Kakim Ty Byl;
What you was; Каким ты был
The melody for the song "What You Were" was created by the Soviet composer Isaac Dunaevsky (1900-1955) to the verses of the songwriter and poet, a self-taught Soviet peasant son, Mikhail Isakovsky (1900-1973) and Mikhail Volpin (1902 -1988), a Soviet playwright, poet and screenwriter. The music was written for the film "Kuban Cossacks" by Ivan Pyryev (1901-1968), according to the script of Nikolai Pogodin (1923-1982). The movie was released in 1949.
The play that formed the basis of the film was written back in 1941. It became a kind of response to the United States, where since 1934 a movie production started, in which all charms of America were painted. Because of the start of World War II it was not possible to direct the film immediately, but later on Pogodin rewrote some details, and added to his heroes the orders deserved during war, according to the "School of Life" magazine. In 1949 the script by Nikolai Pogodin, with the working title "Merry Fair, was approved at the Mosfilm studio. |
The filming of the picture took place at the state-owned collective farm "Kuban", which was known all over the country. At that time the state farm was just beginning to gather in the crops, and Pyryev, in order to make the actors feel better about the collective farm life, made everyone work. The actors had a chance to work on a combine harvester, raking grain on the current. This fact, together with the beautiful nature of the Kuban, made it all seem to be a fairy tale, and inspired the team even more, as they felt happy, a state that would not leave them throughout the whole picture.
This general feeling amongst the artists fitted the picture "Kuban Cossacks" perfectly, as it was a musical film in which was told about the life on two rival collective farms, sparkling of forgotten human happiness, the fullness of abundant life, a kind of Soviet Paradise. For millions of compatriots, who restored in poverty and deprivation the country after a monstrous war, the film became a vitamin of optimism and a breath of hope for a different, incomparably better life.
The finished picture, entitled "Merry Fair", was shown to Stalin who liked it and told: "I always knew our people live very well in our village!". It was also Stalin who advised to rename the film "Kuban Cossacks".
This general feeling amongst the artists fitted the picture "Kuban Cossacks" perfectly, as it was a musical film in which was told about the life on two rival collective farms, sparkling of forgotten human happiness, the fullness of abundant life, a kind of Soviet Paradise. For millions of compatriots, who restored in poverty and deprivation the country after a monstrous war, the film became a vitamin of optimism and a breath of hope for a different, incomparably better life.
The finished picture, entitled "Merry Fair", was shown to Stalin who liked it and told: "I always knew our people live very well in our village!". It was also Stalin who advised to rename the film "Kuban Cossacks".
After the release of the film the screenwriter, the director and the main actors were rewarded with state prizes for their contribution to the picture. But the official recognition was nothing compared to folk love. The actress M. Ladynina was bombarded with letters, and often she was asked where her collective farm was located, and how one could come there to stay and to work. The Soviet people not only accepted the film with enthusiasm but also its songs. The songs heard in the movie, became truly popular and were sung as during festive feasts as well during fieldwork. From the very beginning of the fifties, not a single feast was complete without the song "Kakim Ty Byl". The song sounded in many houses, where usually a woman started to sing. Other women picked up the song and with the beginning of the second verse, male voices appeared.
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In 1956, in the fight against the cult of personality, Nikita Khrushchev severely criticized the film. He declared it to be a cinematic myth that varnishes reality. With this being stated the movie "Kuban Cossacks" disappeared from the screens.
In the Brezhnev era, however, in 1969, the picture was restored, the attributes of "the cult of personality" were removed, and it was re-sounded. In this updated version the movie returned to the viewer, and it is this version that is nowadays still being shown on television.
In the Brezhnev era, however, in 1969, the picture was restored, the attributes of "the cult of personality" were removed, and it was re-sounded. In this updated version the movie returned to the viewer, and it is this version that is nowadays still being shown on television.
