Berlin, who was Jewish, was one of the few Tin Pan Alley/Broadway songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. Although he never learned to read music beyond a rudimentary level, he composed over 3,000 songs. Many of his songs, including "God Bless America", "White Christmas", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", and "There's No Business Like Show Business," left an indelible mark on American music and culture. He produced 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores, in addition to his individual songs.
Russian Lullaby
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a lonely Russian rose
Gazing tenderly
Down upon her knee
Where a baby's brown eyes glisten
Listen
Every night you'll hear her croon
Just a little plaintive tune
When baby starts to cry
Rock-a-bye my baby
Somewhere there may be
A land that's free for you and me
And a Russian lullaby
The song "Russian Lullaby" is a poignant ballad describing a mother's love for her child, set against the backdrop of the Russian countryside. The verses describe a "lonely Russian rose" who gazes lovingly at her child's brown eyes as she sings a lullaby to soothe him. The reference to the Volga River provides a sense of geography, as if we are eavesdropping on a private moment in a remote corner of the world, but also imbues the song with a sense of majestic beauty.
The lyrics also contain a sense of longing for a better life, with the mother singing that "somewhere there may be a land that's free for you and me." This suggests a desire to escape the hardships of life in Russia, with its political turmoil and economic hardship, and find a new home where they can be safe and happy.
Overall, the song is a tender reflection on the power of maternal love and the hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Where the dreamy volga flows
The location by the Volga River, which is peaceful and dreamlike.
There's a lonely Russian rose
A solitary woman in Russia, symbolized by a rose flower.
Gazing tenderly
Looking with love and affection.
Down upon her knee
Sitting with a child on her lap.
Where a baby's brown eyes glisten
Where a young child's eyes sparkle.
Listen
Pay attention to the Russian lullaby.
Every night you'll hear her croon
The woman sings the lullaby every night.
A Russian lullaby
A song to soothe the child to sleep, originating from Russia.
Just a little plaintive tune
A simple and melancholic melody.
When baby starts to cry
Whenever the child begins to cry.
Rock-a-bye my baby
A soothing phrase to calm the baby down.
Somewhere there may be
There is possibly a place where things will get better.
A land that's free for you and me
A utopian ideal of a free and equal society.
And a Russian lullaby
Accompanying the hope for a better future is the lullaby that provides comfort in the present moment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nancy Hey
A great tribute to Irving Berlin's country of birth!
Ян
And his culture and race
Gustavo Manzano
People should listen to the lyrics they sing :) so many people have misunderstood this song, or rather very few got it right, it´s not swingy, it´s not dancing, it´s not anything upbeat, it´s about fleeing russia for fox sake.
Ji Liu
@Debarghya Roy yep, but that would be better sung in the like of "strange fruit"
Debarghya Roy
If you listen to Ella, all that you hear is the pain. The lyrics comes alive, thanks to her impeccable delivery and the lustrous Paul Weston orchestra. While it is good to experiment, I'd much rather stay faithful to the mood that the lyrics build up. Singing a poignant verse in a most upbeat manner appears strange to me. I see that happening every time. Often the performances are brilliant, but the composer's point of view is lost.
Partyzan Soundsystem
TY for so tasty performing of this piece!
Ян
🇷🇺💪
Hans Roelofsma
'groot verlies voor de jazz world
M.J. Leger
Love this Berlin song, but NOT her voice -- this Dutch singer should have retired when (I suppose) she was ahead (40s or 50s)! That vibrato/tremolo is indicative of no longer being able to control the throat. Great group here though, great song, but not up-beat! Try listening to Ella Fitzgerald for a great version of this song. Reys not even right on pitch for many of her notes here, and her voice is strident when she talks during the song!
Charles Sharpe
If you don’t like her voice don’t listen to her. She has worked her ass off to get where she is, surrounded by some of the hottest swinging cats In Europe and you want her to quit? That’s just ignorant.