A Russian Bard song by Yuriy Vizbor (Юрий Визбор), which is a very good demonstration of his style when singing about war. As most songs of this genre, it is performed by a single singer playing an acoustic guitar (Vizbor himself always played the Russian seven string guitar.) Written in 1963, when the genre was still young. I am not going to be analyzing this song English-class style, it speaks for itself and is very straight forward.


My translation:

Report

Premission to come in, my general, sir?
Your troops I examined, how ready they were,
How well their bags are packed, I noticed at once,
How well they were shaved, how polished the guns.

They are as ready as can be for a night sneak attack,
For a fight in the desert, for rain in the dark,
They are ready for high roofs, and for cellers as well.
They are willing indeed, my general, sir.

They can hit the earth even from space,
They can make a skeleton of a city, leaving no trace
But there is another report you need to hear,
My general, sir, they all think, it is clear.

Every one of them thinks about girls in white flowers,
Every one of them thinks about sparkling spring gardens,
And how to hell's flames, they wish you'd transfer
Premission to leave, my general, sir?


Original lyrics in Russian unicode:

Доклад

Разрешите войти, господин генерал,
Ваших верных солдат я всю ночь проверял,
По уставу ли сложены их рюкзаки,
Как побриты усы, как примкнуты штыки.

Они очень годны для атаки ночной,
Для удара в пустыне и в дождь проливной,
На горящую крышу и в полуподвал,
Они очень годны, господин генерал.

Они могут из космоса бить по земле,
Они могут из города сделать скелет,
Но секретная служба доносит в досье,
Господин генерал, они думают все.

Они думают все о девчонках в цветах,
Они думают все о весенних садах
И о том, как бы вас уложить наповал...
Разрешите идти, господин генерал?


Russian version in english letters:

Doklad

Razreshiti voiti, gospodin general,
Vashikh vernikh soldat ya vsyu noch proveryal,
Po ustavu li slozeni ikh ryugzaki,
Kak pobriti usie, kak primknuti shtiki.

Oni ochin godni dlya ataki nochnoy,
Dlya udara v pustinie i v dozhd prolivnoy,
Na goryashyu krishu i v polupodval,
Oni ochin godni, gospodin general.

Oni mogut iz kosmosa bit po zemle,
Oni mogut iz goroda zdelot skelet,
No sekretnaya sluzhba donosit v dosye,
Gospodin general, oni dumoyut vse.

Oni dumayut vse o devchonkakh v tzvetakh,
Oni dumayut vse o vessennikh sadakh
Ee o tom kak be vas ulozhit napoval...
Razreshiti uiti, gospodin general.


Since Yuriy Vizbor wrote these songs to be sung by the public, approved of the copying of his material, and is no longer alive, I believe that no copyright laws are being violated.

A RAM format version of this song is avaliable for free download from the official bards.ru website: http://www.bards.ru/1Ram/a_Vizbor_Yurij/razreshite_voyti.ram

Re*port" (r?-p?rt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reported; p. pr. & vb. n. Reporting.] [F. reporter to carry back, carry (cf. rapporter; see Rapport), L. reportare to bear or bring back; pref. re- re- + portare to bear or bring. See Port bearing, demeanor.]

1.

To refer.

[Obs.]

Baldwin, his son, . . . succeeded his father; so like unto him that we report the reader to the character of King Almeric, and will spare the repeating his description. Fuller.

2.

To bring back, as an answer; to announce in return; to relate, as what has been discovered by a person sent to examine, explore, or investigate; as, a messenger reports to his employer what he has seen or ascertained; the committee reported progress.

There is no man that may reporten all. Chaucer.

3.

To give an account of; to relate; to tell; to circulate publicly, as a story; as, in the common phrase, it is reported.

Shak.

It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel. Neh. vi. 6.

4.

To give an official account or statement of; as, a treasurer reperts the recepts and expenditures.

5.

To return or repeat, as sound; to echo. [Obs. or R.] "A church with windowss only form above, that reporteth the voice thirteen times."

Bacon.

6. Parliamentary Practice

To return or present as the result of an examination or consideration of any matter officially referred; as, the committee reported the bill witth amendments, or reported a new bill, or reported the results of an inquiry.

7.

To make minutes of, as a speech, or the doings of a public body; to write down from the lips of a speaker.

8.

To write an account of for publication, as in a newspaper; as, to report a public celebration or a horse race.

9.

To make a statement of the conduct of, especially in an unfavorable sense; as, to report a servant to his employer.

To be reported, ∨ To be reported of, to be spoken of; to be mentioned, whether favorably or unfavorably. Acts xvi. 2. -- To report one's self, to betake one's self, as to a superior or one to whom service is due, and be in readiness to receive orders or do service.

Syn. -- To relate; narrate; tell; recite; describe.

 

© Webster 1913.


Re*port" (r?-p?rt"), v. i.

1.

To make a report, or response, in respect of a matter inquired of, a duty enjoined, or information expected; as, the committee will report at twelve o'clock.

2.

To furnish in writing an account of a speech, the proceedings at a meeting, the particulars of an occurrence, etc., for publication.

3.

To present one's self, as to a superior officer, or to one to whom service is due, and to be in readiness for orders or to do service; also, to give information, as of one's address, condition, etc.; as, the officer reported to the general for duty; to report weekly by letter.

 

© Webster 1913.


Re*port" (r?-p?rt"), n. [Cf. F. rapport. See Report.v. t.]

1.

That which is reported.

Specifically: (a)

An account or statement of the results of examination or inquiry made by request or direction; relation

. "From Thetis sent as spies to make report." Waller. (b)

A story or statement circulating by common talk; a rumor; hence, fame; repute; reputation.

It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 1 Kings x. 6.

Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and . . . of good report among all the nation of the Jews. Acts x. 22.

(c)

Sound; noise; as, the report of a pistol or cannon

. (d)

An official statement of facts, verbal or written; especially, a statement in writing of proceedings and facts exhibited by an officer to his superiors; as, the reports of the heads af departments to Congress, of a master in chancery to the court, of committees to a legislative body, and the like.

(e)

An account or statement of a judicial opinion or decision, or of case argued and determined in a court of law, chancery, etc.; also, in the plural, the volumes containing such reports; as, Coke's Reports.

(f)

A sketch, or a fully written account, of a speech, debate, or the proceedings of a public meeting, legislative body, etc.

2.

Rapport; relation; connection; reference.

[Obs.]

The corridors worse, having no report to the wings they join to. Evelyn.

Syn. -- Account; relation; narration; detail; description; recital; narrative; story; rumor; hearsay.

 

© Webster 1913.

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