[R_G]

A great man, on russian channel 1 today most of the programs were about him or in dedication.

Have to say, I often forget him but his pull at that time is probably unmatched. For a whole nation under the iron curtain to love him despite government blackout is astounding.


Discuss.

[TheRedBaron]

@ R_G
Actually on several occasions I considered the purchase of a Vysotsky CD. However, in this case the song texts are obviously vital, and it is impossible to translate poetry without distorting its meaning. Therefore I prefer the German singer Wolf Biermann, who has composed under similar conditions as Vysotsky, but in the former German Democratic Republic. In the GDR he was a dissident, and active in the underground circuit. However, Biermann is so rude, that probably even in the west he would have faced lawsuits. Here is a stanza from his song aah - ja!:

Die faulsten Schweine - na gerade die! - nennen uns stinkend faul, - so richtig stinkend faul. - Die Luegner fuehren - na gerade die! - die Wahrheit stets im Maul, - die Wahrheit stets im Maul. - aah ja!
That is to say: The laziest pigs - especially those! - call us stinking lazy, - so truly stinking lazy. - The liars have - especially those! - always the truth in their mouth, - always the truth in their mouth. - oh yeah!

Oviously Biermann is not a very pleasant person. However, the state apparatus tolerated him, because he also abused capitalism. Nevertheless, it tried to thwart Biermann whenever possible. In 1976 Biermann went on tour in the Federal German Republic, without permission of the Leninist regime. Then the regime forbade his return. It cost the regime much goodwill. Many artists in the east sympathized with Biermann, and his expulsion resulted in a true exodus.

In the west Biermann has always produced his own CDs, and they were only marketed by Versand 2001. He is the prototype of the troubadour, just himself and his acoustic guitar. The contents is nearly always a criticism, and often exaggarated and raw. However, there are also delicate texts, for instance Warte nicht auf bessre Zeiten:
Wartet nicht auf bessre Zeiten - Wartet nicht mit eurem Mut. - Gleich dem Tor, der Tag fuer Tag - an des Flusses Ufer wartet - bis die Wasser abgeflossen - die doch ewig fliessen, - die doch ewig fliessen.
That is to say: Do not wait for better times - Do not wait with your courage. - Like the gate, which day by day - waits on the banks of the river - until the waters have flown away - that yet flow eternally, - that yet flow eternally.
Biermann lived in Berlin, so probably the gate refers to the Brandenburger Tor.

[unbalanced zealot]

Just a point of interest. A number of his albums were released here in South Korea which considering the paranoia here about anything remotely connected to the communist world, I find it surprising. Incidently, Beijing rocker Cui Jian had most his albums released in SK too.

[TheRedBaron]

I should add that in the German language "das Tor" means the gate, whereas "der Tor" means the fool. Unfortunately in the dative both become equal, namely "dem Tor". So it is unclear what is meant in the song. Perhaps the ambiguity is on purpose.