The song references Grigori Rasputin's alleged healing of hemophiliac Tsarevich Alexei of Russia, and how this endeared him to the boy's mother, the Tsarina Alexandra Fyodorovna (former Princess Alix of Hesse). It also claims that Rasputin was Alexandra's paramour ("Ra Ra Rasputin: lover of the Russian queen - there was a cat that really was gone"). As "Russia's greatest love machine", the "Moscow chicks" thought him lovely. The song states that Rasputin's political power overshadowed that of the Tsar himself in "all affairs of state". When his sexual and political acts became intolerable "men of higher standing" plotted his downfall, despite the fact that "the ladies begged" them not to.
The end of the song recounts a modified version of a popular description of the events that culminated in Rasputin's assassination, as perpetrated by Felix Yusupov, Vladimir Purishkevich, and Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia on December 16, 1916 (O.S.). Specifically, the song states that Rasputin's assassins fatally shot him after he survived the poisoning of his wine with a very large dose of cyanide.
While the song accurately indicates that many unfavorable rumors damaged Rasputin's reputation, there is no verifiable evidence to suggest that he had an affair with Alexandra.
The song rose to the top of the charts in Germany and Austria, and went to #2 in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. It was another number 1 hit for Boney M. in Australia, providing them a second (and last) chart topper in that country (the other one being "Rivers of Babylon").
Although the song was written and performed in English (with a smattering of German - But the kasatschok he danced really wunderbar!), it enjoyed great popularity in the Soviet Union, and is credited with making Rasputin famous again there, although it was omitted from the Russian pressing of the album and Boney M. were barred from performing the song during their ten performances in Moscow in December 1978.
During their visit to Poland in 1979, Boney M. performed Rasputin despite being asked not to by government officials. The show was broadcast on national TV the next day, after the song was edited out of their performance.
The song has been covered by a number of other bands in varying musical styles, perhaps most notably by the Finnish folk metal band Turisas. Boiled in Lead also covered it in a heavy metal version.
The Washington, D.C.-based dance/rock band Ra Ra Rasputin takes its name from the song.
The song also appears on the video game Just Dance 2.
Rasputin
Boney M. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people look at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the Bible like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people look at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the Bible like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire
Ra-ra-Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra-ra-Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Czar
But the kazachok he danced really wunderbar
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who would heal her son
Ra-ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra-ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
But when his drinking and lusting
And his hunger for power
Became known to more and more people
The demands to do something
About this outrageous man
Became louder and louder
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
"This man's just got to go", declared his enemies
But the ladies begged, "Don't you try to do it, please"
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute, they just fell into his arms
Then one night some men of higher standing
Set a trap, they're not to blame
"Come to visit us", they kept demanding
And he really came
Ra-ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
Ra-ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and said, "I feel fine"
Ra-ra-Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
Ra-ra-Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him 'til he was dead
Oh, those Russians
The song “Rasputin” by German disco group Boney M. tells the story of Grigori Rasputin, a self-proclaimed mystic who rose to be one of the most influential figures in the late Russian Empire. In the first verse, the lyrics describe Rasputin as a man with a frightening reputation but who was also loved by many women in Moscow. He speaks with the fervor of a preacher and is full of passion, attracting many followers. However, the song also alludes to the darker side of Rasputin’s character, his indulgence in alcohol, lust, and hunger for power.
In the chorus, Rasputin is called the “lover of the Russian queen” and the “Russia’s greatest love machine”, which refers to his alleged affair with Alexandria, the wife of Tsar Nicholas II. Although the queen knew of his indiscretions, she believed that he had the power to heal her son, who was suffering from hemophilia. The song also references the conspiracies against Rasputin, with some people seeking to remove him from power. When his enemies finally poisoned and shot him, they did so in secret, and this event marked the end of Rasputin’s power and influence.
