I just enjoyed a most excellent Alberta steaki accompanied by a simply divine glass of wine and I must be feeling particularly sappy as a result because I’ve just taken a perfectly empowering, perfectly emboldening, and perfectly manly ass piece of Russian poetry and made a complete cock of it, ripping out the rah-rah-look-at-me-ishness and replaced it with a reflection of what it takes, and what it means, for a man to soar with the birds. Be forewarned, you might want to puke.
The original, entitled Потому что мы Пилоты, or “Because we are pilots,” is a Soviet-era chant intended to whip up the young soliders into a frenzied comradery strong enough for them to willingly leave their wives and girlfriends at home, fight the good fight, aim more truly at the enemy, and die more valiantly when shot.
I’ve chosen to re-write it given the overwhelming preponderance of family men in the most serene republic, none of whom are leaving their wives and children to go anywhere when they arrive in the forum for the day’s work, it being no further than the keyboard and monitor in our studies or offices. This being so, it seems altogether more appropriate to reimagine that old Russian war cry to accommodate the luxuries afforded by computer times, namely that of staying at home while fighting the good fight.
This is “Because we are loved” :
Oh my gents, we are birds,
Birds high above,
For this we can thank
Just one thing,
Our foundation is she
Who loves us,
For without her we’d be
Without wing.— refrain: —
It’s because, it’s because
We are loved,
In the sky that that we soar so highly
This is why, before all,
Comes the wife,
And why then, after her,
Comes money.Lovely things – catch your eye
You want them,
As much for you as for her,
Your love,
What happiness –
From the clouds high above
You see the horizons uninterr’d.It’s because, it’s because
We are loved,
In the sky that that we soar so highly
This is why, before all,
Comes the wife,
And why then, after her,
Comes money.So you stay straight and true
In your aim,
She loves you for who you are today,
And the man she only hopes
You become,
For you she trusts to show her the way.It’s because, it’s because
We are loved,
In the sky that that we soar so highly
This is why, before all,
Comes the wife,
And why then, after her,
Comes money.
Stan’s translation of the original, and the inspiration for my re-write, is this :
oh my friends, we are birds,
birds that migrate,
but we lack just one thing
in this life,
on the ground we neglected
to marry,
in the sky – go and try
find a wife.— refrain: —
it’s because, it’s because,
we are pilots,
in the sky is our native home fixed,
this is why, first things first,
come the airplanes,
and why then, only then,
come the chicks.pretty girls – in your soul
you will cherish,
and you wish for to gift them
your heart,
but tomorrow –
the order to perish,
but tomorrow – the engines we start.it’s because, it’s because,
we are pilots,
in the sky is our native home fixed,
this is why, first things first,
come the airplanes,
and why then, only then,
come the chicks.so your path is not littered
with sorrow,
as you long for your lady’s embrace,
we decided, my friends,
that ‘tomorrow,’
say ‘tomorrow’ to that pretty face.it’s because, it’s because,
we are pilots,
in the sky is our native home fixed,
this is why, first things first,
come the airplanes,
and why then, only then,
come the chicks.
And the original looks like so :
Мы, друзья, перелетные птицы
Только быт наш одним нехорош:
На земле не успеешь жениться
А на небе жены не найдешь…Потому, потому что мы пилоты,
Небо наш, небо наш родимый дом.
Первым делом, первым делом – самолеты,
Ну, а девушки, а девушки – потом.
Клен зеленый, да клен кудрявый,
Да раскудрявый, резной!Нежный образ в душе ты голубишь
Хочешь сердце навеки отдать
Нынче встретишь, увидишь, полюбишь
А назавтра приказ улетать…Потому, потому что мы пилоты,
Небо наш, небо наш родимый дом.
Первым делом, первым делом – самолеты,
Ну, а девушки, а девушки – потом.
Мы летим, ковыляя во мгле!
Мы к родной подлетаем земле.
Вся команда цела, но машина пришла
На честном слове, да на одном крыле.Чтоб с тоскою в пути не встречаться,
Вспоминая про ласковый взгляд,
Мы решили, друзья, не влюбляться
Даже в самых красивых девчат!Потому, потому что мы пилоты,
Небо наш, небо наш родимый дом.
Первым делом, первым делом – самолеты,
Ну, а девушки, а девушки – потом.
UPDATE: related video.
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- Yes, I hear that Argentina has some fine beef as well, but it’ll be at least another twelve months before I can compare the two for myself. C4 can’t come soon enough !↩