VOTE! WHICH ARE YOUR FAVES? My Ultimate Collection of 14 Best Russian Love Songs!

My collection of some of the best and most famous hit LOVE songs from Russia. I chose them for you to expand on the lovely topic of March 8: What’s So Unusual About March 8?! International Women’s Day Special!

The songs aren’t in any particular order. By the way, the Russian song lyrics is usually very meaningful and often profound; it normally adds to the perception of a song. I’ve translated some of the lyrics, to give you an idea of what each song is about. But the music is lovely and beautiful in its own right, so enjoy!

Let me know in comments which of these you enjoyed best! Also, I am hearing these with my Russian ear, and I understand the lyrics and the rhythmics of a Russian song. But I am genuinely curious how those who don’t understand the words hear these? How do you think these are different and how do you like them compared, for instance, to English language love songs, and/or such songs in other languages? Your impressions are most welcome!

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BEST CONTEMPORARY RUSSIAN LOVE SONGS

I’ll Stay, Aya & Gorod 312 band

Город 312, Останусь

The lyrics is beautiful, and the melody is even better. Brief translation:

“In the end of tunnel, the bright light of a blind star…

A lingering trace of my soles on dry leaves…

I still feel the pulse, and an urge to live…

I may never return, but perhaps I’ll stay…

I’ll stay as ashes on your lips,

I’ll stay as fire in your eyes,

As a breath of wind in your hands.

I’ll stay as snow on your cheek,

I’ll stay as a far away light,

I’ll remain your light… Your light…”

How Enchanting are the Nights in Russia… White Eagle band, Kremlin

The melody is beautiful and truly enchanting.

БЕЛЫЙ ОРЕЛ, КАК УПОИТЕЛЬНЫ В РОССИИ ВЕЧЕРА, КРЕМЛЬ

Brief translation:

“Perhaps it’s just dream and love is just a game,

Perhaps my feelings are nothing to you,

Whether in this or other world, I’ll never forget

How enchanting are the Russian nights…”

I Don’t Regret (theme song from the hit 2000s Russian TV series, Poor Nastia, a mesmerizing 19th century paranormal historic drama)

Мне не жаль… [Владимир/Анна/Михаил] “Бедная Настя”

Lyrics, brief translation:

I don’t regret that the fire in my blood has burned and tore at my heart,

But I regret that in the past I lived without love, I regret that I didn’t love enough.

I never stopped loving you, and my soul calls out your name.

With all my heart I pray to creator for you…

Love That Feels Like a Dream, Lara Fabian

A bit of the lovely lyrics:

‘Love that feels like a dream,

The crystal peeling of our hearts,

Your magical ‘I love you,’

I’ll quietly echo back to you.

Love that feels like a dream

Has made my home a happy place,

And contrary to the law of dreams,

May it never end.’

Любовь Похожая На Сон

I Love You to Tears, Aleksandr Serov

Александр Серов – Я люблю тебя до слёз (Ya lublu tebya do slez)

Nice dramatic lyrics! Brief translation:

“I love you to tears

Every breath is like the first time

Instead of a lie of pretty words

I give you a cloud made of roses

With these white rose petals I’ll make our bed

I love you to tears, I love you like mad…

Unfinished Romance, Irina Alegrova and Igor Krutoi (author)

Ирина Аллегрова и Игорь Крутой, Незаконченный роман

starts at 0:33 :

Autumn Leaves, Alla Pugacheva (episode from the acclaimed 2000s film ‘The Admiral’).

Алла Пугачева – Осенние листья

 

FAMOUS SOVIET LOVE SONGS

I think for the most part you’ll find that Soviet songs were quieter, more melodic and less dramatic than the contemporary Russian songs. But the lyrics and essence was just as, or even more, epic and significant. The lyrics often is very good and full of wisdom.

A Million of Crimson Roses (Rus translit: Milion Alyh Roz), Alla Pugacheva, early 1980s. Pugacheva at the time was one of the biggest names in Soviet and world pop music. For the USSR she was pretty revolutionary, as her style was non-traditional; she was more Western than Russians were used to. Pugacheva’s singing contributed in subtle ways to the USSR collapse, as consciousness awakened through many things, including her songs. Interestingly, to this day she remains a neo-liberal. But she can sing, and for that much is forgiven.

This is a pretty straightforward story of a poor artist who fell in love with a famous actress and to impress her he sold his house and works and bought a million of crimson roses to fill the square in front of her residence. They never saw each other again, but both carried a memory of that day forever. This simple story doesn’t compare in depth to other lyrics in this compilation, but the song became very famous.

I’ll Never Forget You. Dmitry Karachentsov (lead). From the legendary hit musical of the ’80s, Yunona and Avos. The musical was so famous that well-known Western musicians lined up for a chance to be in it.

