Ленинград is a fourteen-piece ska band from Saint Petersburg, Russia formed… Read Full Bio ↴Ленинград is a fourteen-piece ska band from Saint Petersburg, Russia formed in 1997. The band's frontman is Сергей Шнуров (Sergey Shnurov). In 2005, its music was featured in the film Everything Is Illuminated, starring Elijah Wood.

The band, and especially its leader, Shnurov, has long been famous for its catchy beats and irrepressibly bad language, somehow managing to be one of the top bands in Russia despite almost never being clean enough to earn radio play and despite its live concerts being banned in Moscow.

In 2008 Leningrad disbanded. Its former members run Рубль and Spitfire. The band reunited in 2010.

Malen'kiy Mal'chik
Ленинград Lyrics

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Malen′kij mal'chik nashel pulemiot
Bol′she v derevne nikto ne zhivet
I kogda on liudej ubival
Pesenku ehtu on napival

Hebo koptiat poezda
I gudiat provoda
I s benzinom voda

Malen'kij mal'chik limonku nashel
I na zaniatiia v shkolu prishel
I kogda on cheku vyryval
Pesenku ehtu on napival

Hebo koptiat poezda
I gudiat provoda
I s benzinom voda

Hebo koptiat poezda

I gudiat provoda
I s benzinom voda

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ленинград's song "Malen'kiy Mal'chik" tell the story of a young boy who finds a gun and starts killing people in his village. Despite the dark subject matter, the song maintains a satirical tone, highlighting the absurdity and the senselessness of the violence. The lyrics emphasize the boy's nonchalant attitude towards his actions by presenting them in a matter-of-fact manner.

The first verse mentions how the boy found a gun and started killing people, and he even sings a little song as he does so. The repetition of the phrase "Malen'kij mal'chik" or "Little boy" throughout the song emphasizes the childlike and innocent image of the singer, despite the disturbing nature of his behavior.

The second verse introduces another element of absurdity by stating that the boy also found a lemon and went to school. The contrast between the innocence of finding a lemon and the heinous act of killing people further reinforces the satirical tone of the song. The repetition of the phrase "Hebo koptiat poezda, I gudiat provoda, I s benzinom voda" adds a rhythmic and jarring quality to the lyrics, perhaps reflecting the chaotic nature of the boy's actions.

Overall, "Malen'kiy Mal'chik" uses dark humor and satire to comment on violence, presenting it through the lens of an innocent child, thus highlighting the absurdity and senselessness of such acts.

Line by Line Meaning

Malen′kij mal'chik nashel pulemiot
A young boy found a machine gun

Bol′she v derevne nikto ne zhivet
No one lives in the village anymore

I kogda on liudej ubival
And when he killed people

Pesenku ehtu on napival
He sang this song

Hebo koptiat poezda
Steam engines are smoking

I gudiat provoda
And the wires are humming

I s benzinom voda
And water with gasoline

Malen'kij mal'chik limonku nashel
A little boy found a lemonade

I na zaniatiia v shkolu prishel
And he came to school lessons

I kogda on cheku vyryval
And when he got bored at class

Pesenku ehtu on napival
He sang this song