Boris Christoff - Song of the Volga Boatmen

[huqmierocketlauncher]

Makes me proud to be a bulgarian

[GrounderTheRobot]

WHATS THE MATTER WITH YOU!

[tam3ree]

I used to sing this song everyday, then I took an arrow in the knee.

[Lextor667]

So powerfull, hard to believe that non-russian can perform this song with such perfect pronunciation and so heartfelt...

[smallswordduelest]

all i here is "I'M A BAD TROLL A REALLY BAD TROLL"

[EdsonYamamoto]

On nom nom nom....

[Jasondacoolio]

I have already started to teach myself russian. Why? Because I want to sing this song so badly. I could sing it in english but it would not be the same.

[Kingofeurope]

Come, sing with me!

[MrDaviebamaikata]

Браво ! Страшен бас !

[mrHax101]

you people and your tf2 scare me

[ninjafrogs97]

@mrHax101 good. now run before Natascha gets you.

[Unit076]

Oh shit, I heard a variant of this in Spongebob!

[zwerverbeer]

@Unit076 in sovjet bikini bottem... :P

[EntropicSloth]

I saw this video for the first time over a year ago, and lost it, forgot the singer. As soon as I saw the title, and heard his voice, I knew I found what I'd been looking for. Such an amazing voice.

[danielmanu94]

Rada da daaa Rada da daa

[VNdoug]

Damn, 90% of the comments are tf2 jokes!

[Arzaker]

DOW DOW DOW DOW DOOOOOW

DOW DOW DOW DOW DOOOOOW

COME SING WITH ME

DOW DOW DOW DOW DOOOOOW

[MrPostalRaider]

It costs 400,000 Dollars to hold note for 12 seconds

[Gunnarr123abc]

@MrPostalRaider i don't get it??? :*(

[treq2112]

@Gunnarr123abc

Its from a First person shooter called Team Fortress 2. The one class is a Large Soviet who wields a mini gun, he is known as a Heavy. He sometimes sings an excerpt of this song during the game. The joke made by MrPostalRaider is from a short video where you learn more about the heavy in which he explains that the special ammunition used in his gun would cost $400,000 to fire for 12 seconds.

[Copper20]

Come sing with the heavy!

[ozzythecool]

"RUN COWARDS RUN!!! NEW WEAPON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[GhjuC]

Cry some moar!

[PootyHead]

Saww-ndvich! Sandvich!

[TylerEvolvesP4F]

POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS POOTIS

[Poopingbotham]

Boris CHRISToff? Oh poo, I thought it said Boris Carloff!!!

[DuskyChainz]

COME SING WITH ME

[caetanmatrix1]

what was that sandvich? sing with him? good idea!!!!

[Kilroy0901]

Poot Heavy Here, he can sing better

[kykahl]

this is music. coming from a 22 year old male from the US might seem strange. but think about the music "popular culture" promotes today...sickening disgusting piles of crap music. this music actually captivates you, you dont mindlessly listen while driving around in your escalade with 24s. this music actually takes over your thought process, and lets you become involved with the sounds you are hearing in a way that is hard to understand or explain. incredible...

[duefoscari]

What a bunch of totally uninteresting and/or gone gaga responses ! You've just heard one of the greatest performances in the history of music and then ... only idiotic comments. Shame on you !

[douboymkIII]

SING IT WITH ME! YADADAYADADADA!

[modtran1]

And at the end, Kharitonov has a nice voice, but is incomparable in quality and feelings to that of Christoff.

[ColKorn1965]

My Russian teacher argues that Fedor Chaliapin is better(she;s prejudiced because Boris is from Bulgaria)

[NeluThat70sKid]

@ColKorn1965 She really ought to reconsider that, because in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, they have a cathedral named after Aleksander Nevski, one of the generals in the tsar's royal army, who liberated Bulgaria from the Ottoman Turks in the late 19th century.

[ColKorn1965]

@NeluThat70sKid and The Russ, after whom Russia is named are were from Sweden, and my teacher's grandparents are from Estonia

[DimitarDobrinov]

@ColKorn1965 Aleksander Nevski is a russian saint and a historical knyaz of Russia from the middle ages and he has almost nothing to do with the army that liberated Bulgaria from ottomans ;)

[ColKorn1965]

@DimitarDobrinov yes, I saw the movie :D Maybe I should restate my point, does it matter that Boris Christoff is Bulgarian?He nailed this song.

