Vladimir Vysotsky (Владимир Высоцкий, 1938 – 1980) is widely considered to be the premier Russian bard, as he combined the typical, almost perfunctory guitar work with a unique voice and diverse songwriting. He not only had political music, but also love songs, fables, “criminal” music (blatnaya pesnya, блатная песня), songs without choruses or traditional structures, and much more. You can learn more about Vysotsky and the Russian bard tradition here, which features another translation of his earliest known song, 1961’s Татуировка (“Tattoo”):
His composition “Capricious Horses” (Кони привередливые) is among his most famous, with song collections, shows, and documentaries titled after it. Here is my English translation of it, which you can watch Vysotsky perform (shortly before his death) with English subtitles here.
Кони привередливые
Вдоль обрыва, по-над пропастью, по самому по краю
Я коней своих нагайкою стегаю, погоняю…
Что-то воздуху мне мало — ветер пью, туман глотаю…
Чую с гибельным восторгом: пропадаю, пропадаю!
Чуть помедленнее, кони, чуть помедленнее!
Вы тугую не слушайте плеть!
Но что-то кони мне попались привередливые —
И дожить не успел, мне допеть не успеть.
Я коней напою, я куплет допою, —
Хоть мгновенье ещё постою на краю…
Мы успели: в гости к Богу не бывает опозданий.
Так что ж там ангелы поют такими злыми голосами?!
Или это колокольчик весь зашёлся от рыданий,
Или я кричу коням, чтоб не несли так быстро сани?!
Чуть помедленнее, кони, чуть помедленнее!
Умоляю вас вскачь не лететь!
Но что-то кони мне попались привередливые…
Коль дожить не успел, так хотя бы — допеть!
Я коней напою, я куплет допою, —
Хоть мгновенье ещё постою на краю…
CAPRICIOUS HORSES
Along the cliff,
Above the abyss,
Along the very edge
I whip my horses with the crop
Urging them on…
Somehow there isn’t enough air,
I drink wind, swallow fog,
I feel with a fatal rapture
That I’m failing, vanishing…
Just a little slower, horses,
Just a little bit slower…
You’re not listening to the tight lash
Somehow, I’ve found myself
Capricious horses
And didn’t live quite long enough
Won’t get to finish singing…
I will give water to the horses
I will finish singing the verse
If, only for a moment, stand
On the edge
We made it on time:
One is never late visiting God
So why are the angels singing
With such evil voices?
Or is that the bell
Goes hysterical with sobbing?
Or am I shouting to the horses
To not pull the sleigh so fast?
Just a little slower, horses,
Just a little bit slower…
I beg you not to gallop
Somehow, I’ve found myself
Capricious horses
And if I didn’t get to live long enough
Then at least I can finish singing
I will give water to the horses
I will finish singing the verse
If, only for a moment, stand
On the edge
* * *
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