Вот пуля просвистела
Чиж & Co Lyrics

The lyrics to Чиж & Co's song "Вот пуля просвистела" (Here Comes the Whistling Bullet) tell the story of a man who survived a bullet to the chest and fled on horseback, only to be captured by a communist commissar who used his sword to bring him down. The song then switches to another story, in which the singer returns from war and reunites with his wife, only to have the commissar arrive and take both his wife and horse. These experiences radicalize the singer, who burns down his house, dons a shirt and grabs a sword, declaring that he won't trade his cross for life under Soviet rule, and that he is one of many who fled to the forest to join the resistance.

The song describes a classic Russian archetype: the Cossack, a fierce, horse-riding warrior who played an important role in Russian history from the 15th century up to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The song's lyrics reflect the Cossacks' historical grievances with the Soviet regime: their forced resettlement, suppression of cultural traditions, and persecution of those who refused to conform. These historical references were likely lost on Soviet authorities, who initially allowed the song to be broadcast uncensored.