The Song of the Volga Boatmen

Introduction

The "Song of the Volga Boatmen" (known in Russian as Эй, ухнем! [Ey, ukhnem!, "yo, heave-ho!"], after the refrain) is a well-known traditional Russian song collected by Mily Balakirev, and published in his book of folk songs in 1866. It was sung by burlaks, or barge-haulers, on the Volga River. Balakirev published it with only one verse (the first). The other two verses were added at a later date. Ilya Repin's famous painting Barge Haulers on the Volga depicts such burlaks in Tsarist Russia toiling along the Volga.

The song was popularised by Feodor Chaliapin, and has been a favourite concert piece of bass singers ever since. Glenn Miller's jazz arrangement took the song to #1 in the US charts in 1941. Russian composer Alexander Glazunov based one of the themes of his symphonic poem "Stenka Razin" on the song. Spanish composer Manuel De Falla wrote an arrangement of the song, which was published under the name Canto de los remeros del Volga (del cancionero musical ruso) in 1922. He did so at the behest of diplomat Ricardo Baeza, who was working with the League of Nations to provide financial relief for the more than two million Russian refugees who had been displaced and imprisoned during World War I. All proceeds from the song's publication were donated to this effort. Igor Stravinsky made an arrangement for orchestra.

Lyrics

《伏尔加船夫曲》歌词大意：

哎哟嗬，哎哟嗬，齐心合力把纤拉！
哎哟嗬，哎哟嗬，拉完一把又一把。
穿过茂密的白桦林，踏着世界的不平路！
我们沿着伏尔加河，对着太阳唱起歌，
哎嗒嗒哎嗒，哎嗒嗒哎嗒，对着太阳唱起歌。
哎呦嗬，哎呦嗬，齐心合力把纤拉，
伏尔加，可爱的母亲河，河水滔滔深又阔，
哎嗒嗒哎嗒，哎嗒嗒哎嗒，河水滔滔深又阔，
伏尔加，伏尔加，母亲河，
哎呦嗬，哎呦嗬，齐心合力把纤拉！
哎呦嗬，哎呦嗬，拉完一把又一把！
哎呦嗬，哎呦嗬！

俄文歌词
Эй Ухнем
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем
Ещё разик ещё раз
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем
Ещё разик ещё раз
Разовьём мы берёзу
Разовьём кудряву
Ай-да-да ай-да
Ай-да-да ай-да
Разовьём мы кудряву
Разовьём мы кудряву
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем
Ещё разик ещё раз
Мы по бережку идём
Песпю солнышку поём
Ай-да-да ай-да
Песпю солнышку поём
Эй эй
Тяни катат сольней
Песпю солнышку поём
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем
Ещё разик ещё раз
Эй ты волга мать-река
Широка и глубока
Ай-да-да ай-да
Широка и глубока
Волга волга мать-река
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем
Ещё разик ещё раз
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем
Ещё разик ещё раз
Эй ухнем
Эй ухнем