Line by Line Meaning
There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
Once upon a time in Russia, there was a man
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
This man was both physically imposing and had an intense gaze
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
Despite his appearance, most people were afraid of him
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
However, some women in Moscow found him charming
He could preach the Bible like a preacher
He had impressive religious oratory skills
Full of ecstasy and fire
His sermons were filled with passionate emotion
But he also was the kind of teacher
Yet he also had a reputation for teaching other things
Women would desire
Specifically, women desired him sexually
Ra ra Rasputin
A chant-like repetition of the man's name
Lover of the Russian queen
Rasputin was involved romantically with the queen of Russia
There was a cat that really was gone
There was a person involved in the situation who had gone missing
Russia's greatest love machine
Rasputin was known for his sexual prowess
It was a shame how he carried on
This was seen as shameful by some
He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Czar
Despite the czar's authority, Rasputin held significant power in Russia
But the kazachok he danced really wunderbar
In addition to politics and romance, he was also known for his impressive dancing
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
Rasputin was influential and influential people wanted to keep him happy
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
However, he was happiest when he had a woman in his arms
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Despite his affairs with other women, Rasputin was not dishonest with the queen.
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
The queen was aware of Rasputin's reputation and actions
She believed he was a holy healer
Despite his reputation, the queen believed Rasputin had divine healing powers
Who would heal her son
She specifically believed he could cure her sick son
But when his drinking and lusting
However, his reputation eventually caught up with him
And his hunger for power
As Rasputin became more influential, his desire for further power increased
Became known to more and more people
As more people found out about this, concern grew
The demands to do something
Calls for action grew louder
About this outrageous man
People found Rasputin's behavior unacceptable
This man's just got to go, declared his enemies
His opponents declared that he needed to be eliminated
But the ladies begged, "don't you try to do it, please"
However, some women still defended him
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Despite his flaws, Rasputin still had appeal and secrets
Though he was a brute, they just fell into his arms
Women continued to be drawn to his brutish charm
Then one night some men of higher standing
Despite opposition, some men of status decided to take action
Set a trap, they're not to blame
They devised a plan to take down Rasputin, but didn't feel guilty for doing it
Come to visit us, they kept demanding
They convinced him to come visit them
And he really came
And he foolishly fell into their trap
They put some poison into his wine
They poisoned Rasputin
He drank it all and said, "I feel fine"
Rasputin seemed not to notice the poison and felt fine
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
His enemies didn't give up even after trying to poison him
And so they shot him 'til he was dead
They killed Rasputin with a gunshot
Oh, those Russians
A humorous comment about the role of Russians in the story
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Frank Farian, Fred Jay, George Reyam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hansenyan6217
Bobby Farrell:
Born in Island country of Aruba ,
Jamaican decent ,
In a German band,
Singinglip syncing in Englishin Turkish melody,
using Japanese instruments,
performing in Poland ,
singing about a Russian man and later died in Russia .
RIP Bobby Farrell
@captainprice3894
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the Bible like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Czar
But the kazachok he danced really wunderbar
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who would heal her son
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
But when his drinking and lusting
And his hunger for power
Became known to more and more people
The demands to do something
About this outrageous man
Became louder and louder
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
"This man's just got to go", declared his enemies
But the ladies begged, "Don't you try to do it, please"
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute, they just fell into his arms
Then one night some men of higher standing
Set a trap, they're not to blame
"Come to visit us", they kept demanding
And he really came
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and said, "I feel fine"
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him 'til he was dead
Oh, those Russians
@ciprianbisorca2891
Jamaican singers
In a German band
Singing an English song
About a Russian guy
With Asian outfits
Filmed in Poland
@arulgughan2620
Hotel in trivago
@kappa633
Underrated comment
@parthalmule5460
Mr Worldwide
@eumonas____
antiracists be like:
@baccomeister
Thats true globalization
@ninjanerdstudent6937
Jamaican singers
In a German band
Singing in English
About a Russian man
@simply_brandon3460
Don't forget the Japanese instruments
@Nurzod1
And about me.... I from USSR.
@astupidrat9079
The most ambitious crossover