VLADIMIR VYSOTSKY (1938-1980)
MOVIES IN SONG
Back in 1967 the movie "The Vertical" was released in the USSR. It was advertised as a sports action adventure movie about the group of mountaineers in the Caucasus. The film quality was rather average, if not below, - a mediocre plot, banal characters, lacking in action. With all that the film gathered almost 33 million viewers in less than a year. Why so? It was the first film where Vladimir Vysotsky was a composer and performer of his own songs. Thus, people went to the cinemasnot as much as to see the movie but to listen to the four songs about the mountains written by Vladimir Vysotsky. Before that year Vysotsky had never performed publicly though the whole country had been listening to his songs from the private tape recorders for four years.
My translation of one of those mountain songs I am presenting now. It was arranged and performed by Gregory Taylor (USA)
A FAREWELL TO THE MOUNTAINS
Down to cities , to cars, to the life, dull and bleak
We are getting ahead — as if losing the goals ...
But we always come back from the mountain peak
Which we conquered and where we left our souls.
Drop your disputes of no account —
I’ve proved all to myself and can bet:
Better than all the mounts is the Mount,
Which nobody has mounted yet,
Which nobody has mounted yet!
So many a hope, so many a song
Mountains rouse in us, begging us not to go,
But we always come back — for a break or for long
Since we have to return — it’s a must to do so.
Who would want to remain all alone in a fix?
Who would want to ignore his heart’s call, soft and tender ?
But we always come back from the mountain peaks —
Even gods from the mountains sometimes descended ...
Drop your disputes of no account —
I’ve proved all to myself and can bet:
Better than all the mounts is the Mount,
Which nobody has mounted yet,
Which nobody has mounted yet!
Translated by George Tokarev
Performance
Gregory Talor
Translated by George Tokarev
© GEORGE TOKAREV 1981
Audio Video
MOVIES IN SONGS