This dramatic musical is about two Russian navy ships, Yunona and Avos, that arrived on a friendly visit to Latin America in the 19th century. The young daughter of a local Spanish governor falls in love with a Russian officer, who is under orders to leave back home, but promises to return for her. He dies before being able to fulfill his promise. The song is about their eternal love and the fact that they understand they may never see each other again. She promises to be his guiding light, his sail on the way back home; her love would protect him.

Юнона и Авось – Я тебя никогда не забуду

Don’t Promise a Young Maiden (theme song from the famous Soviet film, The Captivating Star of Happiness, 1975) (Russian: Звезда пленительного счастья, translit. Zvezda plenitelnogo schastya)

The film is about the 1825 failed Decembrist coup against Tsar Nikolay I; the mutineer officers are sent to Siberia and their aristocratic wives face an excruciating decision of whether to follow their husbands into harsh exile. Here’s the film’s Wikipedia page.

‘Don’t promise a young maiden eternal love on earth…”

The song is simply charming, reminiscing of the care-free days when various protagonists first met and fell in love.

Не обещайте деве юной (Романс)

Echo of Love, Anna German and Lev Leshchenko (One of the Songs of the Year 1977)

Anna German was a Polish singer, who became famous for her performance of the Russian songs.

Анна Герман и Лев Лещенко “Эхо любви” Песня года – 1977

Hope, My Earthly Compass

Another beloved Soviet hit, performed by many singers, but Anna German’s version was probably the best. The song is about holding on to your love no matter the distance. It was written with an idea of the families of pilots and stewardesses in mind, who often flew in different directions and whose meetings were rare.

Анна Герман – Надежда, мой компас земной (Nadezhda, moy kompass zemnoy)

Tenderness (alt. title: The Earth Is Empty Without You). The song was written for the cosmonauts flying off into space and their loved ones. The narrative is from a female standpoint, she misses the love of her life, and so does Mother Earth; she is asking him to fly back home soon. But the song goes deeper, and has a resonance with those who passed and left this world, and how much the living miss them.

Майя Кристалинская – Нежность (Опустела без тебя земля)

Eternal Love, Charles Aznavour – Russian and French versions (From the legendary Soviet film, Teheran-43, about the secret 1943 meeting of Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill in Iran, a successful prevention by Russian intelligence of the German terrorist plot against three leaders – Roosevelt ended up staying at the Russian embassy for security reasons – and a love story that developed between two main characters.)

Шарль Азнавур “Вечная любовь” Russian version

ORIGINAL SONG WITH THE FILM CLIP: Eternal Love,Charles Aznavour. The original theme song, with the actual footage from the movie “Tegeran-43”. The theme of an undying love, a life lived in love, is dramatically contrasted and juxtaposed in the film to the horrifying images of WWII, but the ending depicts a brief reunion of the two lovers, Russian intelligence officer and a Russian-French lady, many years later in Paris. In the French version of the film, they ‘shyly’ omitted the powerful footage of the WWII devastation, but the Russian version showed it in full. Mosfilm, the rights owner, doesn’t allow video reposting, so just click on link to watch this clip! 

French version: Mireille Mathieu & Charles Aznavour, Une vie d amour

Raising Chi Against Hatred: The Suppressed Story of Russian Songs that Unite World Cultures

That’s it! I am sick and tired of all the negativity, confusion and fighting going on between people and countries in this world! I declare a CHI-RAISING POSITIVITY DAY!

This is the post that will remind those who have forgotten, and open the eyes for those who have never heard it before. Simply put, below are some Soviet songs that are beautiful and famous in their own right, performed by some of the best voices you’ll ever hear. But there is something else about these songs that catches the eye: by their very existence they UNITE people, cultures and countries. The unique culture I am proud to have been born into had succeeded in performing a miracle no one else had been able to accomplish. At least for a short while we managed to unite different cultures in friendship and cooperation, instead of hatred and war! And that, in my book, IS the highest accomplishment this entire human civilization was ever able to achieve!

Since the Russian realm is such a UNIFYING force in the world, this is exactly why the West/NWO  is itching to destroy it. Don’t believe me? Read and listen below – and judge for yourself! Perhaps those of my readers who are non-English speakers will easily recognize these gems from their childhood. The reason I am also confident my many English-speaking readers won’t know the songs below is because there always was a full-scale blockade of the Russian culture in the West, also referred to as the Iron Curtain. The reason the Iron Curtain was necessary was because the Russian ideas of friendship and cooperation were always too popular for the liking of  the West. If such ideas took hold and people all over the world suddenly stopped fighting, how would they divide and conquer?

Warning, this is NOT American pop – this is live, positive, highly calibrated singing! Note: designation “Song of the Year” was given in the Soviet Union to the best songs written that specific year in the entire Soviet space.

