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 ("In War as in 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").

Contents

[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.

Listen: Media:Bolvanka.ogg

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

In other languages