[modtran1]

No Russian singer can sing Song of Volga Boatmen as perfect and EXCITING than Boris Christoff!!!

[jeremy92140]

@modtran1 Kharitonov can ;)

[modtran1]

When you listen the Song of the Volga Boatmen you should not forget that this is a sad song, this is the song of people overwhelmed by the plight to withdraw boats against river current. The song is sung by burlaks, or barge-haulers, on the Volga River. Lives of slaves, in which no drop of the Red Army optimism. No glory, only pain and greif. Russian soul is broken. That's the difference. Please see Repin's painting Barge Haulers on the Volga.

[MrJaimeandreszapata]

EXCELENTE INTERPRETACIÓN DE ESTE SEÑOR, EN DEFINITIVA MUY BUEN BAJO, Y CON ESTE TEMA DA CÁTEDRA DE COMO SE DEBE CANTAR, CANCIÓN TRADICIONAL RUSA. SALUDOS A TODOS DESDE MEDELLIN COLOMBIA.

[ArthaxtaDaVince777]

the english 1 goes hey heave ho,one more time,once again, repeats then it says now we fell to the pitch tree,now we pull hard,1,2,3 ay da da ay da x2

[bumfighter890611]

Who are those 12 people didn't like this ???? you stupid mothafOckers without culture :@

[06hurdwp]

he is not speaking russian. he tried to copy the words.... poorly

[triffffon]

@06hurdwp Actually this is Russian. He is a Bulgarian speaking Russian, which is a bit like a Scotsman speaking English. Sounds different but it is still English. Понятно?

[06hurdwp]

@triffffon some of these words are DEFINITELY different from the original lyrics

[soydelzulia]

@VoNguyenGiap1 its a very popular video game

[XDominiProductionsX]

it needs 400000 viewers to like this video for 12 seconds!!

[trombonart]

INALCANZABLE.......EL BAJO MAS GRANDE DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS.

NACIDO EN PEQUEÑA BULGARIA

[coloeus]

Эй, ухнем! Эй, ухнем! Ещё разик, ещё да раз! Эй, ухнем! Эй, ухнем! Ещё разик, ещё да раз! Разовьём мы берёзу, Разовьём мы кудряву! Ай-да, да ай-да, Aй-да, да ай-да,

[fdnfdjnedb]

Boris Christoff is credit to team :D

[5507156693]

No one ever head a voice like this man. I feel tempted to call him The Greatest!

[fireworkdealer]

@5507156693 /watch?v=3cSfXPkmWZ0

[ness111555]

We used to sing this song every Saturday at Russian school... Some may never appreciate this song, but it has got me through many a hard days at work.

[jumpnjza2]

@ness111555

I'm Indian and have no connection to Russia at all, I find this song really touching as well.

[ColKorn1965]

@ness111555 I sing this at work to let them know how I feel.

[gradely1]

@ness111555 This rendition by Boris Christoff sends shivers down my spine it is so wonderful yours gradely derek stanton

[Nimawei]

Nekodesu was here. :D

[sirrington]

I wonder what it would of sounded like if Mr Trolololo sang it

[Nimawei]

@sirrington Trolololololololo lololo trololololo~

[Nimawei]

@sirrington Trolo leee looooooooo, trolo lee looo.

[torom1967]

@sirrington Who cares? :-)

[speedwizard97]

amazing voice......

[Sedraen]

2:21, the look on his face is priceless. In any case, this is one of the best renditions of the song.

[0B0Eriec]

must hear this LOUDER!!!!!

The energy in this song is so powerfull that it almost tears you apart!

[realwaluigi]

Da da daaaaa da, da da da, Come sing with me! da da daa

-Heavy Weapons Guy

[anom4lie]

"I am Volga Boatmen Guy...and this is my Song. She is three minutes and 43 seconds long and is sung by one two hundred dollar, custom-tooled singer at ten thousand notes per minute. It costs four hundred thousand dollars to sing this song...for twelve seconds."

[ruffoite]

immense.

[olaf702]

it costs 400.000 to sing this song... for 12 seconds

[savata71]

@olaf702

Where?! I am ready to sing this song 1 second -... he he.