In the Soviet Union, the ugly civil war based on pathological hatred taking place today in Ukraine, or in Nagorny Kharabakh (between Azerbaijan and Armenia), or such as was the 2008 war between South Ossetia/Georgia, or the frozen conflict between Moldova and Pridnestrovie, would have never happened. And if someone tells you that Russians oppressed other nationalities in the USSR, don’t believe such complete and total BS. I was there. It was, in fact, the other way around – Russians promoted every possible and impossible national minority, well before it became politically correct to do so in the US and EU. Sometimes, Russians did it to their own disadvantage.

But don’t believe me – just listen to the songs and watch videos below. Once you do, everything will become ‘crystal clear,’ as they say in Russia.

MEGA PARADE OF POSITIVE RUSSIAN SONGS THAT HAVE THE POWER TO UNITE!

Our Parents’ Home (the beginning of all beginnings) – ‘Родительский дом, начало начал.’ This is one of the lyrical gems from the 1970s. Performed by the famed buttery voice of the Soviet/Russian stage, Lev Leshchenko, who’s, as his last name indicates, is of Ukrainian heritage.

Nightingale Grove – Лев Лещенко, Соловьиная роща. (Nightingale is the national Russian bird). One of the famous songs of the 1970s. Older, but still popular, Lev Leshchenko singing in 2008. Russian lyrics

Echo of Love –  Song of the Year 1977. Эхо любви – Performed by Polish singer Anna German and Russian singer of Ukrainian heritage, Lev Leshchenko – Анна Герман и Лев Лещенко

Lyrics: “And even in the land of the crawling darkness, beyond the circle of death, I know we won’t part – we are an echo, we are an echo, we are each other’s eternal memory.”

Hope – Надежда, Song of the Year 1975 – Polish singer Anna German, who was equally loved in Russia/USSR, singing the famous Russian song. Анна Герман

Melody – Song of the Year 1976 – performed by Muslim Magomaev, Azerbaijani singer, famous for his performances of Russian songs, who became the national treasure of Russia. Муслим Магомаев “Мелодия” 1976

The Best City on Earth (a song about Moscow – video with rare footage of the 1980s Moscow). Again by Azerbaijani singer Muslim Magomaev. Муслим Магомаев – Лучший город Земли

All the above songs, and some below as well, had been written by prolific Russian composer Alexandra Pakhmutova, lyrics by Russian poet Nikolay Dobronravov.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha – Song of the Year 1975 ( beautiful song about Bleovezhskaya Pushcha, or Forest – a massive nature preserve in Belarus which is famous for its unique flora and fauna and is a World Heritage site) – Performed by Belorussian band Pesnyari, famous for their high pitch, flowing voices. When I was little, the entire Soviet Union sang this song from the tiny republic of Belarus.

Vologda – Song of the Year 1976 (song about a Russian town called Vologda). Performed by Belorussian band Pesnyari. 

Love Happened – Song of the Year 1979. By Kazakh singer Rosa Rimbaeva. Роза Рымбаева, “Любовь настала” Песня года – 1979

Maestro – early 1980s. Performed by the famous Russian singer Alla Pugacheva together with author, Latvian composer Raimond Pauls. Lyrics by Jewish/Russian poet, Ilya Reznik. Алла Пугачева и Раймонд Паулс – Маэстро.

A Million of Crimson Roses – 1983. Performed by Russian singer Alla Pugacheva. Author, Latvian composer Raimond Pauls. Milion Alykh Roz

Snow (Sneg) – contemporary song, performed by 8-year-old Anastasia Petrik from Odessa, Ukraine & famous Russian pop-singer Philip Kirkorov, from Bulgaria.

Alyosha –  Алёша – 1970s. Performed by Bulgarian singers Г. Николова, Г. Кордов. Authors: Jewish/Russian composer Kolmanovsky, lyrics by Russian poet Vanshenkin. Legendary song about the monument to the Russian soldier, dubbed ‘Alyosha,’ who died freeing Bulgaria from fascism.

Here Birds Don’t Sing (aka, We Need One Victory) – legendary song from the 1970s film Belorussian Station about a reunion of several Great War vets, as they recall the old days and face new challenges. Performed by Armenian singer Зара, 2009. Music/lyrics by legendary Georgian author and singer, Bulat Okudzhava.  Здесь птицы не поют. “Спасибо вам за Победу!”

Come Back, Forest Deer – performed by the Russian singer of Gypsy origin Aida Vedishcheva.

I Like It That You Aren’t Ill With Me – 1970s. Мне нравится что вы больны не мною. This is one of the songs from the beloved, world-famous mega-hit movie by Russian director Eldar Ryazanov Irony of Fate, or Enjoy your Bath. I mention this movie on my Russian Films page and give it 5+ stars. Song performed by Russian Alla Pugacheva, starring are Polish actress Barbara Brylska (on screen) and Russian actor Andrey Myagkov.  Music by Armenian composer born in Georgia, Mikael Tariverdiev. Original poetry by Russian poet, Anna Akhmatova.

