The sad and beautiful “Cossack” song about the black raven was considered a Don folk composition. But, in fact, the lyrics of the song “Black Raven” were written by Nikolai Fedorovich at the beginning of the 19th century. These were tragic poems about the approaching death of a warrior and his dialogue-resistance with a raven.
Nikolai served as a non-commissioned officer in the Nevsky Infantry Regiment and combined poetry with army service. The original version of the poetic text was called “Under the green willow tree.” Over time, the Don Cossacks became very fond of the song, and they added some lines to it and removed some. In this modified form, the song has survived to this day.
Now this song is very popular among Donetsk and Rostovites. It can be heard at feasts and gatherings, both in Cossack villages and in the big cities of the Don region. We love “Black Raven” enough in other regions of Russia. Therefore, the words “You won’t get any spoils…” are often sung at their holiday tables by both Siberians and residents of Primorye.
Lyrics of the song “Black Raven, why are you curling”
Black raven, black raven,
Why are you hovering over me?
You won't get any booty
Black Raven, I am not yours!
Why are you spreading your claws?
Over my head?
Or do you want prey for yourself? —
Black Raven, I am not yours!
I'll tie a mortal wound
With the handkerchief given to me,
And then I'll be with you
Talk about one thing.
Fly to my side
Tell my mother
You tell my dear
What kind of homeland have I fallen to?
Take the bloody handkerchief
My dear love.
Tell me - she's free
I married someone else.
He took a quiet, modest bride
In an open field, under a bush.
The matchmaker was getting married -
My saber is sharp.
Kalena was crowned with an arrow
Among the fatal battle.
I see my death is coming,
Black Raven, I am all yours!
To find out how the lyrics of the song “Black Raven” can sound in an a cappella table performance, watch this video. We hope you will get great pleasure from this table-style performance of this wonderful work!
Video of the song “Black Raven”
Would you like to sing the lyrics to this song in English? Here you go please
"Black Raven" translation into English
Black crow, black crow,
What do you think about me?
You production will not wait,
What are you spreading claws
Above my head?
Ile fer the loot for himself? -
Black Raven, I’m not yours!
Tie mortally wound
Presented to me by the handkerchief,
And then I'll be with you
Talking all about one.
Fly to my side
Tell my Mama,
Tell me my dear,
That I fell for the Motherland.
Take the bloody handkerchief
Lovely Lyuba of mine.
You tell me - is it free
I married another.
Took the bride tihu-skromno
In the open field, under a Bush.
Obvinila was the matchmaker -
Saber my eyes open.
Kalena arrow crowned
Among the fatal battle.
See, my death comes,
Black Raven, I’m all yours!
Black Raven (song)
The song “Black Raven” was performed in the film of the year “Chapaev”, arranged by Gavriil Nikolaevich Popov. The melody of the song was the leitmotif of the film and was used in the overture and final march. An allusion to the historical picture was the repeated performance of the song in the modern feature film Peculiarities of the National Hunt.
From the book of General Pyotr Krasnov “Pictures of the Bygone Quiet Don” (1909):
"Donets in the Caucasus 1801-1864. During the difficult struggle with the Caucasian highlanders, the Don Cossacks accomplished many feats. Very often they had to defend themselves alone against a numerous and vicious enemy. The feats accomplished by the Don Cossacks during this sixty-year war are so numerous that it is impossible to list them all. Many Cossacks died in the mountains and valleys of the Caucasus, and there is neither a cross nor a monument over their unknown graves. The Don people, who died alone, without witnesses, died in the mountains, surrounded by crows and predatory eagles. This sad Cossack song also originated there.”
Song Lyrics Options
Black raven, black raven,
Why are you hovering over me?
You won't get any spoils
Black Raven, I'm not yours!Why are you spreading your claws?
Over my head?
Or do you want prey for yourself?
Black Raven, I'm not yours!
Or do you want prey for yourself?
Black Raven, I'm not yours!I'll tie a mortal wound
With the handkerchief given to me,
And then I'll be with you
Talk about one thing.Fly to my side
Tell my mother
Tell her, my dear,
What kind of homeland have I fallen for?Take the bloody handkerchief
To my dear love.
Tell her - she's free
I married someone else.
Tell her - she's free
I married someone else.He took a quiet, modest bride
In an open field under a bush,
The sharp saber was a matchmaker, -
The damask bayonet was a friend.Kalena was crowned with an arrow
Among the fatal battle.
I see my death is coming, -
Black Raven, I'm not yours!
I see my death is coming, -
Black Raven, I'm all yours...
Take the bloody handkerchief
My dear love.
Tell me - she's free
I married someone else.
He took a quiet, modest bride
In an open field by a stream,
The matchmaker was getting married -
My saber is sharp.
