The Cliff
Red Army Choir Lyrics


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Есть на Волге утёс, диким мохом оброс
Он с вершины до самого края
И стоит сотни лет, только мохом одет,
Ни нужды, ни заботы не зная
И стоит сотни лет, только мохом одет,
Ни нужды, ни заботы не зная

На вершине его не растет ничего
Только ветер свободный гуляет
Там могучий орел свой притон там завел
И на нем свои жертвы терзает
Там могучий орел свой притон там завел
И на нем свои жертвы терзает

Из людей лишь один на утёсе том был,
Лишь один до вершины добрался
И утёс человека того не забыл,
И с тех пор его именем звался

И поныне стоит тот утёс и хранит
Все заветные думы Степана,
И лишь с Волгой одной вспоминает порой
Удалое житьё атамана




И лишь с Волгой одной вспоминает порой
Удалое житьё атамана

Overall Meaning

The song "The Cliff" by the Red Army Choir is a tribute to a natural wonder found by the Volga River, which stands untouched and unchanged for centuries. The song presents the cliff as a symbol of pure, unspoiled beauty, covered entirely by wild moss and immune to any human influence. Despite its isolation, the cliff has a mysterious aura, attracting majestic eagles that prey on their victims, giving it an almost mystical quality. But despite all these physical attributes, the song suggests that it is the story behind the cliff that makes it truly special.


The lyrics explore the story of a man named Stepan, who was the only person to ever climb to the top of the cliff. From the top, he gained a new perspective, seeing the world from a unique vantage point that allowed him to transcend the mundane and discover the beauty in things that others often overlook. The song suggests that Stepan imbued the cliff with a kind of spiritual power that has remained long after his death. And while it may appear to be a mere geological formation, it stands as a testament to the human spirit, the power of exploration and determination, and the capacity for genuine awe in the face of unspoiled natural beauty.


The song stands as a testament to the Soviet era's romanticism of nature and its relationship with humanity. It speaks to the enduring power of natural beauty and the importance of preserving it, free from the corrupting influences of civilization. The song serves as a reminder of the human capacity to discover and appreciate the beauty in the world, even in places where it might be least expected.


Line by Line Meaning

Есть на Волге утёс, диким мохом оброс
On the Volga, there is a cliff covered in wild moss


Он с вершины до самого края
It extends from the top to the very edge


И стоит сотни лет, только мохом одет,
It has stood for hundreds of years, covered only in moss


Ни нужды, ни заботы не зная
Without any need or care


На вершине его не растет ничего
Nothing grows on its summit


Только ветер свободный гуляет
Only the free wind blows


Там могучий орел свой притон там завел
There, a mighty eagle built its lair


И на нем свои жертвы терзает
And there, it torments its prey


Из людей лишь один на утёсе том был,
Out of all the people, only one had been on that cliff


Лишь один до вершины добрался
Only one reached its summit


И утёс человека того не забыл,
And the cliff did not forget that man


И с тех пор его именем звался
And since then, it has been named after him


И поныне стоит тот утёс и хранит
And to this day, the cliff stands and preserves


Все заветные думы Степана,
All of Stepan's cherished thoughts


И лишь с Волгой одной вспоминает порой
And only sometimes, it remembers with the Volga


Удалое житьё атамана
The distant life of the chieftain




Writer(s): Dimitri Oleg Yachinov

Contributed by Jason W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@azeemotron

There is a cliff on the Volga river covered with wild moss 
From its top to its bottom 
And it stands there for hundreds of years covered with moss 
Knowing neither need nor care. 
And it stands there for hundreds of years covered with moss 
Knowing neither need nor care. 

Nothing grows on the top of it 
Just the free wind floats around 
A mighty eagle made his hideout there 
And there it torments its victims. 
A mighty eagle made his hideout there 
And there it torments its victims. 

Only one man among all others was on that cliff 
Only he was able to get to the top 
And the cliff didnt forget this man 
And from then on it was called by the mans name. 

And that cliff is still there and it still keeps 
All the cherished thoughts of Stepan (Razin) 
And along with only the Volga river it remembers sometimes 
The glorious living of the rebel leader 
And along with only the Volga river it remembers sometimes 
The glorious living of the rebel leader!



