Lyudi Invalidy

Lyudi Invalidy / Люди Инвалиды
Studio album by t.A.T.u.
Released	21 October 2005
Recorded	February — May 2005
Genre	Alternative rock, electronic rock
Length	40:57
Language	Russian English (2 tracks)
Label	Interscope
Producer	Sergio Galoyan, Dennis Ingoldsby, T.A. Music, Martin Kierszenbaum, Robert Orton, Boris Renski (executive)
t.A.T.u. chronology
Dangerous and Moving (2005) Lyudi Invalidy (2005) The Best (2006)
Singles from Lyudi Invalidy
"Lyudi Invalidy" Released: 12 October 2005

Lyudi Invalidy (Cyrillic: Люди Инвалиды; translation: Disabled People) is the second Russian-language studio album by t.A.T.u., released on October 21, 2005 in Russia. The album was later released in some Eastern European countries, Germany and Mexico. The album was certified Platinum in Russia by NFPF.

Album info and production

Technically, the production for Lyudi Invalidy began in 2004. It was during 2004 when t.A.T.u.'s then-producer Ivan Shapovalov introduced the tracks "Люди инвалиды" ("Lyudi invalidy"), "Ты согласна" ("Ty soglasna"), "Ничья" ("Nich'ya") and "Что не хватает" ("Chto ne khvatayet") to the girls, and the songs were recorded. For instance, an early version of "Nich'ya" was played during the Show Me Love Tour. Demos from all four songs were also released to fans, and heard on Podnebesnaya. After leaving Shapovalov and then taking a hiatus, t.A.T.u. negotiated with Shapovalov and the songwriters and composers to rerecord the songs. The music was changed on all of the songs, and in some the lyrics were altered. When the album was released in 2005, it only credited Shapovalov for the song "Lyudi invalidy".

Demos of "Космос" ("Kosmos"), "Вся моя любовь" ("Vsya moya lyubov'"), and "Обезьянка ноль" ("Obez'yanka nol'"), as well as an a cappella version of the last, were released prior to the album's premiere; all were sung by Lena only and were recorded in both Moscow and Los Angeles with Sergio Galoyan from mid-2004 to early 2005.

Lyudi Invalidy features two songs from the English release; "Loves Me Not" and "All About Us." On this album, "Loves Me Not" has different music than the version on the English album counterpart Dangerous And Moving. It is important to note that the version of "Loves Me Not" featured on Lyudi Invalidy is not a remix. It is the same single featuring a Russian arrangement versus a pop one.

"Obez'yanka nol'", supposedly Yulia's favorite tune from the album, was also included on Dangerous and Moving. Two different versions of "Chto ne khvatayet" were also issued online on YouTube exclusively.

Singles

Although "Lyudi Invalidy" is the only actual single from this album, some may consider that "All About Us" was also a single from this album. "Loves Me Not" also was played on Russian radio during 2006, along with "All About Us", "Новaя модель" ("Novaya model'"), and "Obez'yanka nol'."

Controversy of "Disabled People"

The title of the album has caused much confusion and controversy. The words "lyudi invalidy" can translate into English as "disabled/handicapped/invalid people," though it is most accurate as invalid people. However, the group on several occasions have stated that the title refers to morally disabled persons, not disability in the physical sense.

t.A.T.u. were sued in November 2006 by Leonid Mikhailovich Vokuyev, Commissioner For Human Rights for the Komi Republic, who claimed that the album and song degraded disabled people. Specifically, they were offended by writing in the booklet (see below) and the lyrics to the song "Lyudi Invalidy".
t.A.T.u. expressed that they were not worried about being sued, and Katina added "Of course, we meant moral invalids, people who do not have soul and human feelings." When asked if they had anything against disabled people, she stated that she finds it offensive to refer to people by that term, and added "We take pictures together and make sure they have priority seats [at concerts]."^[1] No more news has been given about the lawsuit and it is assumed to have been dropped.

Booklet

Below is the text found in the album booklet that had caused controversy:

"...Люди инвалиды рождаются такими и такими умирают. Они не знают, что значит быть человеком. Они – подделка на основе человекообразной болванки. У них есть ноги, руки, другие части тела, внешне они неотличимы от людей. Но люди инвалиды не живут, а функционируют. Их функции описываются законами механики и ещё четырьмя признаками: жестокость, глупость, жадность, подлость. ЖГЖП. Любая их деятельность эффективна, предсказуема, тускла и разрушительна. Всё плохие, очень плохие и ужасные события – результат деятельности людей инвалидов. Мы живем среди них и редко замечаем этот большой человеческий fake..."^[2]

...Disabled people are born that way and will die that way. They don't know what it means to be human. They are an imitation, based on an anthropoid template. They have legs, hands, and other parts of the body; they are physically indistinguishable from humans. But disabled people do not live—they merely function. Their functions are described by the laws of mechanics and by four traits: cruelty, stupidity, greed, meanness. "CSGM.". All activity is effective, predictable, dim, and destructive. All bad, very bad, and horrible events are the result of the activities of disabled people. We live among them and rarely notice this big human fake...

• Note: The acronym ЖГЖП (transliterated ZH-G-ZH-P) stands for Жестокость (cruelty), Глупость (stupidity), Жадность (greed), Подлость (meanness); this would be represented by the acronym "CSGM" in English. ЖГЖП is also found on some t.A.T.u. merchandise, and it is also on the inner ring of the CD for Lyudi Invalidy.

Track listing

Certifications, peaks and sales

See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Lyudi Invalidy

• Dangerous and Moving Tour - The associated tour
• Truth: Live in St. Petersburg

References