Океан Ельзи (Okean Elzy - Elza's Ocean) is the most famous and the most dec… Read Full Bio ↴Океан Ельзи (Okean Elzy - Elza's Ocean) is the most famous and the most decorated Ukrainian rock band.

On stage, the rock-band enthralls fans through electrifying performance. In press, OKEAN ELZY has been recognized many times as the best rock-and live-band by music critics. And in life, for more then 20 years it enriches style of young people with high quality unique melodies and in-depth lyrics.

By now OKEAN ELZY has released 8 albums, 5 singles, acoustic album, 2 "Best of" compilations and 29 music videos.

Okean Elzy released the new 8th album "Земля" (Eng. Earth) on May, 15.

Musicians worked on studio album together with three times Grammy award owner - Ken Nelson. It consists of 12 tracks.

The first single of the album «Земля» (Eng. Earth) is «Обійми» (Eng. Embrases), that came out in February this year. The second single «Стріляй» (Eng. Shoot), together with music video directed by Mike Bruce was released on April, 18.

Vladimir Opsenica -one of the best Balkan guitarist, will also take part in the tour together with the band. He worked on the recording of «Земля» (Eng. Earth) together with Okean Elzy.
The band started playing in Ĺviv, Ukraine in 1994.

Current Members
1. Slava Vakarchuk - vocals (1994-present)
2. Valdimir Opsenica - guitar (2013-present)
3. Denis Dudko - bass (2004-present)
4. Milosh Jelic - keyboards (2004-present)
5. Denis Glinin - drums (1994-present)

Former members
1. Pavlo Hudimov — guitar (1994-2005)
2. Yuriy Chustochka — bass (1994-2004)
3. Dmytro Shurov — keyboards (2000-2004)
4. Peter Chernyavskiy - guitar (2005-2013)

Albums:
1. 1998 - "Tam, de nas nema" (There, where we aren't)
2. 2000 - "Yananebibuv" (I was in heaven)
3. 2001 - "Model" (Model)
4. 2003 - "Supersymetria" (Supersymmetry)
5. 2005 - "GLORIA" (GLORIA)
6. 2007 - "Mira" (Measure)
7. 2010 - "Dolce Vita"
8. 2013 - Zemlya (Земля - The Land)
9. 2014 - НАЙКРАЩЕ (НАЙКРАЩЕ - The Best)
10. 2016 - Bez mezh (Без меж - Without Limits)

Acoustic album:
* 2003 - "Tvij format" (Your format)

Singles:
1996 - "Budynok zi skla" (House of Glass)
2002 - "Holodno" (It is Cold)
2004 - "Diakuju!" (Thank You!)
2006 - "Veseli, Brate, Chasy Nastaly..." (O Brother, Merry Times Have Come)
2009 – "Ya tak khochu..." (I so want to...)
2013 – "Obiymy" (Embrace)
2015 - "Ne tvoya viyna" (Not your war)
2015 - "Zhyttya pochynayet'sya znov" (Life begins again)
2015 - "Myt'" (Moment)
2016 - "Ne ydy" (Don't go)
2017 - "Sonce (Radio edition)" (Sun (Radio edition))
2018 - "Bez tebe" (Without you)
2018 - "V nebo zhene"
2018 - "Skilky nas" (How many of us)
2019 - "Choven" (Boat)
2019 - "Pereval" (Pass; for the soundtrack of The Rising Hawk)
2020 - "Koly my stanem soboyu" (When we will become ourselves)
2020 - "Obiymy (Remix)" (Embrace (Remix))
2020 - "Trymay" (Hold on)
2021 - "#Безтебемененема" (Without you there is no me)
2022 - Весна (spring)

Compilations:
* 2006 - "1221" ('Best of' collection)
* 2010 - "The Best Of"

Solo Projects:
* 2008 - "Vnochi" (In the Night) - solo album released by the band's front man Svyatoslav Vakarchuk.
* 2011 - "Brussel" (Brussels) - Slava's second solo album
* 2021 - Oranzhereya (Greenhouse)

Африка
Океан Ельзи Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ти не питай мене, чому наш час такий,
Коли навколо нас темна лиш вода.
I не питай мене, чому цей свiт такий,
Hапевно вiдповiдь тобi на це не дам.

I не питай мене, чому мої пiснi
Тобi нагадують те, чого нема.
Але ж вiзьми собi з полицi молодiсть

Зiтри пилюку там, сядь i заспiвай.

Hавколо нас живуть герої тих казок,
Якi в дитинствi ти усi перечитав.
У них i запитай, чому наш час такий
I чи було усе п'ять столiтть назад.

I скажуть нам вони, що загубилася
У багатьох вiках вiдповiдь проста.

I бути нам тодi не судилося,
Бо у нас життя - лиш одне життя.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Океан Ельзи's song "Африка" seem to express a sense of disillusionment and confusion with the state of the world. The singer urges the listener not to ask why our time is so dark, with only dark water surrounding us. He also refuses to answer why the world is the way it is, suggesting that the answer is beyond his knowledge. The singer goes on to explain how his songs remind the listener of things that don't exist, but encourages them to take some of the youth on the shelf, wipe off the dust, sit down, and sing.

The lyrics then shift to a reflection on childhood heroes and fairy tales. The singer encourages the listener to ask these heroes about why our time is the way it is, and whether things were the same five centuries ago. The heroes will tell us, the singer suggests, that the answer to why things are the way they are is simple and has been lost over time. The singer concludes by pointing out that it wasn't meant to be for us, as we only have one life.

Overall, the song seems to be about the existential confusion and disillusionment that can come with living in a world that is often dark and full of chaos. The singer doesn't have any answers about why things are this way, but encourages the listener to find joy and hope wherever they can, even if it means looking to childhood heroes and fairy tales.

Line by Line Meaning

Ти не питай мене, чому наш час такий,
Do not ask me why our time is like this,

Коли навколо нас темна лиш вода.
When all around us is just dark water.

I не питай мене, чому цей свiт такий,
And do not ask me why this world is like this,

Hапевно вiдповiдь тобi на це не дам.
I probably won't give you an answer to that.

I не питай мене, чому мої пiснi
And do not ask me why my songs

Тобi нагадують те, чого нема.
Remind you of what is not there.

Але ж вiзьми собi з полицi молодiсть
But take some youthfulness from the shelf for yourself

Зiтри пилюку там, сядь i заспiвай.
Wipe off the dust there, sit down and sing.

Hавколо нас живуть герої тих казок,
Heroes of those fairy tales live around us,

Якi в дитинствi ти усi перечитав.
That you read so many times in your childhood.

У них i запитай, чому наш час такий
Ask them as well, why our time is like this