The band was created in Omsk, Siberia, by a young Soviet poet and musician, Yegor (Igor) Letov, in December of 1984, who was inspired mostly by 60's American garage rock and Russian Futurist poetry in his vision of music, lyrics and lifestyle. It was shortly disbanded by KGB in late 1985, after one of band member's mother wrote a complaint that her son is involved in anti-Soviet organisation. Letov was sentenced to compulsory treatment in psychiatric hospital, his friend and fellow band member Konstantin Ryabinov (Kuzya UO or Kuzma) was sent to army, and other people linked with band were warned to break any relationship with Letov. After his release from mental hospital, Letov started recorded his early albums alone (until 1988, when Kuzya UO returned from army) in his home, playing all instruments. His home also was recording spot for all GrOb and his side-project albums: such a DIY-position was one of Letov's main principles. Early GrOb's music (1984-88) is lo-fi straightforward punk/post-punk with some noise rock, garage rock and reggae elements. Later, band's sound developed more in the vein of noise rock, industrial and experimental rock in 1989, and to psychedelic rock and shoegaze in 90s and 00s. GrOb were the ones to fill this vacant niche of counterculture punk bands, and now maintains a huge army of fans, admirers, and followers. It inspired hundreds of subsequent Soviet and then Russian punk bands.
Up to the collapse of the USSR, GrOb was often viewed as an anti-Soviet band. In his deeply symbolic and irrational, "stream-of-consciousness"-lyrics, Letov often spoke against militarism, dictatorship and faceless, conformistic society (although he himself claimed that all "politics" in his songs aren't about concrete regimes and governments, but are the symbols of "eternal, metaphysical totalitarianism"). That was the reason the band was censored and prohibited. Letov and his bandmates spent early years in hiding, recording songs in the kitchens and cellars of their friends' flats. Despite heavy censorship, the band played on several rock festivals (notably its premiere in Novosibirsk in July 1987, where it was considered a sensation, and after which Letov traveled country with Yanka Dyagileva by hitchhiking for half year because of KGB's persecution, which was officially stopped only in December).
Contrary to popular image of an anti-communist, Letov himself claimed to be a "true communist" and has not abolished this claim until the most recent switch in his beliefs. Being the most prominent figure of the Siberian rock, Letov has always been a source of many contradictions. At times he expressed opinions exactly opposite to his earlier sayings - thus, he, along with writer Eduard Limonov, philosopher Alexander Dugin, and composer Sergey Kuryokhin (Сергей Курёхин) appeared aligned with the nationalistic leftist movement called NBP (National Bolshevik Party, rus. НБП, Национал Большевистская Партия) despite his formerly strong opposition to despotism and nationalism. Later, though, he dissapointed in politics and left the movement, saying, that his activity in NBP was mostly sort of conceptualism, a provocation. Letov's contemporary alignment is that of a "World Christian" and "still an anarchist".
GrOb's sound mainly consists of either distorted and lo-fi electric or acoustic guitars, simple bass lines, primitive but memorable tunes, rudimentry percussion and Letov's deeply impassioned voice. During the late 80's they also started occasionally implementing harsh industrial sounds in the background of the music. In the mid-90's in the albums "Солнцеворот" and "Невыносимая Лёгкость Бытия" sound became less noisy and lo-fi but more monolithic, comprising many overlapping guitars and voices, which create shoegazy "wall of sound", long guitar and electronic organ solos, and even some art rock elements, although the basis of sound still was in post-punk and psychedelic rock.
In its last years the band was still very active with full-length albums released in 2004 (Долгая Счастливая Жизнь, "A Long and Happy Life"), 2005 (Реанимация, "Life Support") and 2007 (Зачем Снятся Сны, "What Are Dreams For").
The story of this contradictory but great and original band ended on 19th of February 2008 with Egor Letov's death in sleep at his home in Omsk.
"G.O. is not music, it's more like, you know, conceptual act in the vein of childish naive art. Four chords and maximum approximation to very childish images, something like dadaism".
- Egor Letov, band leader.
Война
Гражданская Оборона Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Шёл солдат на тот Берлин
Матушка, не плачь по сыну
У тебя счастливый сын!
Шёл он медленно, не быстро
Не жалел солдатских ног
Матушка, ударил выстрел
Опрокинулся на спину
И остыл среди осин
Матушка, не плачь по сыну
У тебя счастливый сын
Матушка, не плачь по сыну
У тебя счастливый сын
The song "Война" by Гражданская Оборона depicts the tragic story of a soldier heading towards the city of Berlin during World War II. The first stanza describes the war advancing towards their destination while the second stanza depicts the soldier's slow and steady march despite the fatigue of his soldier's feet. However, the soldier's journey comes to an abrupt end when he is hit by gunfire and falls to the ground among the trees. The final stanza shows the soldier's mother being comforted with the reassurance that her son was a happy man.
The song is written in a poignant way that evokes strong emotions of sadness, pain, and loss. The lyrics are a testament to the tragic effects of war, the struggles of soldiers, and the pain of families who lose their loved ones. The song is a call for humanity to reflect on the consequences of war and to pray for peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Шла война к тому Берлину
The war was going towards Berlin
Шёл солдат на тот Берлин
A soldier was walking towards Berlin
Матушка, не плачь по сыну
Mother, don't cry for your son
У тебя счастливый сын!
You have a happy son!
Шёл он медленно, не быстро
He walked slowly, not quickly
Не жалел солдатских ног
He didn't spare his soldier's legs
Матушка, ударил выстрел
Mother, a shot rang out
Покачнулся твой сынок!
Your son staggered!
Опрокинулся на спину
He fell onto his back
И остыл среди осин
And cooled off among the aspens
Матушка, не плачь по сыну
Mother, don't cry for your son
У тебя счастливый сын
You have a happy son
Матушка, не плачь по сыну
Mother, don't cry for your son
У тебя счастливый сын
You have a happy son
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bulat Okudzhava, I. Shvarc
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind