Anna German / Katyusha

A Love And War Song

Katyusha (Катюша) ; diminutive of Catherine.  İt obviously Russian Song You can understand without any explanation. But when we came ' A love and war song' part, yes, this is little bit complex. Before explain war and love song issue I should say that lots of people know Katyusha as anonymous russian folk song but it is not. İt  composed in 1938 by Matvei Blanter with lyrics from Mikhail Isakovsky. İt sounds like so traditional and old but obviosly not. Actually if we focus on the songs composed year, 1938, We can have some tips about the 'war song'  issue. As know that years Russia in World War II. İn that time the song gained fame during World War II as an inspiration to defend one's land from the enemy.

 The song of Katyusha combines elements of the heroic, upbeat battle song and of a peasant song depicting a girl longing for her absent love. Standing on a high riverbank, a young woman, Katyusha, sings of her beloved (compared to "a gray eagle of the steppes"), who is a soldier serving on the border far away. The theme of the song is that the soldier will protect the Motherland and its people while his girl will preserve their love. While the song is joyful and filled with the imagery of a fertile, blooming land, it also conveys the sense that the motherland is under threat. 

"Katyusha" was first sung by female students from a Russian industrial school in Moscow to bid farewell to Russian soldiers going on the battle front against Nazi Germany in July 1941. It quickly became popular throughout the USSR. Its first official performance was by Valentina Batishcheva in the Column Hall of Moscow's House of the Unions. Later it was performed by Lidiya Ruslanova, Georgi Vinogradov, Eduard Khil, Anna German, ( I prefered to share German one, because, in my opinion Anna German version is the best one ) Ivan Rebroff, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Iosif Kobzon, countertenor Vitas, and other singers. "Katyusha" is part of the repertoire of the Alexandrov Ensemble.

When we came to ' Love song' part I think this song has to way about love. First one Katyuhsa's love for her country and second one is her love for her lover who is in the battle. Such interesting song which is I like so much and there is one last information and then I ll share song's lyric; Katyusha is a diminutive form of the female name Ekaterina (Katherine). The song is the probable source of the nickname of the BM-8, BM-13, and BM-31 "Katyusha" rocket launchers that were used by the Red Army in World War II.

Расцветали яблони и груши,	Apple and pear trees were a-blooming,
Rastsvetali iabloni i grushi,
Поплыли туманы над рекой.	Mist (was) creeping on the river.
Poplyli tumany nad rekoj.
Выходила на берег Катюша,	Katyusha set out on the banks,
Vykhodila na bereg Katyusha,
На высокий берег на крутой.	On the steep and lofty bank.
Na vysokij bereg na krutoj.
Выходила, песню заводила	She was walking, singing a song
Vykhodila, pesniu zavodila
Про степного, сизого орла,	About a grey steppe eagle,
Pro stepnogo, sizogo orla,
Про того, которого любила,	About her true love,
Pro togo, kotorogo liubila,
Про того, чьи письма берегла.	Whose letters she was keeping.
Pro togo, chi pisma beregla.
Ой ты, песня, песенка девичья,	Oh you song! Little song of a maiden,
Oj ty, pesnia, pesenka devichia,
Ты лети за ясным солнцем вслед.	Head for the bright sun.
Ty leti za iasnym solntsem vsled.
И бойцу на дальнем пограничье	And reach for the soldier on the far-away border
I bojtsu na dalnem pograniche
От Катюши передай привет.	Along with greetings from Katyusha.
Ot Katyushi peredaj privet.
Пусть он вспомнит девушку простую,	Let him remember an ordinary girl,
Pust on vspomnit devushku prostuiu,
Пусть услышит, как она поет,	And hear how she sings,
Pust uslyshit, kak ona poet,
Пусть он землю бережет родную,	Let him preserve the Motherland,
Pust on zemliu berezhet rodnuiu,
А любовь Катюша сбережет.	Same as Katyusha preserves their love.
A liubov Katyusha sberezhet.

