Katyusha

About the Song

"Katyusha" (Катюша) is one of the most famous Russian songs in the world. Written in 1938 by Matvei Blanter (music) and Mikhail Isakovsky (lyrics), it tells the story of a girl named Katyusha who stands on a riverbank singing for her beloved soldier serving far away on the frontier. During World War II, Soviet soldiers also gave the nickname "Katyusha" to the BM-13 rocket launcher.

Video

Lyrics

Расцветали яблони и груши,

Rastsvetali yabloni i grushi,

(Apple trees and pear trees went into blooming,)

Поплыли туманы над рекой.

Poplyli tumany nad rekoy.

(River mists began a floating flow.)

Выходила на берег Катюша,

Vykhodila na bereg Katyusha,

(She came out and went ashore, Katyusha,)

На высокий берег на крутой.

Na vysokiy bereg na krutoy.

(On the high and steep bank of the river.)

Выходила, песню заводила

Vykhodila, pesnyu zavodila

(She came out and started singing a song)

Про степного, сизого орла,

Pro stepnogo, sizogo orla,

(About a grey steppe eagle,)

Про того, которого любила,

Pro togo, kotorogo lyubila,

(About the one whom she loved,)

Про того, чьи письма берегла.

Pro togo, ch'i pis'ma beregla.

(About the one whose letters she treasured.)

Ой ты, песня, песенка девичья,

Oy ty, pesnya, pesenka devich'ya,

(Oh you, song, maiden's little song,)

Ты лети за ясным солнцем вслед.

Ty leti za yasnym solntsem vsled.

(Fly after the bright sun.)

И бойцу на дальнем пограничье

I boytsu na dal'nem pogranich'ye

(And to the soldier on the distant frontier)

От Катюши передай привет.

Ot Katyushi pereday privet.

(Deliver greetings from Katyusha.)