Kaskad - Kukushka (Cuckoo) / Каскад - Кукушка

Song from the "Afghan cassette" released in the early 80s during the Soviet-Afghan war. Thanks to Beck for correcting the subtitles.

Channel support: Karel Hamšík, Megan Selway, Martina Širlová, Marco Wilson, Mackenley Nez, MacT, Tupolev, and Slavonic Squads

Transliterated lyrics:
Snitsya chasto mne moy dom rodnoy.
Les o chem to o svoyom mechtaet.
Seraya kukushka za rekoy,
Skol'ko zhit' ostalos' mne, schitayet.
Seraya kukushka za rekoy,
Skol'ko zhit' ostalos' mne, schitayet.

(Snitsya mne opushka iz cvetov.
V snah zabytyh tihaya opushka.
Vosem'desyat... Devyanosto... Sto...
Chto-to ty rasshhedrilas', kukushka.
Vosem'desyat... Devyanosto... Sto...
Chto-to ty rasshhedrilas', kukushka.)

Ya prizhalsya laskovo k cvetku,
Stebelek bagul'nika primyatyy.
I zvuchit lenivoe ku-ku,
Otmeryaya zhizni moey daty.
I zvuchit lenivoe ku-ku,
Otmeryaya zhizni moey daty.

ya toskuyu po rodnoy strane,
Po ee rassvetam i zakatam.
Na afganskoy vyzhzhennoy zemle
Spyat trevozhno russkie soldaty.
Na afganskoy vyzhzhennoy zemle
Spyat trevozhno russkie soldaty.

Oni tratyat sily, ne skupyas',
Im privychny holod i ustalost'.
Sil svoih ne kopyat pro zapas.
Tak skazhi-ka, skol'ko ih ostalos'...
Sil svoih ne kopyat pro zapas.
Tak skazhi-ka, skol'ko ih ostalos'...

Tak chto ty, kukushka, podozhdi
Mne davat' chuzhuyu dolyu ch'yu to.
U soldata vechnost' vperedi,
Ty eyo so starost'yu ne putay.
U soldata vechnost' vperedi,
Ty eyo so starost'yu ne putay.

[OmnistarEast]

Special thanks to patrons Karel Hamšík, Megan Selway, Martina Širlová, Marco Wilson, Mackenley Nez, MacT, Tupolev, and Slavonic Squads for supporting the channel

[danya_shustrih]

"...у солдата вечность впереди, ты со старостью ее не путай..."

[Blasphemer_blasphimah]

There’s something I love about Kaskad, I don’t know if it’s the low quality sound, the tuning of the bass or the synthetic instruments, but since i first heard Опять тревога, Мы выходим на рассвете and Зорька I fell in love with the sound of the group, the voice, the quality, the sound. Everything is perfect and treasured in my memories.

[TheMuro]

Here in Slovakia, there was a belief that Cuckoos singing can predict how much time does a girl have till she gets married. Apparently, this tradition is in Russia as well, just with death instead of marriage

[leafboy]

Damn i really warmed up to this one quick, on first listen I thought it a was a bit dull but now its stuck in my head. Its hard to beat that eary feel that the live recordings of Kasad songs convey.

[yoloninja]

I think I prefer this version to any version with cleaned up audio. The vibes are impeccable

[surbia]

Our ancient Slavic religion lives in us, as well as language, culture...
Among Serbs, too, it is considered that the voice of the cuckoo bird represents a bad sign
(but there are also other nuances that depend on the situation).
cuckoo bird = (serb.) kukavytsa = (rus.) kukushka.
The voice of that bird is considered wailing.
Because the cuckoo bird lays its eggs in other people's nests, it is considered a trickster.
In Serbian, another meaning of the word "kukavytsa" is "coward".

Among the Serbs, it is also believed that the soul of the deceased resides in the cuckoo, so it represents the connection between this world and the next - a messenger from the other world that establishes contact between the living and the dead.
In many regions, especially among the Eastern Slavs, there is a belief that a coward can answer the question of how old the person who asks the question will live.

[DK-ycqo]

Песня моего детства. Старшие ребята пели её на гитарах а мы слушали. Любимая песня далёкого, ушедшедшего детства. Я 1980 г.р.

[mattj.]

“‘A soldier has an eternity in front of him. Don’t confuse it with old age’…heh…kukushka.”

-Duty Footsoldiers (S.T.A.L.K.E.R.)

[РомаМыреев]

I don't know if there is such a custom in the West, but in Russia, when you hear a cuckoo, you need to make a wish "Cuckoo, cuckoo, how long will I live?" And you count "one ku-ku, two ku-ku, three ku-ku..."
Well, in war, this takes on special significance.

[Verntallat]

I can't tell you how many times I have played this song while running a mission on the Mi-8 on DCS

[KampucheanDemon]

Out of all Kukushka songs i’ve been listening to, this one strikes at the heart and soul.

[lisaconnor]

This song is so beautiful, even though I dont understand Russian. It has such deep meaning and significance, in its description of the Russian- Afghan war.

[alexanderstupakov]

There is small mistake in chorus :
"Так скажи ка сколько ИМ осталось(жить)" - So tell me how much they have left (to live)
Russians have a belief that the cuckoo can count the remaining years to death.
Great job anyway. Thank you very much

[stivcz]

This is one the most depressing songs that i have ever heard.

[SSV]

В САР вставая ночью на "фишку", вдруг вспомнил эту песню глядя на своих спящих боевых товарищах, только слова поменять на сирийской выжженой земле. К слову сказать слышал версию что эта песня была написана еще во время Великой Отечественной войне, и слова были про германскую землю. Моя любимая песня!

[Logrythmic.C]

My father was a BT-7 Loader back in Afghan Soviet war. he was on the side of the Republic of Afghanistan. So, his ally was CCCP and his Enemies were Muhajideens. He told me a lot of his memories but one of it always stuck with me. During war, Their tank gets hit by an RPG or Rocket of some sort. And the tank becomes unoperable, the Muhajideens just start surrounding the tank to kill my dad and his crewmates. When the Rocket hits, bunch of Sharapnels just fly everywhere inside the tank, he gets hit in his forehead (He still carries that scar with him.) He describes that his ears couldnt hear, his mind was fuzzy and was struggling to see anything. Him and his crew just climbs out of the Tank, with their Kalashnikovs. And they just start blindly shooting, somehow they make it alive. And according to what he says, they stay stranded there for a while and defend the tank while the rest of the army can come and retrieve them. They get awarded with a medal i unfortunately forgot the name of. All he says about the war is "I killed my own people, for what? For no reason at all. it was either them or me. I couldnt question orders, just followed them."

[benjaminlevin]

I love the version by KINO, but this version is so special and exceptional it's hard to describe in words. Love and respect from the U.S.

[EurobeatRacing]

I heard the контингент version of this song and it is one of favorites but this is also a great version. Keep up the great uploads!

[Xero-]

I am in love with this song and your channel. I appreciate you posting these old songs, they bring warmth and a sense of nostalgia for something i was never apart of.