It’s almost impossible to explain to people who didn’t grew up in the Soviet Union, or in the 90s, how truly these songs bring people together. Performed by the Russian people living under an occupation by our historical enemies, these songs bring tears even to my eyes. Even though, I am not a sentimental person.

A serious campaigns in mass media is on its way to discredit this singing movement.  The entire spectrum of threats from the threats to go after the performers personally, to calls for the “authorities” to crackdown  on this “Soviet revisionism.” I think that a military junta’s crackdown on these grandmothers might have far reaching consequences.

In comments for these videos people write: “Our darlings, get well soon,” and “Come back home. You know the way.”

 

Students in Donetsk sing a song from the movie “The Officers”  1971

The eternal flame(From heroes of the Past) [ Ot geroev bylykh vremen (Вечный огонь(От героев былых времен))

The eternal flame(From heroes of the Past)

Nothing is left of the heroes of bygone days.

Or names sometimes.

Those who sacrificed their lives,

Became just ashes and dust,

Only their formidable courage

Settled in the hearts of the living

This eternal flame was bequeathed

For only us

And we will keep it in our hearts.

 

Look at my soldiers,

The whole world remembers their faces.

Here stood a battalion in line-up.

I can recognize my old friends again.

The hard times they had to go through.

Though they were only twenty-five years old (or less then)

They were those, who with bayonets in their hands,

Stood as a single entity.

Those who took Berlin.

 

There is not some family in Russia,

who has not remembered their heroes.

And the eyes of young soldiers

Are looking at us from faded pictures

They look at us, and it is like the High Court

For the guys that are growing now.

And the boys cannot lie. They cannot deceive

And they have no way to turn away.

 

On December 3rd, in Mariupol local ladies gathered inside and outside of the Central Post office to sing “I love you, life.” A 1956 song

Music: E. Kolmanovskiy Lyrics: K. Vanshenkin

On December 3rd, in Nikolaev people gathered to sing a song Hope once performed by a singer Anna German

Nikolaev is a city in southern Ukraine that had seen a severe punitive actions by junta against the local population in 2014

 

Hope

The unknown star is shining
Again we are torn out of our homes
Again cities are between us
and airport’s runway lights
Here is mist and rain
Here is a cold dawn
Here on this unexplored path
like complex movie plots

Hope – my compass on earth
And luck – trophy for bravery
I’m only satisfied with one song
One that is only about the home

Believe me, that here from afar
A lot is lost in the view
The stormy clouds are melting
The arguments seem absurd
Need to learn how to wait
Need to be calm and stubborn
To get sometimes from life
Restrained telegrams of happiness

And I can’t still forget
Everything that we haven’t sung
My dear tired eyes…
Moscow’s blue snowstorms…
The life is separating us, like before
In the sky there is an unknown star
Shines, like a monument to hope

 

On December 1st, Students in Lugansk sing Dark Hills are Sleeping (Спят курганы темные), 1940 song from the movie This Great Life.

 

Thank you for your time,

Scott

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