Russian songs translated: ‘We Saw the Night’ (Sing with us)

Kira Lisitskaya
A cheerful composition by legendary Soviet rock singer Viktor Tsoi and his band ‘Kino’ about youth hanging out carefree at nights. 

Audiences first heard this now iconic song in 1986 opening Kino's 5th studio album, titled 'Noch' (‘Night’). Tsoi himself said that night is a special time for him, very different and very romantic. Listen to this song and watch the video by American singer Joanna Stingray, who helped a lot in popularizing Tsoi and Soviet rock music in the West. 

The song got a new wave of fame în 2000 when a Moldovan rock band ‘Zdob și Zdub’ did a cover of the song using a gypsy-style chorus. 

 

‘Видели ночь’ – ‘We saw the night’ 

Мы вышли из дома, когда во всех окнах

Погасли огни один за одним

We left the house when the lights in all the windows

Went out one by one

Мы видели, как уезжает последний трамвай

Ездят такси, но нам нечем платить

We saw the last tram leaving

Taxi are coming, but we have nothing to pay with

И нам незачем ехать, мы гуляем одни

На нашем кассетнике кончилась пленка, смотай

And we don't need to go, we're walking alone.

Our tape recorder is out of tape, rewind it.
 

CHORUS

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

 

Зайди в телефонную будку, скажи

Чтоб закрыли дверь в квартире твоей

Go to the phone booth and tell them

To close the door to your apartment

Сними свою обувь, мы будем ходить босиком

Есть сигареты и спички, и бутылка вина

Take off your shoes, we’ll walk barefoot

We have cigarettes and matches and a bottle of wine

И она поможет нам ждать

Поможет поверить, что все спят и мы здесь вдвоём

And she will help us wait

She will help us believe that everyone is sleeping and we are here together

CHORUS

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

Видели ночь, гуляли всю ночь до утра!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

We saw the night, we walked all night until morning!

 

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