Russian text
Каким ты был, таким остался, Орел степной, казак лихой! Зачем, зачем ты снова повстречался, Зачем нарушил мой покой? Зачем опять в своих утратах Меня хотел ты обвинить? В одном, в одном я только виновата, Что нету сил тебя забыть. Свою судьбу с твоей судьбою Пускай связать я не могла. Но я жила, жила одним тобою, Я всю войну тебя ждала. Ждала, когда наступят сроки, Когда вернешься ты домой… И горьки мне, горьки твои упреки, Горячий мой, упрямый мой!.. Твоя печаль, твоя обида, Твоя тревога ни к чему: Смотри, смотри, душа моя открыта, Тебе открыта одному. Но ты взглянуть не догадался, Умчался вдаль, казак лихой… Каким ты был, таким ты и остался, Но ты и дорог мне такой. |
Transliteration
Kakim ty byl, takim ostalsya, Orel stepnoy, kazak likhoy! Zachem, zachem ty snova povstrechalsya, Zachem narushil moy pokoy? Zachem opyat' v svoikh utratakh Menya khotel ty obvinit'? V odnom, v odnom ya tol'ko vinovata, Chto netu sil tebya zabyt'. Svoyu sud'bu s tvoyey sud'boyu Puskay svyazat' ya ne mogla. No ya zhila, zhila odnim toboyu, YA vsyu voynu tebya zhdala. Zhdala, kogda nastupyat sroki, Kogda vernesh'sya ty domoy… I gor'ki mne, gor'ki tvoi upreki, Goryachiy moy, upryamyy moy!.. Tvoya pechal', tvoya obida, Tvoya trevoga ni k chemu: Smotri, smotri, dusha moya otkryta, Tebe otkryta odnomu. No ty vzglyanut' ne dogadalsya, Umchalsya vdal', kazak likhoy… Kakim ty byl, takim ty i ostalsya, No ty i dorog mne takoy. |
English text
You proved to be such as you used to, The steppe eagle, the Cossack brave! For what, for what, again I got to meet you! My calm you did not let me save! Why did again, why did you want to Blame me for all that you had lost. My only fault is that I can`t forget you, Aside my feelings can't be tossed! Yet I could never link my life to Your life, but all, but all the war I waited for you as the only one who Was making all my life although I waited for your coming home, When it would be the time, the term... And your reproofs make me feel sad and lone, Your ardent stubbornness is firm!.. Of no use is to be anxious, To feel resentment and feel sad: Just look to see my openness and frankness, It's only you who makes me glad! But you rushed off into the distance, Not thinking of a closer view... You proved to keep your courage and persistence, But that is why I`m fond of you! Translation by accordeonworld.weebly.com |
Sources:
http://www.auction-imperia.ru/wdate.php?t=clublot&i=39208;
http://drinking-songs.ru/slova-pesen/kakim-ty-byl.html;
https://portal-kultura.ru/svoy/articles/istoriya-odnoy-pesni/75497-no-ty-i-dorog-mne-takoy/;
https://strana-sssr.net/статьи/советское-искусство/советская-музыка-жанры-композиторы-исполнители/любимые-песни/-каким-ты-был.html ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Дунаевский,_Исаак_Осипович ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Вольпин,_Михаил_Давыдович ;
https://ria.ru/20091120/194735226.html;
http://rusactors.ru/l/luchko/index.shtml;
http://www.auction-imperia.ru/wdate.php?t=clublot&i=39208;
http://drinking-songs.ru/slova-pesen/kakim-ty-byl.html;
https://portal-kultura.ru/svoy/articles/istoriya-odnoy-pesni/75497-no-ty-i-dorog-mne-takoy/;
https://strana-sssr.net/статьи/советское-искусство/советская-музыка-жанры-композиторы-исполнители/любимые-песни/-каким-ты-был.html ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Дунаевский,_Исаак_Осипович ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Вольпин,_Михаил_Давыдович ;
https://ria.ru/20091120/194735226.html;
http://rusactors.ru/l/luchko/index.shtml;