It is hard to imagine the belonging of both well-known soviet hit soundtrac… Read Full Bio ↴It is hard to imagine the belonging of both well-known soviet hit soundtracks Песенка о медведях and Помоги мне to a single woman Aida Vedicheva, because the soundtracks feature actresses Natalia Varlei and Svetlana Svetlichnaya in respective cinema classics Kavkazskaya plennitsa and Brilliantovaya ruka.

Aida Aedicheva was born on July 10, 1941 in Kazan in the family of a medicine professor, an immigrant from Kiev, Ukraine. It was Aida's dream to become an artist, so she finished musical studies in the student theatre of musical comedy if Irkutsk city, where her family moved in 1951. Later, she was learning English and German languages at the Foreign Languages Institute. At the end of these studies, she left for Moscow theatre studies, but did not manage to get in. Considering her strong and beautiful voice, the artist began a singing career.

On the 60s scene, Aida sang with Lundstrem's and Utyosov's orchestra. In 1966, she began performing solo with Мелотон and Голубые Гитары. In 1967, the singer became famous across all Soviet Union for selling seven millions of copies of her vinyl Песенка о медведях. In 1968, she received the grant from Sotopa's festival in Poland. The tracks Помоги мне (Вулкан страстей), Товарищ, Лесной олень followed later.

A celebrity among the listeners, Aida as well as such singers as Владимир Мурлеман and Лариса Мондрус met obstacle: she was not included in film credits, she was canceled from her performances, she was experiencing strange relationships with television crew, she wasn't allowed to tour internationally, her recordings were erased on the radio stations etc. In 1980, the singer emigrated in the United States with her son and her mother.

New York City didn't receive Aida with open arms, either. The artist started from the beginning, studying American dance and cinema. Later, she moved to Los Angeles due to the climate needed. In California, she succeeded as Amazing Aida, creating her own theatre and her own TV show. See also Amazing Aida.

As a singer, her performance programs range from Broadway musicals to Hollywood movies, sometimes completing it with songs of Michel Legrand, Russian and gypsy romances as well as Jewish songs.

Aida Vedicheva began to have fewer performances, but she writes songs on her own. These days, her catalog includes Жизнь - это музыка, Рождество, Баллада о Чернобыле, Америка and Я вернусь, Москва.

Aida began traveling back to Russia in 1989. Since then, she participated in Zolotoi Shlyager festival of Mogilyov.

Товарищ
Аида Ведищева Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Я песней, как ветром, наполню страну
О том, как товарищ пошел на войну
Не северный ветер ударил в прибой
В сухой подорожник, в траву зверобой

Прошел он и плакал другой стороной
Когда мой товарищ прощался со мной
Но песня взлетела, и голос окреп

Мы старую дружбу ломаем, как хлеб!

Чтоб дружбу товарищ пронес по волнам
Мы хлеба горбушку - и ту пополам!
Коль ветер лавиной, и песня лавиной
Тебе половина, и мне половина!

Луна, словно репа, а звезды - фасоль!
Спасибо, мамаша, за хлеб и за соль!
Еще тебе, мама, скажу я верней
Хорошее дело - взрастить сыновей

Которые тучей сидят за столом
Которые могут идти напролом
И вот скоро сокол твой будет вдали
Ты круче горбушку ему посоли

Чтоб дружбу товарищ пронес по волнам
Мы хлеба горбушку - и ту пополам!
Коль ветер лавиной, и песня лавиной
Тебе половина, и мне половина!

Я песней, как ветром, наполню страну
О том, как товарищ пошел на войну
Не северный ветер ударил в прибой
В сухой подорожник, в траву зверобой

Прошел он и плакал другой стороной
Когда мой товарищ прощался со мной
Но песня взлетела, и голос окреп
Мы старую дружбу ломаем, как хлеб!

Чтоб дружбу товарищ пронес по волнам
Мы хлеба горбушку - и ту пополам!
Коль ветер лавиной, и песня лавиной
Тебе половина, и мне половина!

Чтоб дружбу товарищ пронес по волнам
Мы хлеба горбушку - и ту пополам!

Коль ветер лавиной, и песня лавиной
Тебе половина, и мне половина!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Аида Ведищева's song "Товарищ" tell a story of friendship and solidarity, particularly in the context of going to war. The singer proclaims that she will fill the country with her song, just like the wind. She sings about a comrade who went to war, emphasizing the power of their friendship. It was not just the northern wind that struck the coast but also dry plantain and herbs. This imagery suggests that the impact of war is not only physical but also deeply personal.

The singer recalls the moment when her comrade bid farewell, and they both shed tears. However, despite the emotional pain, the song soared, and the voice grew stronger. They break the bonds of old friendship, comparing it to breaking bread. The idea is that their bond is strong and enduring, shared equally like a loaf of bread.

The lyrics also express gratitude to the singer's mother for providing bread and salt, symbols of nourishment and hospitality. She acknowledges the importance of raising sons who can stand strong and face challenges. The lyrics encourage the mother to be proud as her falcon soars brave and independent.

Line by Line Meaning

Я песней, как ветром, наполню страну
I will fill the country with my song, like the wind

О том, как товарищ пошел на войну
About how my comrade went to war

Не северный ветер ударил в прибой
Not the northern wind struck the surf

В сухой подорожник, в траву зверобой
In the dry yarrow, in the herb St. John's wort

Прошел он и плакал другой стороной
He passed by and cried on the other side

Когда мой товарищ прощался со мной
When my comrade said goodbye to me

Но песня взлетела, и голос окреп
But the song soared, and the voice grew stronger

Мы старую дружбу ломаем, как хлеб!
We break old friendship like bread!

Чтоб дружбу товарищ пронес по волнам
So that the comrade carries friendship over the waves

Мы хлеба горбушку - и ту пополам!
We split the bread loaf in half!

Коль ветер лавиной, и песня лавиной
If the wind is like an avalanche, and the song is like an avalanche

Тебе половина, и мне половина!
You get half, and I get half!

Луна, словно репа, а звезды - фасоль!
The moon is like a turnip, and the stars are like beans!

Спасибо, мамаша, за хлеб и за соль!
Thank you, mother, for bread and salt!

Еще тебе, мама, скажу я верней
And to you, mother, I will say even more accurately

Хорошее дело - взрастить сыновей
It's a good deed to raise sons

Которые тучей сидят за столом
Who sit at the table like a cloud

Которые могут идти напролом
Who can break through anything

И вот скоро сокол твой будет вдали
And soon your falcon will be far away

Ты круче горбушку ему посоли
You add more salt to his bread loaf