Smuglyanka-Moldavanka
Smuglianka Moldavanka, The dark Moldovan girl, is a Russian song, in 1940 composed by Anatoly G. Novikov on demand of the Kiev Military District's Political Office for the Kiev Military Song and Dance Ensemble. The lyrics to the melody were written by Yakov Shvedov.
The song was intended to be part of a suite in honour of Grigory Kotovsky (1881-1925), an adventurist and Soviet military and political figure who was also participant of the Russian Civil War. He had made a career from a Russian gangster to eventually becoming a Red Army general. He was the leader of two Moldovan rebellions against Russian Empire in 1905 and 1915 and he took an active part in the foundation of the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in Transnistria, as part of the Ukrainian SSR. |
The melody to Smuglyanka Moldovanka was written in the style of a Moldovan folksong and it had to glorify the female partisans of the Russian Civil war (November 1917 - October 1922). The lyrics do tell how the singer meets a pretty girl that is gathering grapes. He is interested in the girl and tries to seduce her, but she seems to be a partisan and she convinces him to join the partisans as well.
Whatever the intention was for having the song composed, it was never performed as being a part of the suite: it was considered too frivolous, because at that time, the songs composed for the troops on the front had to be about fidelity, victory and revenge.
About two years later, in 1942, fashions changed and the more lyrical and romantic songs were accepted. Therefor Smuglyanka Moldavanka was remade in a revised version, but again, it was shelved. The first performance of it came two years later, in 1944, in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. The song was an immediate success and as it was not published as a part of the Kotovsky Suite, it was taken as a reference to the Soviet Partisans of the Great Patriotic War ( World War II). Smuglyanka Moldavanka was used in the Soviet film "Only Old Men are going to Battle" (1973) and it was due to this movie that Smuglyanka became known throughout the Soviet Union, entering the standard repertoire of Russian folksongs. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigory_Kotovsky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smuglyanka |
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Smuglyanka Moldavanka Lyrics
Russian
Как-то летом, на рассвете, Заглянул в соседний сад. Там смуглянка-молдаванка Собирает виноград. Я бледнею, я краснею, Захотелось вдруг сказать: – Станем над рекою Зорьки летние встречать! Припев × 2: Раскудрявый клён зелёный – лист резной. Я влюблённый и смущённый пред тобой. Клён зелёный, да клён кудрявый, Да раскудрявый, резной.А смуглянка-молдаванка Отвечала парню в лад: – Партизанский, молдаванский Собирает мы отряд. Нынче рано партизаны Дом покинули родной. Ждёт тебя дорога К партизанам в лес густой. Припев × 2: Раскудрявый клён зелёный – лист резной. Здесь у клёна мы расстанемся с тобой. Клён зелёный, да клён кудрявый, Да раскудрявый, резной.И смуглянка-молдаванка По тропинке в лес ушла. В том обиду я увидел, Что с собой не позвала. О смуглянке-молдаванке Часто думал по ночам … Вдруг свою смуглянку Я в отряде повстречал. Припев × 2: Раскудрявый клён зелёный – лист резной. Здравствуй, парень, мой хороший, мой родной! Клён зелёный, да клён кудрявый, Да раскудрявый, резной. |
Transliteration
Kak-to letom, na rassvete Zaglianul v sosedniy sad. Tam smuglianka-moldavanka Sobirayet vinograd. Ia bledneyu, Ia krasneiu, Zakhotelos vdrug skazat: Stanem nad rekoyu Zorki letniye vstrechat! Chorus x2: Raskudriavy klion zeliony, list reznoy, Ia vliublionny i smushchenny pred toboy Klion zeliony, da klion kudriavy, Da raskudriavy, reznoy!A smuglianka-moldavanka Otvechala parnyu v lad: — Partizanski, moldavanskii Sobiraetcya otriad. Nynche rano partizany Dom pokinuli rodnoy. Zhdiot tebia doroga K partizanam v les gustoy. Chorus x2: Raskudriavy klion zelyony, list reznoy, Zdies u kliona mij rastanemcya s toboy, Klen zelyony, da klen kudriavy, Da raskudriavy, reznoy!I smuglianka-moldavanka Po tropinke v les ushla. V tom obidu ia uvidel, Shto s soboj ne pozvala. O smuglianke-moldavanke Chasto dumal po nocham... Vdrug svoyu smuglianku Ia v otriade povstrechal. Chorus x2: Raskudriavy klion zelyony, list reznoy, Zdrastvuy, paren, moi khoroshi, moi rodnoy! Klen zelyony, da klen kudriavy, Da raskudriavy, reznoy! |
English
Somehow in the summer, at dawn, I looked in the neighboring garden. There was a darkie, a Moldovian girl gathering up grapes there. I was growing red, I was growing pale, all of a sudden, I wanted to tell her: "Let’s meet together all the summer dawns over the river!" Chorus × 2: The maple, curly, with green, carved leaves! I'm standing in love and embarrassed in front of you. Yes green maple, and curly! But the darkie, the Moldavian answered the lad: "A Moldavian partisan squad is gathering. Early today the partisans left their homes. The road is awaiting you, the road to the partisans in the forest." Chorus × 2: The maple, curly, with green, carved leaves! Here, under the maple, we will part. Green maple, yes curlymaple, yes green maple. And the darkie, the Moldavian left along the footpath into the forest. And I was aggrieved, that she did not call me with. O darkie Moldavian I have often thought at night … Suddenly my darkie I have met in the squad! Chorus × 2: The maple,curly, with green carved leaves. Hello lad, my good, my dearest! Green maple, yes curly maple, yes green maple, and curly! |