Kalena was crowned with an arrow
We are in the hour of the fatal battle.
I see my death is coming,
Black Raven, I am all yours!
During the Great Patriotic War, there was a version based on the music of “Black Crow”, but with the adapted text “Under the Green Willow Tree”:
Under the green willow
The Russian lay wounded
To your pierced chest
The red order was pressing.Blood flowed from a fresh wound
On the trampled sand,
And a raven circled above him,
Smelling a tasty morsel.Suddenly a war cry rang out,
A hot battle broke out again,
And, leaning against the willow tree,
The hero heard him.I heard and stood up,
Like a dead man among the graves,
He quickly took up the rifle,
But he fell, losing his strength.Black raven, black raven,
Why are you hovering over me?
You won't get any loot -
I'm a fighter still alive.You fly, take it
Hello dear mother.
And to my beloved wife -
A pouch covered in blood.And say that you died honestly
I am for my Motherland,
For the Soviet state,
For the Soviet star.
Known for performance by the Men's Group of the State Russian Folk Choir. Artistic director Ya. Khokhlov Performed in 1969
Black raven, black raven,
Why are you hovering over me?
You won't get any spoils
Black Raven, I'm not yours.Fly, black raven,
To our distant home.
Tell me, black raven,
Bow to father and mother.
Tell me, black raven,
Bow to father and mother.And tell my wife,
That he married someone else.
The sharp saber was a matchmaker,
The damask bayonet was a friend.
The sharp saber was a matchmaker,
The damask bayonet was a friend.Black raven, black raven,
Don't hover over me.
You won't get any spoils,
I'm a soldier still alive.
You won't get any spoils,
I'm a soldier still alive.
Under the green willow
Under the green willow
The Russian lay wounded
To the chest, pierced with a bayonet,
He clutched his copper cross.Blood flowed from a fresh wound
On trampled sand;
A black raven hovered above him,
Smelling a tasty morsel.“Don’t hang yourself, black raven,
Over my head!
You won't get any booty
I'm a soldier still alive!You fly to your native country,
Give your mother a bow.
Pass the bloody handkerchief
My wife is young.You say: she is free,
I married someone else.
I found myself a bride
In an open field, under a bush;My matchmaker is a saber,
And crowned with a faceted bayonet;
He took a quiet, modest bride
And a little extra.
I took a small dowry -
There are many forests and valleys,
Many pine trees, many fir trees,
Many, many heathers.”
Black raven is a brave warrior, where did you fly raven.
I flew between the mountains, saw the blue seas.
You brought us, black raven, a white hand with a ring.
By the ring I recognized whose hand the raven had.
That hand, hand might Milov know he was killed in the war.
He is killed and lies unburied in a foreign land.
On Mamaev, and on the mound, where the bloody battle raged.
The bloody battle, the feast and the rich one will be remembered for a whole century.
He came, came there with a shovel - a kind soul.
He dug a hole, and he dug it deeper, and laid down his fighters.
And he put up an oak cross and wrote an inscription on it.
Here a hundred pounds of heroes will lie down - glory to the Russian Cossacks.
Sleep, sleep, brave heroes, in the silence of the grave.
Even the beast is here, but the black raven won’t rip you apart or peck you over there.
There is also a revolutionary version of this song, the Great Patriotic version.
There is another version of the first two verses:
A wounded Cossack lay under a green willow tree, pierced by an arrow, and kissed his copper cross.
Blood flowed from a black wound onto the trampled sand, and a raven circled above it, sensing a tasty morsel.
Famous artists
Links
- Nikolai Verevkin - songwriter of the Nevsky Regiment (about the author of the song “Black Raven”)
- Concert performance of "Black Raven" from the group Civil Defense
- “Black Raven” in Lithuanian from ERIKAS DRUSKINAS - * sad Cossack song.”
Kuban Cossack Choir sings
As we can already judge, it is unlikely that the song "Black Maria“originated” in the Caucasian wars - it only changed.
Notable uses of the song "Black Raven" in various areasabout works for theater and cinema.
Still from the film "Chapaev". Boris Babochkin
In 1934, Russian Soviet composer Gabriel Nikolaevich Popov wrote his own arrangement of “Black Crow”, which was included in the cult film "Chapaev", which strengthened the glory of both the red division commander and the song.
The song was also repeatedly performed in the film by Alexander Rogozhkin "Features of the national hunt" or in the same "Siberiada" Andrei Konchalovsky.
We see both the popularity of the works of Nikolai Fedorovich Veryovkin and their true nationality - perhaps this is the true glory of any master of the pen.
Performed by the Turetsky Choir
link
Design by Valeria Polskaya