Link to YT video (I just discovered that Mosfilm, who owns the rights, regretfully doesn’t allow the re-blogging of videos. I feel this is awfully shortsighted as all I am doing is promoting their work and the Russian culture. Too bad).

Somewhere Far Away – 1970s. Где-то далеко: Штирлиц встреча с женой. Song from the amazing series about the Russian spy in nazi Germany, 17 Moments of Spring (17 мгновений весны). Starring AMAZING Russian/Soviet actor Viacheslav Tikhonov. Written by Armenian composer born in Georgia, Mikael Tariverdiev. Song performed by Jewish/Soviet singer Iosif Kobzon.

(Also just discovered! Same goes for ‘Quiz group pro’ that appears to own the rights to this video, although I have no idea who they are. They also don’t allow blog reposting. I strongly feel these movies are the heritage of all Russian people, not of some obscure group set up in the restrictive Western way. By denying the fair use/non-profit re-posting, they don’t help anyone. I feel this is terribly shortsighted as all I am doing is promoting their work and the Russian culture). Link to YT video, if anyone’s interested.

In the future, I will have no choice other than to delete videos that have become restricted, as I have no time to repost links. This is a vivid illustration of how Russian showbiz has become way too westernized for their own good, and the good of the world. By such shortsightedness they are hurting no one but themselves. A vivid confirmation of everything I’ve been saying in my articles.

The world-famous Farewell of Slavianka (“Прощание Славянки”) subtitles in Russian/English. Wartime song, contemporary performance, 2010, by Armenian singer Zara and Russian actor Dmitry Pevtsov.

 

I Don’t Regret – Мне не жаль – Soundtrack from the acclaimed 2000s TV series, Poor Nastya, about Russian aristocrats, simple people, and young Alexander, future Emperor Alexander II. Brilliant song performed by Russian singers Arina and Anton Makarsky, and Russian-Korean Sergei Lee.

Darkey, the Moldavian Girl, or simply, Darkey. Famous song from movie Only Old Men Are Going to Battle. The movie is about a unit of military pilots during the Great War, who like to sing. The unit is very international, and its members are Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Ukrainian , Kazakh, etc.

Stadium of Our Dreams (Stadion Moei Mechti) – Very worth watching! The music that unites the world – rare footage of the Opening Ceremony of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Performed by Azerbaizhani singer Muslim Magomayev. During the ceremony, the giant flags of all 15 Soviet republics were carried in by groups of ethnic girls dressed in respective national costumes. Check out the symbolism! Also watch the parade of the Soviet Olympic winners! USSR only started participating in the Olympics in 1952. Watch how many winners and how many medals they already had by 1980! USSR usually swept the entire Olympics, both Summer and Winter!

Do you think that MAYBE the West was jealous? Do you think that MAYBE they were afraid, and that MAYBE they wanted to weaken the Soviet Union?

Farewell, Gentle Misha – So worth watching! The legendary 1980 Moscow Olympics closing ceremony song. With rare footage of the giant mascot, Misha the Bear, shedding a tear and flying into the sky. Beautiful song with Lev Leshchenko.

And this is an episode from the amazing 2014 Sochi Olympics closing ceremony. The grandson of the 1980 Mishka and his friends, Zaika the Hare and Snow Leopard, are closing the Games. Watch Mishka blow out the flame and again shed a tear. Beautiful music score by Russian composer Eduard Artemiev, 1974 – from film: Svoi Sredi Chuzhikh, Chuzhoi Sredi Svoikh – At Home Among Strangers.

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For desert, I thought it would be nice to add some foreign performances of the famous Russian songs:

Farewell of Slavianka – performed by the king’s orchestra of the Royal Guard of Norway. Impressive Russian, by the way.

Farewell of Slavianka in Chinese

Farewell of Slavianka, Hebrew version (Israel)

Sacred War in Russian and Chinese – Choir of the People’s Army of the Republic of China

Katyusha in Chinese

Katyusha in Hebrew, Israel

Kalina in Bloom – China’s First Lady singing in Chinese and Russian, Ой, цветет калина.

By the Sea, by the Blue Sea  in Japanese. У МОРЯ У СИНЕГО МОРЯ.

A Million of Crimson Roses – Alla Pugacheva’s song performed in Korean

Blue Carriage in Japanese – Голубой вагон.  The beloved song of my childhood from the legendary children’s cartoon series, Adventures of Cheburashka, (Cheburashka is the beloved children’s character; for luck, Cheburashka toys accompany Russian athletes to every Olympics)

For comparison’s sake, this is the original Blue Carriage in Russian – Голубой вагон

 Visit my Russia pages for more

Famous Soviet songs, Contemporary Russian songs and Russian movies.