Andrea Guerra / Tumbalalaika

Play Your Balalaika

        Such long time ı could not write anything for my lovely blog. I write lots of thing for my other project which is kind of business for me.Actually that's such shame for me, Because I like so much share my music on my blog but I could not find or create time to share something. But I check who visiting my blog. Yeah I saw several country name again ( although I did not shared anyting in recently time). For example today I had so much visitor from Russia when I saw 25 view just from Russia it makes me happy and curious.  And Guess what my today song came from Russia !

          To be honest, my today song decision is not about visitor from Russia, because I decide it before. How can I say I fall in love with this pretty song.  I can feel some pure energy from the song. Of course I don't understand any single word from the song ( except Tumbalalaika) but I feel something what impressed me, I dont know why.I will try to play this song on piano tomorrow. İt such easy to play with piano but so much funny. I can send the notes who looking for piano notes of Tumbalalaika ^^

İs this Russian  Or Not?

            Well, unfortunately, this song is not Russian, I said before the song came from Russia but situation is little bit complex.. Tumbalalaika is a Russian Jewish folk and love song in the Yiddish language. Yiddish Language ?? Yes you heard right. "Yiddish  (English: Judaeo-German) is the historical language of the Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with an extensive Germanic based vernacular fused with elements taken from Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as from Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages. Yiddish is written with a fully vocalized alphabet based on the Hebrew script." as Wikipedi say. ( Sorry, I am so much lazy today I just copy paste )

And finally I will shared song's Yidish, Engilish and Turkish Lyric. I hope you like Tumbalalaika as much as I liked

TUMBALALAIKA (Yidish) TUMBALALAIKA (Turkish) Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika Tumbalalaika, balalaika çal tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika Shteyt a bocher, shteyt un tracht, Küçük bir çocuk düşünüyor, bütün gece düşünüyor. Tracht un tracht a gantze nacht. Yanlış mı olur? diye soruyor, "Ya da belki doğru?" Vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen, Aşkını ilan etmeli mi, o riske giriyor. Vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen. Peki, o kabul edecek mi, yoksa ret mi edecek? Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika Tumbalalaika, balalaika çal Tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika Meydl, meydl. ch'vel bay dir fregen, Ey genç kız, güzel kız, söyle bana yine; Vos kan vaksn, vaksn on regn? Ne büyüyebilir, yağmur olmadan? Vos kon brenen un nit oyfhern? Ne yakabilir uzun yıllar boyunca? Vos kon benken, veynen on treren? Ne hasretlik çeker ve ağlar gözyaşı dökmeden? Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika Tumbalalaika, balalaika çal Tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika Narisher bocher, vos darfstu fregn? Küçük sersem çocuk, ne diye sorarsın yine? A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn. Taştır yağmur olmadan büyüyebilen. Libeh ken brenen un nit oyfhern. Aşktır yıllar boyunca yakabilen. A harts kon benkn, veynen on treren. Kalptir gözyaşı dökmeden ağlayıp özleyebilen. Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika Tumbalalaika, balalaika çal Tumbalalaika Tumbalalaika

TUMBALALAIKA ( English)

A young lad stands, and he thinks
Thinks and thinks the whole night through
Whom to take and not to shame
Whom to take and not to shame

((chorus))
Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika
Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika, strum balalaika
Tumbalalaika, may we be happy

Girl, girl, I want to ask of you
What can grow, grow without rain?
What can burn and never end?
What can yearn, cry without tears?

((chorus))

Foolish lad, why do you have to ask?
A stone can grow, grow without rain
Love can burn and never end
A heart can yearn, cry without tears

((chorus))

What is higher than a house?
What is swifter than a mouse?
What is deeper than a well?
What is bitter, more bitter than gall?

