Unusual arrangements, self-invented musical instruments and esoteric lyrics make the band a completely unique occurrence in the Russian rock music genre. Lyrics contain themes such as Ancient Egypt, vampires and mysticism. Shklyarsky is the band's main singer-songwriter, composing both music and lyrics. Also his own paintings were used as few albums' cover art.
Пикник's logo is a made up kanji-like symbol (which makes more sense for Russian speakers as Chinese/Japanese as well as Ancient Egyptian characters are all called "hieroglyphs" in Russian language).
Official website: http://www.piknik.info
Мракобесие и джаз
Пикник Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Чтоб не знать нирван
Без чудес и затей
Чтоб не мне и не вам
Рисую кровью
Апокалипсис сейчас
На дворе средневековье
Мракобесие и джаз
Истуканы себя вводят
В электрический экстаз
Мракобесие и джаз
Не поверишь
Все украдено до нас
Ты греми труха
Что истлел насквозь
Мог подняться вверх
Да в ботинке гвоздь
Рисую кровью
Апокалипсис сейчас
На дворе средневековье
Мракобесие и джаз
Мракобесие и джаз
Истуканы себя вводят
В электрический экстаз
Мракобесие и джаз
Не поверишь
Все украдено до нас
Продавал себя
Богател тот час
Менял злость на злость
Менял глаз на глаз
Рисую кровью...
На дворе средневековье...
Мракобесие и джаз
Истуканы себя вводят
В электрический экстаз
Мракобесие и джаз
Не поверишь
Все украдено до нас
The lyrics of Пикник's song Мракобесие и джаз are quite dark and intriguing. The beginning lines suggest that the world of passions is meant to be experienced without knowing what nirvana is, without any miracles or tricks. The singer then describes how he is drawing Apocalypse with his own blood, as he is living in the medieval era where darkness and jazz coexist. The phrase "мракобесие и джаз" can be translated as "madness and jazz" or "fanaticism and jazz."
The second verse talks about decay and how one can try to rise but may end up being crushed by a nail in their shoe. The chorus again repeats the phrase "мракобесие и джаз" and suggests that it's hard to believe that everything has been stolen before us. The final verse speaks about the selling of oneself and how it made the person rich, but only by changing hate with hate, eye for an eye.
The song carries a sense of ominous energy with its references to madness, decay, and turmoil. The combination of darkness and jazz is also unique, as it is not a typical pair that is usually put together in music. The lyrics are almost like a surreal, dystopian piece of writing that captures a lot of the anxieties and emotions present in the world that we live in.
Line by Line Meaning
На то мир страстей
This world is full of passions and desires
Чтоб не знать нирван
To avoid knowing Nirvana
Без чудес и затей
Without miracles and wonders
Чтоб не мне и не вам
Neither for you nor for me
Рисую кровью
Drawing with blood
Апокалипсис сейчас
Apocalypse is happening right now
На дворе средневековье
In the midst of the Middle Ages
Мракобесие и джаз
Fanaticism and jazz music
Истуканы себя вводят
Statues are brought to life
В электрический экстаз
In an electric frenzy
Не поверишь
You won't believe
Все украдено до нас
Everything was stolen before us
Ты греми труха
You're rattling like decay
Что истлел насквозь
That's rotted all the way through
Мог подняться вверх
Could have risen up
Да в ботинке гвоздь
But there's a nail in the boot
Продавал себя
Selling oneself
Богател тот час
Getting rich in that moment
Менял злость на злость
Exchanging anger for more anger
Менял глаз на глаз
Exchanging eyes for more eyes
Contributed by Layla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.