Started as a mere musical joke for friends, the trio became popular on the clubbing stage in St.Petersburg (2002) and Moscow (2003). Their program combines cover versions of Tom Waits’ songs, author’s compositions, American Gothic, own life experiences, stories told by friends and urban mythology. The Billy’s Band musicians call their style Funeral Dixieland with an Infinite Happy End. ... See their official website: http://www.billysband.ru/
Tackling anything by Tom Waits is like wrestling an alligator: do it well and you`ve got a new pair of shoes:, screw up and you`re dead, Jack. Describing themselves as a Dixiland funeral with an infinite happy end, Billy`s band is on the fringe in its St.Petersburg home and will be on the fringe of the fringe here. Bandleader, Billy Novik heard Waits` “Early Years, vol.1”, and that is all she wrote. Novik barks gruff and hip (in Russian and English) just like Waits – or perhaps Cookie Monster on a vodka bender. A great deal of the band`s repertoire is Waits` stuff, and when the band ventures out on its own, the genius, the oddity, and the antiquated charm still shines, just like those alligator shoes I was talking about.
Billy's Band, the Tom Waits-inspired outfit from St. Petersburg, Russia, was held up at the Canadian border Friday while on its way to the Rochester International Jazz Festival. But fest co-producer John Nugent, who has a lot of experience in dealing with passport issues and paper problems, managed to talk the guys into the country in time for their shows at Max of Eastman Place. Safely onstage, they stole the night with their blend of beat-poet ballads, off-kilter rhythms and comedic timing. CDs were snapped up by consumers hungry for the band's brand of compelling weirdness. All of the English-language ones were gone by the second show, but I bought two, anyway: Anybody out there speak Russian?
The word on the street, which I picked up rather late, was that the guys from St. Petersburg, Russia were tearing down the house over at Max. Having had plenty of straight-ahead jazz from the Hammers, I left early to see what the fuss was about. And now, after the fact, I'm kicking myself that I didn't heed the advice sooner.
Billy's Band is like a combined Dixieland and polka band that plays almost jazzy. When you hear a big smash, it's one of the dudes crashing cymbals over his head to a crazy march. The lead singer/bassist (yeah, it's a bassist heading the ship) Billy Novik has a voice that can only be compared to Louis Armstrong. It's gritty and feels like it comes straight out of his gut. But he's a funny little white guy with a funny hat and even funnier stories about being told the difference between a bass and a coffin ("the dead guy's inside of the coffin").
They were wearing worn-down trench coats and no shirts, letting their bellies show for everyone. You might call them strange, but just call them special. They were that kind of underground street band that's got oodles of talent, but you don't want them to be too big because that dark atmosphere really suits their style. The crowd went wild for these guys, bringing them out for an encore and standing ovation. might pick up a CD tomorrow -- they were that good.
If Thursday night is the unofficial start of the weekend, Friday is the real thing. Go out, enjoy the late-night stuff. If any of Billy's Band gets up there, I'm gonna be lovin' it.
Последний день лета
Billy's Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Гнилые ботинки
Луна и вороны
Ночные вокзалы, опасные зоны
Забытые песни пропитаны лестью
Как мы носились по лужам
Полившим водой
Обнимались с землёй
И твои губы шептали
Что это уже навсегда
И не вспомнишь дорогу домой никогда
Морозное утро, сырые окурки
Живые скелеты, боязнь не догнаться
Никто не заметит, никто не узнает
Последний день лета дрожащий рассветом
Мы танцевали у магазина
Катались в пыли
Падали и просыпались
Обнимались и шли
Твои губы шептали
Что это уже навсегда
И не вспомнишь дорогу домой никогда
Голод и жажда, озноб и веселье
Орёл или решка, чужое похмелье
Мы целовались у магазина
Катались в пыли
Падали и просыпались
Обнимались и шли
И твои губы шептали
Что это теперь навсегда
И не вспомнить дорогу домой никогда
Танцуют все!
The lyrics in Billy's Band's song "Последний день лета" depict a bleak and haunting image of the last day of summer. The first few lines describe the singer's hopeless and destitute state - their empty pockets and bones drenched in rain, their decaying shoes, the moon, and the crows setting an ominous tone. They find themselves in dangerous areas, where forgotten songs are seeped in sycophancy and false flattery. The memories of carefree days are juxtaposed against the current state of the singer. They recall laughing until it hurt, falling into puddles, hugging the ground, and hearing their lover's whispers promising forever. But now, after the passage of time, they realize they can never find their way home again.
The second verse focuses on the morning of the last day of summer. Leftover cigarette butts, living skeletons, and fear that they cannot catch up to anyone set the scene for a desolate journey. The singer believes that no one will notice their existence or recognize them, and the trembling dawn only emphasizes the inevitable changes that will follow. The last few lines of the verse describe the singer's memories of dancing at a store, kicking up dust, falling, and getting up, hugging their loved one and hearing their promises of forever. But by the end of it, the promise takes on a new tone- it is now forever that they cannot go back home.
The final verse is a brief sum-up of what the summer was like- a mix of hunger, thirst, cold, and happiness. The unpredictability of life is captured in the line, "heads or tails, someone else's hangover." The last few lines repeat the singer's memories of dancing and making out at a store, falling and getting up, hugging their loved one and hearing their promise that it is all forever, but this time, it is forever that they cannot remember the way back home.
Line by Line Meaning
Пустые карманы, промокшие кости
Empty pockets, soaked bones
Гнилые ботинки
Rotten boots
Луна и вороны
Moon and ravens
Ночные вокзалы, опасные зоны
Night stations, dangerous areas
Забытые песни пропитаны лестью
Forgotten songs soaked with flattery
Как мы носились по лужам
How we frolicked in puddles
Полившим водой
Splashing water
Хохотали до крови
Laughed until our sides hurt
Обнимались с землёй
Embraced the earth
И твои губы шептали
And your lips whispered
Что это уже навсегда
That it's already forever
И не вспомнишь дорогу домой никогда
And you'll never remember the way home
Морозное утро, сырые окурки
Frosty morning, wet cigarette butts
Живые скелеты, боязнь не догнаться
Living skeletons afraid of being left behind
Никто не заметит, никто не узнает
No one will notice, no one will know
Последний день лета дрожащий рассветом
Last day of summer trembling with dawn
Мы танцевали у магазина
We danced by the store
Катались в пыли
Rolled in the dust
Падали и просыпались
Fell and woke up
Обнимались и шли
Embraced and walked
Голод и жажда, озноб и веселье
Hunger and thirst, chills and joy
Орёл или решка, чужое похмелье
Heads or tails, someone else's hangover
И не вспомнить дорогу домой никогда
And never remember the way home
Танцуют все!
Everyone is dancing!
Lyrics © Iricom US Ltd
Written by: Новик Вадим Валерьевич
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nick tabazzy
как же эта песня меня с бодуна успакаивает и уже не думаеш сколько ты вчера просадил и даже приятно .... билли быстрее в таллинН!
enironavigator
отлично!!! Билли, старик, давай!!!
swety76
Шикарно!
blondeIPL
обожаю! .... отечественный Том Уэйтс.....! эврибадедэнснау!-))
ROYCE
Спасибо. Как наяву.
DonMazzer
2021 здесь, помню, надеюсь, верю.
boris boris
С последним днем лета 31.08.20
boris boris
@sofa sf Обязательно будет, и даже больше!))
sofa sf
У нас ведь будет ещё несколько Лет впереди? 12-15, например. С самыми любимыми людьми. Аминь.
Yahor M
Сегодня понедельник 31 августа 2015 года. Конец лета и тот в понедельник © #завтраосень