Katyusha (Song)

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Lidiya Ruslanova performing Katyusha song for Soviet soldiers during the Great Patriotic War.

Katyusha (Катюша) is a Russian Soviet wartime song about a girl longing for her beloved, who is away on military service. Although Katyusha is a famous Russian song, it is not considered a folk song like Kalinka or Sneg kruzhitsya (Snow is whirling). The music was composed in 1938 by Matvei Blanter and the lyrics were written by Mikhail Isakovsky. It was first performed by the celebrated folk singer, Lidiya Ruslanova. Some critics believe that Katyusha was not a Blanter composition, pointing out that a similar tune was used by Igor Stravinsky in his opera Mavra (1922) which he later adapted to Chanson Russe (1937).

Katyusha is a tender diminutive from the female name Ekaterina (Katherine). In Russian, many names have diminutives (besides nicknames). For example, the diminutive for Natalia is Natasha, and the tender diminutive for Natasha is Natashenka. In the case of Ekaterina, Katya is the nickname and Katyusha, a tender diminutive.

The song also gave name to the BM-13, BM-8, and BM-31 "Katyusha" rocket launchers that were built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II.

Hear The Song

The song can be found at the [Russian wikipedia]: [Katyusha.ogg]

Lyrics

Russian	Romanization	English
Расцветали яблони и груши, Поплыли туманы над рекой; Выходила на берег Катюша, На высокий берег, на крутой. Выходила, песню заводила Про степного, сизого орла, Про того, которого любила, Про того, чьи письма берегла. Ой, ты песня, песенка девичья, Ты лети за ясным солнцем вслед, И бойцу на дальнем пограничье От Катюши передай привет. Пусть он вспомнит девушку простую, Пусть услышит, как она поёт, Пусть он землю бережёт родную, А любовь Катюша сбережёт. Расцветали яблони и груши, Поплыли туманы над рекой; Выходила на берег Катюша, На высокий берег, на крутой.	Rastsvetali yabloni i grushi, Poplyli tumany nad rekoy Vyhodila na bereg Katyusha Na vysokiy bereg, na krutoy Vyhodila, pesnyu zavodila Pro stepnovo sizovo orla Pro tovo kotorovo lyubila Pro tovo ch'i pis'ma beregla. Oy, ty pesnya, pesenka devich'ya, Ty leti za yasnym solntsem vsled I boytsu na dal'nem pogranich'e Ot Katyushi pereday privet Pust' on vspomnit devushku prostuyu Pust' uslyshit kak ona poyot. Pust' on zemlyu berezhot rodnuyu A lyubov' Katyusha sberezhot. Rastsvetali yabloni i grushi, Poplyli tumani nad rekoy Vyhodila na bereg Katyusha Na vysokiy bereg, na krutoy.	Apple trees and pears were in blossom On the river hung the morning mist Young Katyusha stepped up on the high bank, Of the river steep bank in the mist. On the bank Katyusha started singing Of a proud grey eagle of the steppe, Of the one Katyusha loved so deeply, Of the one whose letters she has kept Oh, you song, you bright song of a maiden Fly you by the sun, fly like a bird To the soldier on faraway border From Katyusha bring a greeting word. Let him think of simple native maiden, Let him hear Katyusha's clear song He will guard the land of dear homeland And their love Katyusha will keep strong. Apple trees and pears were in blossom On the river hung the morning mist Young Katyusha stepped up on the high bank, Of the river steep bank in the mist^1.

Russian

Romanization

English

Расцветали яблони и груши,

Поплыли туманы над рекой;

Выходила на берег Катюша,

На высокий берег, на крутой.

Выходила, песню заводила

Про степного, сизого орла,

Про того, которого любила,

Про того, чьи письма берегла.

Ой, ты песня, песенка девичья,

Ты лети за ясным солнцем вслед,

И бойцу на дальнем пограничье

От Катюши передай привет.

Пусть он вспомнит девушку простую,

Пусть услышит, как она поёт,

Пусть он землю бережёт родную,

А любовь Катюша сбережёт.

Расцветали яблони и груши,

Поплыли туманы над рекой;

Выходила на берег Катюша,

На высокий берег, на крутой.

Rastsvetali yabloni i grushi,

Poplyli tumany nad rekoy

Vyhodila na bereg Katyusha

Na vysokiy bereg, na krutoy

Vyhodila, pesnyu zavodila

Pro stepnovo sizovo orla

Pro tovo kotorovo lyubila

Pro tovo ch'i pis'ma beregla.

Oy, ty pesnya, pesenka devich'ya,

Ty leti za yasnym solntsem vsled

I boytsu na dal'nem pogranich'e

Ot Katyushi pereday privet

Pust' on vspomnit devushku prostuyu

Pust' uslyshit kak ona poyot.

Pust' on zemlyu berezhot rodnuyu

A lyubov' Katyusha sberezhot.

Rastsvetali yabloni i grushi,

Poplyli tumani nad rekoy

Vyhodila na bereg Katyusha

Na vysokiy bereg, na krutoy.

Apple trees and pears were in blossom

On the river hung the morning mist

Young Katyusha stepped up on the high bank,

Of the river steep bank in the mist.

On the bank Katyusha started singing

Of a proud grey eagle of the steppe,

Of the one Katyusha loved so deeply,

Of the one whose letters she has kept

Oh, you song, you bright song of a maiden

Fly you by the sun, fly like a bird

To the soldier on faraway border

From Katyusha bring a greeting word.

Let him think of simple native maiden,

Let him hear Katyusha's clear song

He will guard the land of dear homeland

And their love Katyusha will keep strong.

Apple trees and pears were in blossom

On the river hung the morning mist

Young Katyusha stepped up on the high bank,

Of the river steep bank in the mist^1.

^1. English translation by Anastasia I-Morn-Gwathren (2002).

External links

http://www.russia-in-us.com/Music/Collections/Ofman/russianestrada/
http://www.russmus.net/bands-traditional.htm [lyrics and translation taken from this site]

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