Korobeiniki

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"Korobeiniki", also called "Korobeyniki" and "Korobushka" (Russian: "Коробе́йники"), and The Peddlers, is a Russian song based on a poem with the same name written in 1861 by Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov and printed in the Sovremennik magazine in 1861. Korobeyniki were peddlers selling fabric, haberdashery, books etc. in pre-revolutionary Russia.

The song quickly acquired the status of a Russian folk song, and is known for its dance-friendly structure and ever-increasing tempo.

It was one of the three tunes featured in the Game Boy version of the video game Tetris and has become closely associated with it in Western popular culture. Doctor Spin's 1992 novelty Eurodance cover (under the name "Tetris") reached #6 on the UK singles chart.

"Korobeiniki" was also featured in the movies The Deer Hunter, Snatch (performed on the balalaika), The Man Who Knew Too Little, Enemy at the Gates and was covered by rock band Ozma on their 2002 release The Doubble Donkey Disc. It is one of the theme songs for Borat on the American version of Da Ali G Show and was also sampled by MC Lars for his song 21 Concepts.

[edit] Lyrics

Russian lyrics	Transliteration	English Translation
Ой полным полна моя коробушка Есть и ситец и парча. Пожалей, душа-зазнобушка, Молодецкого плеча. Выйду, выйду в рожь высокую, Там до ночки погожу, Как завижу черноокую, Все товары разложу. Цены сам платил немалые, Не торгуйся, не скупись, Подставляй-ка губки алые, Ближе к молодцу садись. Вот уж пала ночь туманная, Ждёт удалый молодец.. Чу, идёт! - пришла желанная, Продаёт товар купец. Катя бережно торгуется, Всё боится передать, Парень с де́вицей целуется, Просит цены набавлять. Знает только ночь глубокая, Как поладили они. Распрямись ты, рожь высокая, Тайну свято сохрани!	Oy polnym polna moya korobushka Yest' i sitets i parcha. Pozhaley, dusha-zaznobushka, Molodetskogo plecha. Vyydu, vyydu v rozh' vysokuyu, Tam do nochki pogozhu, Kak zavizhu chernookuyu, Vse tovary razlozhu. Tseny sam platil nemalyye, Ne torguysya, ne skupis', Podstavlyay-ka gubki alyye, Blizhe k molodtsu sadis'. Vot uzh pala noch' tumannaya, Zhdyot udalyy molodets. Chu, idyot! — prishla zhelannaya, Prodayot tovar kupets. Katya berezhno torguyetsya Vsyo boitsya peredat', Paren' s devitsey tseluyetsya, Prosit tseny nabavlyat'. Znayet tol'ko noch' glubokaya, Kak poladili oni. Raspryamis' ty, rozh' vysokaya, Taynu svyato sokhrani!	Oy, the crate is full, full, With chintz and brocade, Come on now my sweetie pie, You with the fetching shoulders! Go out, out into the tall rye! There till nighttime I'll wait, I'll catch sight of my dark-eyed beauty, And all my goods I'll divvy-out. I myself paid no small prices, So don't skimp or bargan: Bring here your crimson lips, Sit nearer to your beloved! Hazy night has already fallen, A dashing youth—he awaits... Listen, it's her!—she comes as promised To peddle her wares. Katya tenderly barters her goods, Afraid to give it all away. The youth kisses the maiden, Proposing to raise the price. Only the deep night knows How they came to terms, Straighten up now, tall rye, And keep their secret sacredly!