@starkfaktory6920

Есть на Волге утёс, диким мохом оброс
Он с вершины до самого края.
И стоит сотни лет, только мохом одет,
Ни нужды, ни заботы не зная.
И стоит сотни лет, только мохом одет,
Ни нужды, ни заботы не зная.
На вершине его не растет ничего
Только ветер свободный гуляет.
Там могучий орел свой притон там завел
И на нем свои жертвы терзает.
Там могучий орел свой притон там завел
И на нем свои жертвы терзает.
Из людей лишь один на утёсе том был,
Лишь один до вершины добрался.
И утёс человека того не забыл,
И с тех пор его именем звался.
И поныне стоит тот утёс и хранит
Все заветные думы Степана,
И лишь с Волгой одной вспоминает порой
Удалое житьё атамана.
И лишь с Волгой одной вспоминает порой
Удалое житьё атамана.



@alexcc8664

There is a cliff on the Volga river covered with wild moss
From its top to its bottom
And it stands there for hundreds of years covered with moss
Knowing neither need nor care.
And it stands there for hundreds of years covered with moss
Knowing neither need nor care.

Nothing grows on the top of it
Just the free wind floats around
A mighty eagle made his hideout there
And there it torments its victims.
A mighty eagle made his hideout there
And there it torments its victims.

Only one man among all others was on that cliff
Only he was able to get to the top
And the cliff didnt forget this man
And from then on it was called by the mans name.

And that cliff is still there and it still keeps
All the cherished thoughts of Stepan (Razin)
And along with only the Volga river it remembers sometimes
The glorious living of the rebel leader
And along with only the Volga river it remembers sometimes
The glorious living of the rebel leader!YOU'RE WELCOME



@kanaserwisowy7166

Yestʹ na Volge utyos, dikim mokhom obros
On s vershiny do samogo kraya.
I stoit sotni let, tolʹko mokhom odet,
Ni nuzhdy, ni zaboty ne znaya.
I stoit sotni let, tolʹko mokhom odet,
Ni nuzhdy, ni zaboty ne znaya.

Na vershine yego ne rastet nichego
Tolʹko veter svobodnyy gulyayet.
Tam moguchiy orel svoy priton tam zavel
I na nem svoi zhertvy terzayet.
Tam moguchiy orel svoy priton tam zavel
I na nem svoi zhertvy terzayet.

Iz lyudey lishʹ odin na utyose tom byl,
Lishʹ odin do vershiny dobralsya.
I utyos cheloveka togo ne zabyl,
I s tekh por yego imenem zvalsya.

I ponyne stoit tot utyos i khranit
Vse zavetnyye dumy Stepana,
I lishʹ s Volgoy odnoy vspominayet poroy
Udaloye zhitʹyo atamana.
I lishʹ s Volgoy odnoy vspominayet poroy
Udaloye zhitʹyo atamana.



All comments from YouTube:

@lordblaziken7724

Sometimes, you don't really have to understand the language of the words in the song to understand the feeling that they are communicating...

@albertsu6089

Lord Blaziken speak Russian

@einargrude8368

I agree. I immediately understood that this song is about the final Beyblade battle between Tyson and Kai.

@TheLees_LEE

@Einar Grude Lucifer.

@bializm5420

Fucu8c

@vitorboanova2998

"My solo career truly began with a concert in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses on April 22, 1965, dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Lenin,[14] when I sang "There is a cliff on the Volga."[15] This was my first solo performance. Brezhnev wept. He got up from his seat and wiped away the tears with his hands then applauded, and then everyone in the room stood up as well and applauded too. I do not know what my performance stirred in the hearts of Leonid Ilyich and the other listeners, but I would like this song to be considered a monument to the Russian victorious spirit. After that performance, I continued to be a soloist with the Ensemble for seven years, and, from then on, I was regarded as a serious professional singer among the musical and political elite".



"I remember how after the concert Marshal Voroshilov came to see me backstage. After expressions of gratitude he hugged me as a father would and told me that Stalin also considered this song to be his favorite, and often played a record of it being performed by A. Pirogov,[16] whenever he was sad at heart. "If Stalin were alive, then you would be leaving this room as a People's Artist of the USSR - because you sing it better than Pirogov," Voroshilov told me.” (Leonid Mikhailovich Kharitonov)

@Smartacus98

Leonid Kharitonov had one hell of a voice.

@gamerofepic21

He's died sadly as of September 19th 2017

@backup2327

Greece Mapping R.I.P

@reallypinkscug

His son's on YouTube.

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