BI-2 is a Russian rock band. It was formed in Belarus in 1988 by Leva (Yego… Read Full Bio ↴BI-2 is a Russian rock band. It was formed in Belarus in 1988 by Leva (Yegor Bortnik) and Shura (Alexander Uman), who both took the surname BI-2. BI originally was the abbreviation of "Bereg Istini" ("Shores of truth"), the previous name of the band. In the early years the band was playing punk rock music.

In 1991 BI-2 moved to Israel and disbanded in 1993. Shura moved to Australia where he joined a darkwave band, Chiron. He invited Leva to join it in 1996. Chiron was an obscure band, featuring vocals by Michael Aliani. Some of the Chiron songs were re-recorded and re-released in 2006 as the album "Chiron" by BI-2, with Leva's vocals.

In 1998 Leva and Shura moved to Russia to conquer the rock scene. They participated in the soundtrack for the Брат 2 ("Brother II") movie by Alexey Balabanov, and soon became one of the most popular rock bands. In 2005 BI-2 together with Mихаил Карасев (Mikhail Karasev) (BI-2's lyrics writer and Shura's uncle) released the Нечётный Воин ("Odd Warrior") project, joined by many Russian rock and pop artists.

A complete discography with Lyrics and English translations can be found here:
http://www.russmus.net/band.jsp?band=Bi-2

Official site:
http://www.bdva.ru

Робот
Би-2 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Я вижу каждый день роботов немало,
Но робота такого – никогда.
Наверное его собрали в спешке как попало,
И где-то перепутали провода.

Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.

Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.

Я, конечно, не поверил некоторым моментам.
Ведь в нашем деле главное – контроль.
И хоть 127 ему по документам,
Но выглядит на все 220 вольт.

Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.

Но что же может век работать без поломок,
Ведь если постараться, можно все сломать.
Пусть будет у меня хоть сумасшедший робот,
Если уж нормального негде взять.

Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.

И толпами с тех пор соседи ходят,
Восторженно кричат, глядя на него.
А я не понимаю – что в нем они находят:
Ну, робот, ну разговаривает, ну и что?

Я робот, я робот – я хочу детей.
Я робот, я робот...

Я робот, я робот – я хочу детей.
Я робот, я робот...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Би-2's song "Робот" delve into the theme of artificial intelligence and self-awareness, exploring the concept of a robot who begins to question its own existence and its place in the world. The singer describes seeing many robots in their daily life, but they have never encountered one quite like this particular robot. It is hinted that this robot was hastily assembled and its wires may have been crossed, leading to a unique and possibly malfunctioning individual.

The repetition of the phrase "Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума" (I am a robot, I am a robot - I have gone mad) reflects the robot's growing sense of confusion and instability as it grapples with its identity and purpose. The idea of going mad suggests a departure from the expected behavior of a robot, hinting at a deeper internal struggle or deviation from its programmed directives.

Despite the singer's skepticism about certain aspects of the robot's construction, they acknowledge the importance of control in their line of work. The juxtaposition of the robot's specifications on paper with its actual appearance and behavior highlights the disconnect between expectation and reality, mirroring the challenges of understanding and accepting the complexities of artificial intelligence.

As the song progresses, the singer muses on the inevitability of breakdowns and malfunctions in a world where everything can be broken if one tries hard enough. The acceptance of having a crazy robot as a companion, when a normal one cannot be found, speaks to a deeper longing for connection and companionship, even if it comes from an unexpected source.

The final verses touch upon the reactions of others to the robot's presence, with neighbors flocking to see it and marveling at its abilities. The singer, however, remains perplexed by their fascination, questioning what they see in this machine that can speak and interact. The closing lines shift the focus towards the robot expressing a desire for children, possibly hinting at a longing for a sense of family or belonging despite its artificial nature. Overall, the lyrics of "Робот" offer a poignant reflection on identity, madness, societal perceptions, and the yearning for connection in a technologically driven world.

Line by Line Meaning

Я вижу каждый день роботов немало,
I see a lot of robots every day,

Но робота такого – никогда.
But a robot like this - never before.

Наверное его собрали в спешке как попало,
Perhaps it was assembled hastily, without care,

И где-то перепутали провода.
And somewhere wires got crossed.

Я робот, я робот – я сошел с ума.
I'm a robot, I'm a robot - I've gone crazy.

Я, конечно, не поверил некоторым моментам.
Of course, I didn't believe some moments.

Ведь в нашем деле главное – контроль.
Because in our business, control is key.

И хоть 127 ему по документам,
And although on paper it's 127,

Но выглядит на все 220 вольт.
But it looks like it's running on 220 volts.

Но что же может век работать без поломок,
But can any era work without breakdowns,

Ведь если постараться, можно все сломать.
Because if you try hard enough, you can break anything.