((chorus))

A chimney is higher than a house
A cat is swifter than a mouse
The Torah is deeper than a well
Death is bitter, more bitter than gall

((chorus))

P.S : There is other versions of Tumbalalaike. This version use in a movie whic is name  Prendimi l'anima 

Fairouz - Kanou Ya Habibi

Someting changed, but someting still same

This time an arabic song from Lebanon. Kanou Ya Habibi. İt is Look like a totally arabic song name, is not it. But it is not. Actually this is a russian song, name Polyushka Polye. Actually I shared it before. But when I heard songs arabic version I said my self ' I must share this lovely peace on my blog!' and now I'm sharing. I shared this song with a title like that ' This song is my destiny' or something like that. But lots of thing changed in my life,and I learn that destiny can change. İn fact destiny is to sum of our choice. So there is a new day, there is a new path for me. ı feel that everything will be okey. I am happy right now. I really had bad time. but right now I'm okey :)

And also I still like Poluska Pole and the new version of PP ; Kanou ya Habibi

Actually I have not much information about Fairouz. But I just read about her. And she have so much fan from Turkey. And this is really interesting, ı think. So I will listening another song of this women and maybe in another content I can share Fairouz Story.

and finally here the songs lyric

:)

Kanou Ya Habibi >>> They were my love

Talj wo saheel wo khayl >>> Snow and neighing & horses

Mare2 3a bab ellayl >>> Passing by the door of night

Kanat aswaton takhodna meshwar >>> Their sounds have been taking us to a journey 

Sawbel mada wennar >>> Across the horizon and fire

Hallaftak ya Habebe >>> I ask u for god sake my love

La tensa ya Habebe >>> Don't forget my love

lma btesma3 hal ghennieye fakker fie ya Habebe >>> When u hear this song think of me my love

(Repeat)

Wo kano elkheyaleh >>> And their were a cavalry

Talj wo saheel o khayl >>> Snow and neighing & horses

Mare2 3a bab ellayl >>> Passing by the door of night

Kanet aswaton takhodna meshwar>>> Their sounds have been taking us to a journey 

Sawbel mada wennar >>> Across the horizon and fire

Kanou Ya Habibi >>> They were my love

Talj wo saheel wo khayl >>> Snow and neighing & horses

Mare2 3a bab ellayl >>> Passing by the door of night

Kanat aswaton takhodna meshwar >>> Their sounds have been taking us to a journey 

Sawbel mada wennar >>> Across the horizon and fire

Origa / Polyushka Polye

Polyushka Polye... My Destiny.

                             
Today we gonna talk about my lovely song 'Polyushka Polye'. İn fact, this is not just a song for me this more than a song. This song have a story in my life what I cannot tell you. Just know that, Polyushka Polye is my destiny. I fell this in deepest place of my soul. Anyway this is really strange and long story... What a long story !

How I heard this lovey song ?

One of my regular day, I was going to school. İn Osmanbey metro station, one of music band ( They call ownself as Metrostring) was playing a song what I did not know. But I fall in love with song from the moment I first hear. And I recorded they music to searching after. But I could not find. after 6 month from my searching, I learn song is name by chance. An that I understand that, there is a right time for everything, we just wait for this right moment in patiently.

A Russian song? OMG! 

When one of my friend said me ' This is a Russian folk song', I just can say ' You gotta be kidding me ? Russian again ?. After whole this things , I just think that all this things should have a meaning or message, or something like that.' But I still do not know end of my story. I still wait patiently.

For Closing, Here is 'Polyushka Polye' lyric in English and  some other versions

Field, my field,
My wide field.
The heroes ride over the field,
Heroes of the past.

The wind scatters your brave songs
Across the green field.
Songs of the past,
Leaving them alone with your glory,
And right at the end, on a dusty road…

Field, my field,
My wide field,
The heroes ride over the field,
Heroes of the past.

Field, my field, has seen so much misfortune.
It was drenched in blood,
The blood of the past.

Click for another version  ( Efkan Şeşen version)

Click for another version ( Evgeny Grinko 'piano' version)