vladimir Visotsky is not forgotten and to this day evokes admiration and respect.

 

 

 

 

Here are some of my ever favorite songs:

 

Good religion created by the Hindus

Russian title: Pesenka o pereselenii dush

Some believe in Budha, some in Allah, some in Jesus

Some believe in nothing just to spite everyone else

A good religion was created by the Hindus:

When we succumb to death we never really die ourselves.

 

If you are one whose spirit strives

Be born anew with dreams

But if like swine you lived your life

Then you'll remain a pig.

 

Let people give you croocked looks - get used to criticism

And disappointing - though reborn still targeted by slight

And if you saw your foe die while still in this existance

Then you'll be gifted in the next with vision sharp and right

 

So let life take its natural course

There's reason to be happy

Cause it might be into a boss

Your spirit will inhabit

 

So if you are a janitor - reborn an engineer

And then from engineer to a minister you'll fly

But if you're dumb as wood - be born a tree of Cedar

And be a Tree of Cedar for eons till you die

 

Doesn't it suck as parakeet

Whole century repeating,

Isn't it better in life to be

A decent human being.

 

So who is whom and who was what? - we never really know

Their minds lost, geneticists, from genes and chromosomes

Cause it could be this balding cat was previously a rouge

And this lovable man had been a kind dog.

 

I am jumping higher from delight

I'm stepping round temtation

Convinient religious rite

This Indian creation!

Rate the translation above:

[Excellent] 5 4 3 2 1 [Awful]

Average rating for this translation: 3.00 (out of 2)

 

 

 

He didn't return from the fight

Russian title: On ne vernulsya iz boya

Why has everything changed? Everything is the same:

The sky is still shedding blue light

The same forrest, same air, same water, same rain

Only he is not back from the fight.

 

Now I'll never find out who was right among us

In our disputes, without respite.

Only now I find I miss him because

He didn't return from the fight.

 

He was awkwardly quite, out of turn he would hum

And he missed all the points outright

He would not let me sleep, he was up with the sun

Yesterday he was lost in the fight

 

That its empty - that's not what this is about

There is a TWO that is missing from sight

And it feels as if wind had my fire blown out

When he didn't return from the fight

 

Burtsing out, as if from captivity, Spring

By mistake I call out for a light

"Friend, a smoke" but only the wind answering

Yesterday he was lost in the fight

 

Our dead will not leave us in fires to bake

Our fallen - like gurdians defend

And the forest reflecting the sky, like a lake

And the trees radiating blue stand

 

For us, space in the bunker was plenty enough

And together we watched time's flight

Now it's all just for one, but it feels like a bluff

Feels like I really died in the fight.

 

 

 

Morning workout

Russian title: Utrennyaya gimnastika

Inhale deeply, arms - out more,

Do not hurry - three and four!

Grace and pliability are emphasized!

All around conditioning,

And hangover quickening,

If you're still alive and fidgeting -

Exercise!

 

If you're working out at home,

Do lie down!- three and four!

Correctly go through every single motion!

Lose the tension that you feel,

Get accustomed to the drill!

Inhale deeply right until...

Exhaustion!

 

Quickly growing 'round the world -

Flu and illness - three and four!

The disease is gradually flourishing!

If you're weak - straight to the grave!

If you want your wellness saved,

With a towel rub yourself,

It's nourishing!

 

If already you feel spent,

Sit and stand, sit and stand -

Do not fear the Arctic and Antarctic!

Our main scholar Dr. Joffe

Proved to us that booze and coffee

Will be replaced by athletic prophy -

- lactic

 

All the talking should be stopped

Keep on squatting 'till you drop

Do not be such gloomy creatures!

If you cannot hold your ardor

Rub yourself with something harder

In the water, you can start the

Drilled procedures

 

We're not scared of doltish talk -

In response we run and walk,-

Amateurs - triumphant from the start!

Beautiful!- right from beginning

No one's losing, no one's winning

Stationary running is bringing

Peace to hearts!

 

http://www.kulichki.com:8105/vv/eng/

 

 

:)

Edited by gamavor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
His "Moya tsiganskaya" or "Koni priviredliviye" are about the tragedy of Russians, their stupidity, their childish self-consciousness. If you think about the words in "Moya tsiganskaya" ("Ekh ras, escho ras"), it is about how Russianess was mutated by Bolshevizm. I think Visotski is an outsanding, single representative of what "Russian" realy means.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...