"This song serves as a reminder of the suffering that the working class went through in Tsarist (imperial, before the USSR ever existed) Russia.

If you look at the translation for the song's lyrics, it's about barge haulers (Burlaks). These were landless or poor peasants hired as human beasts of burden to haul barges across Russia's rivers, usually with near bottom wages."

Yo, heave ho!
Yo, heave ho!
Once more, once again, still once more
Yo, heave ho!
Yo, heave ho!
Once more, once again, still once more

Now we fell the stout birch tree,
Now we pull hard: one, two, three.
Ay-da, da, ay-da!
Ay-da, da, ay-da!
Now we fell the stout birch tree

As the barges float along,
To the sun we sing our song.
Ay-da, da, ay-da!
Ay-da, da, ay-da!
To the sun we sing our song.

Hey, hey, let's heave a-long the way
to the sun we sing our song
Yo, heave ho!
Yo, heave ho!
Once more, once again, still once more

Volga, Volga our pride,
Mighty stream so deep and wide.
Ay-da, da, ay-da!
Ay-da, da, ay-da!
Volga, Volga you're our pride.

Yo, heave ho!
Yo, heave ho!
Once more, once again, still once more
Yo, heave ho!
Yo, heave ho!

I think they stole this from the old cartoons, like when Porky Pig is working really hard er sumpin.

One of my favorite Russian traditional songs, along with Black Eyes, Two Guitars, and Plain My Plain.

Staple red army choir goodness. Thanks OP. Going to have to dig up my albums


hats off to the director//editor for not chucking a heap of shots of the various singers faces with cross-dissolves. Sustained single shots really suited this.

>> ^Raaagh:
Staple red army choir goodness. Thanks OP. Going to have to dig up my albums

hats off to the director//editor for not chucking a heap of shots of the various singers faces with cross-dissolves. Sustained single shots really suited this.


Indeed! I think the style of direction was perfect. Strong, proud, unflinching.

I think it's safe to say that this in its entirety, both the song and the video, as one, constitute what could be considered *art

You heard me siftbot.. I said *ART, DAMNIT!

Edit: wow, good game siftbot. You're now my arch-nemesis and I vow to destroy you.

*Doublepromote, for all the statist idiots.

Double-Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Sunday, July 5th, 2009 10:43pm PDT - doublepromote requested by kronosposeidon.

Binary Star cut this song up into a great beat. Here is the video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO_7aCDyKDc

Russians have an amazing talent for projecting despair, toil, and hopelessness. But at the same time, strength and devotion. It's astonishing to think that in the mid 19th century 600,000 landless peasants toiled their lives away hauling barges upstream in Russia.

*quality *promote

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by rasch187.

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Monday, May 17th, 2010 11:07pm PDT - promote requested by rasch187.

Ah, the Russians. What fine people, and how gloriously fucked up!

>> ^rebuilder:

Ah, the Russians. What fine people, and how gloriously fucked up!


Can Russians smile?

Awesome stuff!