Note: This is a lyrical slow song, performed
at any time. Originated from the Kiev Province, Central Ukraine. Recorded
in the Primorye Territory in 1995, as sung by Ukrainian settlers of the
1950s.
As the wind blows from behind the mountain
The mother asks her daughter all about her life...
[The daughter answers]
-- Ask me not, o mother, ask the grey duck
For the grey duck spends her nights out in the sea.
As the grey duck spends her nights out at the sea
She could tell you all my troubles, and not me.
The first trouble is the baby that's too small,
Second trouble is the in-laws that's too cruel,
My third trouble is the husmand that's too jealous:
When he rides out to the fields to plough the land,
When he rides out to the filds to plough the land,
He always takes me with him to drive the oxes for him.
Oh my oxes, oh my pale straw-colored oxes,
All my years, my young years have all gone away.
AS THE OXEN CAME OUT OF THE OAK-GROVE
Note: The Ukranian lyrical slow song, performed
at any time. Originated from the Central Ukraine. Recorded in Primorye
in 1994.
As the oxen came out of the oak-grove,
All the young sheep came back from the fields
And the young girl stood there talking
To the young and handsome Cossack.
-- Oh where are you going, why are you leaving,
My grey-winged eagle?
Who's gonna hug me, the young maiden,
Who's gonna embrace me with all heart?
-- Oh you sweetheart mine, enjoy embraces
Of another one who's like myself.
Only don't tell him all that truth
That you had told me.
-- And how could I resist telling him the truth
For he's so young and handsome?
He'll embrace me, he will kiss me,
He will start asking me for it.
-- Let him ask, my dear one, let him ask,
And you don't tell him anyway.
Don't let him, my young maiden,
Fall deeper in love with you.
THE SPRING CALLING
Note: This song originates from the Smolensk
Province, Western Russia. Performed on March 22, at the Magpie Holiday.
-- Oy, you Spring the Beautiful, the summer warm
Oy lyuli-lyuli, the summer warm
What did you ride to come to us, Spring the Beautiful?
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
-- I have come to you riding my little wooden plough
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
My little wooden plough, my little harrow
Oy lyuli lyuli...
-- And what have you brought us, Spring the Beautiful?
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
-- And I have brought you the little loaf of bread
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
And I have brought your small kids an egg each
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
And I have brought your young wives a sickle each
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
And I have brought your beautiful girls a garland each
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
And I have brought your old women a crook each
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
-- Bear forth, O Spring, the spring-rye thick
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
The spring-rye thick, full of ears
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
Full of ears, full of kernels
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
So that we could bake our pies
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
Bake our pies, brew our beers
Oy lyuli-lyuli...
Brew our beers, wed our sons
Oy lyuli-lyuli, wed our sons
HEY GORDEY, GORDEY THE PRIEST
Note: This is the wedding song, performed on
the first day of the wedding in the bride's house by the bride's friends,
before the bridegroom comes. Originated from Bryansk Province, South-Western
Russia. Recorded in 1993 in Primorye as sung by settlers.
Note: It is performed on a march, around a
campfire or at village feasts. Originated from the Ternopol Province, West
Ukraine. Recorded in the Primorye Territory in 1995, as sung by settlers.
The fierce winter's almost over
And the beautiful spring is coming
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
The beautiful spring is coming
The beautiful spring is coming
And the soldier's heart swoons
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
The soldier's heart swoons
The soldier's heart swoons
And the soldier rises early
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
The soldier rises early
The soldier rises early
And he washes his white face
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
He washes his white face
He washes his white face
And he dries it with a towel
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
He dries it with his towel
He dries it with his towel
And he goes off to the maneuvers
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
He goes off to the maneuvers
Those maneuvers are a torture
They are hard on his arms and legs
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
They are hard on his arms and legs
They are hard on his arms and legs
It's only his rifle that feels well
[Refrain, repeated twice]
Hey hey, one-two, lyuli
Only his rifle's feeling well
THE SPRING SONG
Note: The song is performed by young girls
on the open air and is a part of the spring-calling ritual. Originated
from the Central Ukraine and recorded in Primorye in 1995, as sung by Ukranian
settlers.
Well it's the spring already, and it is beautiful
And the water's dripping from the eaves [repeated
twice]
Oy, the water's dripping from the eaves
The smell of rib-grass is urging
The young Cossack to move on [repeated twice]
Oy, the young Cossack to move on
The Cossack has gone out
To the wide wide field [repeated twice]
Oy, to the wide wide field
And the girl has followed him:
«Come back oh my falcon [repeated twice]
Oy, come back oh my falcon»
[The Cossack answers]
«How can I come back, I cannot
For you neglect me [repeated twice]
Oy, you neglect me
And this neglect of yours is
Already under my feet [repeated twice]
Oy, it's under my feet
And your chestnut braid's already
On the palm of my hand [repeated twice]
Oy, it's on the palm of my hand»
THE LATE LYRICAL SONG
Note: It is sung at any time, usually at village
feasts and holidays. Originated in the Novosibirsk Province, West Siberia,
in the Russia's geographic center, and spread throughout the country, including
Primorye.
The destroyer boat was moored off the port
And her sailors bid farewell to their kinfolk
[Refrain, repeated twice]
And the sea was serene with its beautiful dream
And it outspread into oblivion
And there near the garden where nightingales sang
Where they sang, all playful and joyous
The young sailor bid adieu to his beloved
Before going away for ages
He clang to her bosom, all snowy and firm
And his lips searched for her mouth
Two hearts beat as one, and all at once
It was easier for them to breathe
He took off his cap and waved his hand
«Farewell, my dear Marusya
We'll soon take Sebastopol, our own town
And I shall come back to thee»
And the boatswain stood there and looked at them
And he seemed to be almost laughing
The orders sounded, «Anchor's aweigh!»
And the boatswain's whistle was ear-piercing
The girl has been waiting for him in vain
She shouldn't have been waiting at all
Her lover is standing still at the wheel
Watching the vast of the ocean
THE CHRISTMAS SONG
Note: The song is performed by the participant
of the ancient ritual of «kolyadki», or the rounds of households at Christmas,
that goes back to «Kolyada», the pagan holiday of winter solstice that
later blended with Christmas. The song originated from the White Sea coast
villages in the Archangel Province, North-West Russia.
[Intonation]
Kolyady-molyady
Open up your gates!
The snows fell down on the earth
And they fell down again
And Christ came down from Heaven
With Gabriel the Angel
And with John the Evangelist
Oh you Sacred Mother Mary
You went to the church
To gather God's homage
Pressing your hands to your heart
And you said to the heralds
«You, my heralds
Will you tell me about
God's Christmas»
[The kolyadki-makers' address to the master of the
house]
Christmas has rolled
Under the master's window
Rise up, master
Wake up your mistress
I'll give you bread and salt to eat
I'll gather you for the road
From one village to another, with your merry head
And the heart is glad, and it's glad again!
[The well-wishing to the master who gave the kolyadki-makers
generous gifts]