Soviet Tankmen's Song

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The Soviet Tankmen's Song is a popular tune originating in the Russian film A na Voine kak na Voine ("All's fair in love and war"), about the crew of an SU-100 self-propelled gun. It has no title and is referred to by its first line: Po Polyu Tanki Grokhotali ("Across the Field Tanks Thundered"). The song melody originate from the old Russian miners song "Sirens sounded alarm", popularized in the 1940 film "Big life". Lyric of the song was replaced during WWII.^[1]

Contents 1 Media 2 Lyrics 2.1 A More Literal Translation 2.2 Original Russian 3 See also 4 Notes

[edit] Media

[edit] Lyrics

The English translator is Danila Vorobiev [1], with some minor adjustments made by V. Fofanov. The song quite closely reflects the rhythm and the sense of Russian original. The general performance is in the sad tones and last two lines usually tragically stressed.

The tanks are rattling like a thunder

The soldiers went for final fight

And now they carried young commander

With head all broken outright

His tank was hit by armour-piercer

So say good-bye my dear crew

Four silent corpses on the hull side

Will add to fair morning view

And now vehicle is a-burning

Wait for the shells to detonate

You wanna live to see this morning

But you are weak and it's too late!

So, they'll extract you from the remnants

Then put your coffin on the clay

And triple fire from the main guns

Will see you onto your last way

And now telegrams are flying

To the friends and relatives

That their son will never coming

And never getting any leave

An old photo on the bookshelf

Will collect dust for years on end

In uniform with shoulder-boards

And he will never be her man!

[edit] A More Literal Translation

Across the field tanks thundered

Soldiers going into deadly battle,

And now a young commander

Is carried along with his head shot through.

And now the tank is hit with a slug

So goodbye my crew

Four corpses by the tank

Will decorate the morning scene

The machine is engulfed in flames

The ammunition is about to blow

And though I want to live so much, guys,

I'm too weak to climb out!

They'll take us out from under the debris

Lift up our bodies

And shoot salute with the guns

To send us on our last journey

And the telegrams will fly

To all those close to us

That their son will never return

And will not come for a visit

In the corner a mother, an old woman, will weep,

Father will wipe a tear away with his hand,

And the dear one will never know

What the tankist's end was like.

And a photo will collect dust

Accumulating dust for decades [the song in the ogg file actually says 'On a shelf of yellowing books']

In tank uniform with shoulder bars

And he is no longer her groom.

[edit] Original Russian

По полю танки грохотали

Солдаты шли на смертный бой

А молодого командира

Несут с пробитой головой

А вот попала в танк болванка

Так что прощай мой экипаж

Четыре трупа возле танка

Украсят утренний пейзаж

Машина пламенем объята

Сейчас рванет боекомплект

А жить так хочется, ребята,

Но вылезать уж силы нет!

Нас извлекут из под обломков

Поднимут на руки каркас

И залпы башенных орудий

В последний путь проводят нас

И полетят тут телеграммы

Родных и близких известить

Что сын их больше не вернется

И не приедет погостить

В углу заплачет мать-старушка,

Слезу рукой смахнет отец,

И дорогая не узнает,

Какой танкиста был конец.

И будет карточка пылиться

На полке пожелтевших книг

В танкистской форме при погонах

И ей он больше не жених!

[edit] See also

• March of the Soviet Tankmen

[edit] Notes