26/03: Chastushka, Babushka and Russian Hip-Hop
Back in the 18th century Russian villages witnessed the birth of a new genre called "Chastushka" (a short verse or a song). The content of these songs is usually quite explicit and sometimes even vulgar, but always funny. The strange thing is that this genre enjoys a huge popularity among old people in Russia today and you can still witness them gathering in city parks. They dance, sing, get together and basically freak out in a positive way.
The way Chastushka works is astonishingly similar to freestyle MC and breakdance "battles", except that there's an accordeon and folk singing involved. Usually, old women (Babushkas) gather together in a tight circle, put an accordionist (a man = Dedushka) on the side, and start moving and clapping rhythmically to his music. They encourage any two people to come in the middle of the circle for a competition of wits and dance. And once any two Babushkas come out, they invent a short song (Chastushka) and shout it one after the other.
When two Babushkas come out in the circle, they start to dance around each other, and one of them starts to sing. An example of the verse, which you can listen here, goes like this:
| Transcript "Ok, ya s devochkoi kracivoi poznakomitsya hatschu! A yesli krasoti moyey nye kvatit, Ya butilkoy zaplachu!" | In English "Oh, I want to get with this pretty girl! And if I'm not handsome enough, I will pay her with a bottle! | In Russian |
A kak garmoshka
sierdze troniet...
| Transcript "A kak garmoshka sierdze troniet, A Chastushka cierdze razit, A po milienochki zanoyet, A za toskuyu zastradayet." | In English "And how much the accordeon touches my heart, And oh how much the Chastushkas break my heart. And for my darling it weeps, And in grief it suffers." | In Russian |
(Click here to listen - recorded by Celine Smith in Izmailovsky forest in 2002 - in Real Audio format)
Then the other one should provide an adequate response. For example, it can be something like that:
| Transcript "Ko mne milenki khodil, menya lyubil on goryacho, A ya svoi krasivye nozhki Emu lozhila na plecho !" | In English "My darling used to come to my place, and he loved me so hot, And I used to put my pretty legs on his shoulders !" | In Russian |
(Click here to listen - recorded by Celine Smith in Izmailovsky forest in 2002 - in Real Audio format)
The two Babushka MCs enjoy a huge row of approval from the circle and retreat to their original positions. Then the other two Babushkas come out.
These people are obviously having lots of fun, and it's is really great to see those old people come out of their daily chores and immerse themselves in dancing, singing, and having a great time. They are usually very open for others to join in and watch, too.
Where to Hear Them?
If you would like to see them "live", just go to Izmailovskaya metro station in Moscow (situated in Izmailovsky Park) on Saturday or Sunday from 6 till 8 pm. Babushkas usually gather just outside of the station and you can hear them even from the station.
Russian Folk Soul
If you follow the path in the park, you'll find grannies and grandpas huddled together, singing in chorus with crooked voices old Russian Pesnyas. Usualy those melancholic songs talk about the war, or about love in the Soviet times, when they were young. Some songs sound like teenager love stories, for example, 'A on nichey..' is a story about two girls, they were friends and fell in love with the same guy. These songs are more mellow, slow, and very beautiful, too. You can listen to some of them here, and here's a transcript of one of them:
Mne Teper Vse Ravno...
| Transcript "Mui drug druga liubit obishali, I luna ulibalasya nam, A liobit ya tebya poliubila, Razliubit netu sil u menya. No odnazhdi ti vstretil druguyu, I navek pozabyl pro menya. (chorus): Mnye tepier vsyo ravno, Ya tebya ne revnuyu. Mnye tepier vsyo ravno, Chto ti liubish druguyu. Ya na tantsakh s taboy ne tanzuyu, Da i vzglyadov tvaikh ne lovlyu, Potamu shto ti liubish druguyu, A ya toje drugovo liublyu. (chorus) Ya bolshe tebya ne liublyu, A za glazki tvai agnevye, Do sikh por pozabuit ne magu. (chorus) Mnye tepier vsyo ravno, Ya tebya ne revnuyu, Na proshanye zashel, Day khot raz pozeluyu!" | In English "We promised to love each other And the moon smiled to us, And to love- I started to love you, I don't have strength to stop loving you. But once you met someone else, And forever forgot about me. (chorus): It doesn't matter for me now, I don't feel jealous, It doesn't matter for me now, That you love another one. I don't dance with you at the dances, Yes and I don't answer to your glances, Because you love someone else, And I also love someone else. (chorus) I don't love you anymore, But for your ardent eyes I still can't forget you (chorus) It doesn't matter for me now, I'm not jealous, You came to say goodbye, Anyway only once let me kiss you !" | In Russian |
(Listen to this song here - recorded by Celine Smith in Izmailovsky forest in 2002 - in Real Audio format)
A On Nichei, Ee Obnyal...
| Transcript A on nichey yeyo obnyal u dvuk ryabin rastzeloval! Po toy je tropotshke podrushka shla, Yevo nyeviernovo ne dojdalas, A on nitchey yeyo obnyal I kak menya rastzeloval! (bis) Sudili kumushki o nas dvoik: mol, dvye podrujeshki, odin jenik. Odin jenik, i on dumal, kamu stradat, kavo lyubit ! (bis) Patom, je kamushkam bejit rutshey, mui obe zamujem, a on nitchey. A on nitchey, s tyek por adin, kak tot rutchey u dvuk ryabin..(bis)" | In English And he belonged to noone, so he hugged her, and kissed her next to two ash-trees! But her friend was walking along the path, she couldn't wait for him any more while he was being infidel. And he belonged to noone, so he hugged her, and kissed her like he did to me! (bis) The whole village was gossiping about both of us, they said: we're two girls and we have one guy. One guy to marry and he was thinking whom to leave to suffer and whom to love ! (bis) Many years have passed, and there's still the same stream running, we're both married, and he still belongs to noone. And he's still alone, since that time, like this stream next to the two ash-trees. (bis) | In Russian |
(Listen to this song here - recorded by Celine Smith in Izmailovsky forest in 2002 - in Real Audio format)
Babushka DIsco
And if you venture deeper in the forest you'll find them all dressed up to dance to an old cassett player attached to a tree!
Beware of the horny old ladies.. and the horny old men who are stalking around looking for a hot date... In fact they are all really cute and some young blokes are playing a selection of the Soviet 80s hits... Overall a top experience and you can dance, too!
All photos and recordings on this page are made by Celine Smith / The Solvents
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Juan Blanco wrote:
Everywhere it is possible to meet lonely beautiful women. But it does not mean, that it(she) will go with you « where eyes look ». As, a rule, Russian women love when them beautifully look after, give flowers and gifts. And also it is necessary to be the interesting interlocutor. Women in Russia very formed also are able to be beautiful always. But if the Russian girl will understand, that you greedy or at you are not present prospects for development of career, she will quickly leave you.
So, advice to men who wish to win the heart the Russian women – beautifully to look after, not offer sex never to offer sex once openly, moreover in the first evening of meeting. Not recalculate on some times money for the waiter at restaurant, sentencing that it is dear(expensive). The interesting attractive girls can be met in club 30/7 in Moscow, club CHE, Karma.