“I am a Yak-fighter plane” Vladimir Vysotskii is a legendary Soviet singer of 70th. He was very popular in USSR, he was a real people favourite. When he died in 1980 many thousands of the ordinary Soviet people went to attend a funeral. All the texts of Vysotskii’s songs are written by himself. This of his songs is about a fighter plane. Vysotskii could to show the character and the stress of an aerial combat. ******************************************************************************************** “I am a Yak-fighter plane” (Translated by Andrey) I am a Yak-fighter plane, my engine is ringing, The sky is my home! But the guy who sits inside of me Supposes that he is a fighter. I shot down a “Junkers” [1] in this combat, I did with him everything what I wanted. But the guy who sits inside of me Bored me pretty! I was shot through in the last combat, And a mechanic sewed over the tear But the guy who sits inside of me Again forces me to spin A bomb from a bomber carries A death to an airfield, But it looks like a stabilizer is singing: “P-e-a-c-e [2] to your home”[3] Here a “Messershmitt” [4] approaches to me from the rear, And I want to go away as I am tired from wounds! But I see that the guy who sits inside of me Decided to make a ram attack! What he is doing! – Here an explosion will be! – But it is not my turn to burn on a sand - Exceeding all the prohibitions and speed limits, I came out from the diving! I am a leading plane and behind of me - the devil take it! – Where is he, my second wingman? Oh, here he is, he began to smoke and to sing: “P-e-a-c-e to your home” And the guy who sits inside of my skull Stayed alone and got into a mess! But he misled me and began to dive Right after the coming out from the “death loop”[5] ! He pulls the control column toward himself and overloads are twice than usual ones - Eh, how can he suppose that he is a pilot-ace! But I must to obey again And it is the last time when I do it! I shall be obedient no more, I swear in it, – It is better to lie on a land! Isn’t he hearing how my pulse is being furious – The indicator of gasoline, of my blood shows a zero! There is the limit of the patience of a machine And my patience gave way! But suddenly the guy who sits inside of me Poked himself into the frontal glass by his face! He is killed. Oh! At last! I am flying without luggage, I am spending my last forces! But what is happening? What is it? – I came into a deep diving And I in no way can come out from this diving! It is a pity that I had time to do myself only few things But let another will be luckier! It turned out that I also singed in the end: “P-e-a-c-e to your home” “Peace to your home” Remarks of Andrey: [1] - “Junkers” - the Russian nickname of German Ju87 and Ju88 bombers [2] – the Russian “mir” equals to the English “peace”. Vysotskii sings “M-i-i-i-r” and it sounds like the sound of an engine which is working with the extreme efforts. [3] - “Peace to your home” is the translation of the Eastern welcome “Saliam aleikum”, the Muslims who lived in USSR spoke this phrase when they met one to another. Vysotskii used the Russian translation of this phrase and it sounds very well, I myself suppose that it emphasizes that the Soviet pilots were peaceful guys who want to live in a peace but must to fight. [4] - “Messershmitt” – the Russian nickname of a German Bf109 fighter [5] - “death loop” – a figure of the aerobatics ******************************************************************************************** The Russian version (translit): "Ia - Yak-istrebitel'" Ia - Iak-istrebitel', motor moi zvenit, Nebo – moia obitel'! No tot, kotoryi vo mne sidit, Schitaet, chto on istrebitel'. V etom boiu mnoiu "iunkers" sbit, Ia sdelal s nim, chto khotel. A tot, kotoryi vo mne sidit, Izriadno mne nadoel! Ia v proshlom boiu navylet proshit, Menia mekhanik zashtopal. A tot, kotoryi vo mne sidit, Opiat' zastavliaet v shtopor. Iz bombardirovshchika bomba nesiot Smer' aerodromu, A kazhetsia, stabilizator poiot: - Mi-i-ir Vashemu domu. Vot szadi zakhodit ko mne "messershitt" - Uidu – ia ustal ot ran! No tot, kotoryi vo mne sidit, Ia vizhu, reshil na taran! Chto delaet on - vot seichas budet vzryv! No mne ne goret' na peske - Zaprety i skorosti vse perekryv, Ia vykhozhu iz pike. Ia glavnyi, a szadi, nu chtob ia sgorel, Gde zhe on, moi vedomyi? Vot on zadymilsia, kivnul i zapel: - Mi-i-ir Vashemu domu. I tot, kotoryi v moem cherepke, Ostalsia odin i vlip! Menia v zabluzhdenie on vviol - I v pike - priamo iz miortvoi petli! On rviot na sebia i nagruzki vdvoine - Ekh, tozhe mne, liotchik-as! No snova prikhoditsia slushat'sia mne I eto v poslednii raz! Ia bol'she ne budu pokornym, klianus', - Uzh luchshe lezhat' na zemle! Nu chto zh on, ne slyshit, kak besitsia pul's - Benzin, moia krov', na nule! Terpeniiu mashiny byvaet predel, I vremia ego isteklo! I tot, kotoryi vo mne sidel, Vdrug tknulsia litsom v steklo! Ubit, nakonets-to, lechu nalegke - Poslednie sily zhgu! No chto eto, chto - ia v glubokom pike I vyiti nikak ne mogu! Dosadno, chto sam ia nemnogo uspel, No pust' poveziot drugomu! Vykhodit, i ia naposledok spel: - Mi-i-ir Vashemu domu. - Mir Vashemu domu.