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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Videos »

Singing Guitars - Russian Surf (sorta) in '69

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Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Feb 13 2007 06:45 PM Is this not the coolest or what? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K7xIpuuhl4 There's other videos on there, but this ones my favorite of them. — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25309 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Feb 13 2007 06:59 PM what song is that? I've heard surf bands do it, but I am drawing a total blank right now. man the other vids by the singing guitars are horrible. Jeff(bigtikidude) — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Feb 13 2007 07:03 PM Polyushko-Pole I think The poster says the Spotniks play it in 62. Hey, can anyone translate the lyrics? Is Ivan here russian? — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top
JetBlue Joined: May 30, 2006 Posts: 746 Cool, CA	Posted on Feb 13 2007 07:09 PM I'm curious too. Cossack Rocket Patrol by the Space Cossacks uses the same melody. — Don Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19194 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Feb 13 2007 08:19 PM I remember a thread about this melody/song on Cowabunga in the long, long ago. I think most of us assumed it was originally a Russian folk song, but then I think someone found a more recent composer. I'm sure Ivan will remember the details. — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
CaptainSpringfield Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 4387 Under the Sun	Posted on Feb 13 2007 09:34 PM It's a good song, but their stage moves are way too over the top for me. -Warren — That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it. Top
Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Feb 13 2007 09:49 PM CaptainSpringfield It's a good song, but their stage moves are way too over the top for me. -Warren This better? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAc1Mfy_lTM <-- Spotnicks - Rocket Man — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top
WR Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands	Posted on Feb 14 2007 03:22 AM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowland says: "Polyushko Pole (Russian spelling: Полюшко Поле)is a Russian song. It is claimed that the song was originally written during the Russian Civil War and was sung by the Red Army. For the Soviet variant of the song, the music was by Lev Knipper, with lyrics by Viktor Gusev. Knipper's song was part of the symphony with chorus (lyrics by Gusev) "A Poem about a Komsomol Soldier" (Поэма о бойце-комсомольце) composed in 1934." I knew it as "red army blues" of the Waterboys "a Pagan Place" WR — Rules to live by #314: "When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is." https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/ Top
maxtib Joined: Jul 10, 2006 Posts: 47	Posted on Feb 14 2007 07:39 AM It's odd how in one of their other songs you can clearly see that they're using guitars built in non-Communist countries, such an EKO 700, Hofners and those sort of 60s things. Top
Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Feb 14 2007 06:57 PM maxtib It's odd how in one of their other songs you can clearly see that they're using guitars built in non-Communist countries, such an EKO 700, Hofners and those sort of 60s things. I came across this video here: http://www.meatexz.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=796 Big Beat provides some good info: This is classic VIA band stuff, I have all those records. In those days, an officially recognized VIA band had to split their repertoire something like 50% Soviet composer music (meaning, written by a member of the composers union), 25% other communist country music (written by approved Czech, Polish or Bulgarian composers) and only 25% could be Western or self-written, provided it still passed the censorship board. So of course many of these bands chose to do soft rock arrangements of old Russian folk songs in order to be left alone. When they played some blues or rock-n-roll covers, they always announced them as folk songs of the downtrodden working class Negroes Of course, the former had a much better chance of making it to Radio and TV, while the former mostly got relegated to live shows, so our image of how these bands really sounded is a bit skewed. Those videos are way cool, I remember watching clips like this on TV as a kid. Since these are very early clips (the whole VIA movement was just taking off for a year or two in 1969), the guitars were not the same as the ones we know from the 70's. There were no Soviet electrics available yet, and the early Jolana & Musima models were just beginning to be imported to Russia. So anything these guys played came in from the West. I think I spot an Eko (Italy) and a Framus archtop (West Germany). In a few years, the Western stuff got replaced by the familiar Musimas, etc. — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top
wooza Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 1618 Ithaca, NY	Posted on Feb 14 2007 07:28 PM So what other surf bands have covered this song? I have one version on an old tape I recorded off the radio. I never caught who played it or even the name of the song (now I know) but it has been an unknown favorite of mine for years. The version I've heard sounds very 1st wave. Anyone know who it could be? Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19194 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Feb 14 2007 09:17 PM If only Ivan can come up for air, he's got the scoop on this. (Ivan is from Croatia, BTW). Believe it or not, I took 3 semesters of Russian in college. I wish I remembered/knew enough to translate. — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
PolloGuitar Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 5080 San Francisco	Posted on Feb 14 2007 10:01 PM I first knew this song as the theme to Tetris. The first surf arrangement I heard was by The Berzerkers (it's on their first CD) but Phil Dirt has played a few other versions over the years, generally it's been called "Meadowlands". Pollo's bass player Jeff speaks Russian and he did some research on the song at one point, and it was described as a work song, also a song of national pride. Check this Amazon page which has a song sample on "The Best of the Red Army Choir" Now that sounds like a hot disc, don't it? --fd — Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp My Blog- Euro Tour Blog Pool Boys on Spotify INSTAGRAM Frankie & The Pool Boys on FB Pollo Del Mar on FB DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio Top
IvanP Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10320 southern Michigan	Posted on Feb 15 2007 08:17 AM Brian If only Ivan can come up for air, he's got the scoop on this. Hey Brian! I did see this post before, but frankly had nothing to add. I thought it was a traditional Russian song. I suspect that Lev Knipper just appropriated it for himself at some point, kinda like Roubanis (or whatever) did with Misirlou, which is a very old song. The Spotnicks called it Rocket Man. The most common titles I've seen for it are Cossack Patrol and Meadowlands. I have several versions by Scando instro bands by those names. Pekka Laine of the Hypnomen from Finland told me that all the Finnish kids are taught the song at a young age in school, which I find very strange! Believe it or not, I took 3 semesters of Russian in college. I wish I remembered/knew enough to translate. I had three and a half years of Russian in grades 4-8 in old Yugoslavia, which was forced on us. I rebeled (I hated the damn commies, and that the class was forced on us) and pretty much learned nothing in that time. Can't say I've ever really regretted it. Ivan — Ivan Lords of Atlantis on Facebook The Madeira Official Website The Madeira on Facebook The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook The Space Cossacks on Facebook The Madeira Channel on YouTube Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19194 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Feb 15 2007 09:06 AM Ivan - ah, yes you had much to add! I was hoping to hear the list of groups that had covered this song. Thanks for this info. About the Russian language, yes it is a lot more fun when it isn't forced on you by communist dictators. I enjoyed it a great deal. I love the Cyrillic alphabet. I just wish I could have used it more before it was almost all forgotten. — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top

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