[Danc3ParTy]

Heavy's Lullaby

[Trover]

@VoNguyenGiap1 theres a character who sings this song sometimes

[workbookkk]

1ый нах

[TheDarkyello]

It cost 400,000 dollars to sing this song for 12 seconds...

[overminding]

It cost 400,000 dollars to fire this weapon for 12 seconds...

[sspolv]

@Lombax6568 @WORSHIPxCHAOS In Soviet Russia, song sings you.

[Lombax6561]

the curtains are red

[WORSHIPxCHAOS]

@Lombax6561 carpets are blue

[Digga1221]

Leonid Kharitonov puts this man to shame...

[DimitarDobrinov]

@Digga1221 I also basically like Leonid Kharitonov's variant better,but it's not like he puts Boris Hristov to shame.In fact Hristov's voice goes a bit deeper, but it seems like Kharitonov has a more powerful voice

[TheOriginalBudweiser]

@Digga1221 funny ...dont forget this is record from ´59 ...Boris Christoff is probably the best bassbaryton ever...

[hcs9312]

R.I.P. Boris Christoff

[aidange2]

Freo, way to go! Hit 'em real hard and send 'em down below!

[Vinny512]

HEAVY BORIS CHRISTOFF IS A SPAH!

[hotelmario510]

The ultimate Communist Russian music, perfect for representing the working, never-tiring men of the proleteriat.

[cookiemaster888]

@hotelmario510 YOU DID WELL!

[hotelmario510]

@cookiemaster888 What? Dude, I'm a capitalist. A left-wing capitalist.

[pelekanos92]

@hotelmario510 And I'm a nazist. Hail Stalin.

[hotelmario510]

@pelekanos92 Surely that should be 'Hitler'?

[pelekanos92]

@hotelmario510 I'm just remarking upon the paradox of left-wing capitalism.

[hotelmario510]

@pelekanos92 Ah, right. Gotcha.

[TheOriginalBudweiser]

@hotelmario510 you stupid ... this song is from year 1889 :o))) first study, then write some opinion

[hotelmario510]

@TheOriginalBudweiser *facepalm*...yes, but the Bolsheviks used this piece of heritaged music as a kind of working anthem.

[mastachief1994]

anyone notice that the bits the Heavy sing are not in the actual song?

[JKDProductions]

@mastachief1994 Maybe valve did that to prevent copyright issues? ^^

[pyramidheadkitten9]

@JKDProductions this is an old fucking song, i dont think that really matters.

[JKDProductions]

@pyramidheadkitten9 the copyright law can strike in SUPRISING WAYS

[pyramidheadkitten9]

@JKDProductions like backstabs?



[oath50]

What's that Sandvich? Kill them all? GOOD IDEA?

[bumfighter890611]

@oath50 what is your problem ? tell me ..

[Haikoori]

@bumfighter890611

He's just remarking that bologna is the perfect fuel for killing tiny cowards.

[DarkLordSelrahc]

@bumfighter890611 he was quoting the Heavy from Team Fortress 2, the Heavy also quotes this song.

[ofpcantor]

Браво!!!!

[d4rthmorgoth]

Push the little cart!!

[CaptainTinTyrant]

I'm a bad troll, a very bad troll

[soydelzulia]

who came cuz they like tf2

[Azkazan]

@soydelzulia MEMEME PICKME

[BlackTurk1000]

@soydelzulia haha so true

[TottallySketch1000]

WOW!! thats heavy ALOT!?

[bigmamba25]

Heavy over there!!

[fdnfdjnedb]

It is good time to run cowards! C:<

[camcam9907]

Haha FREO HEAVE HO

[bulgarianbrother]

Здравствуйте друзя!! im proud to be bulgarian!!!

[SladeWins]

IS GOOD.

[jericoferrari55]

Iam GIant!

[leonidash15]

Tf2wiki Sent me here... 8D

[Lethalinjection120]

Boriss Christoff is credit to team!

[buob1234567890]

Heavy: I AM BIG CHOIR HERO :D

[XKing2]

Somebody always makes the Heavy joke that I want to make before I can even get here, and they always get the highest rated comment. : l

[yutzwagon2]

I'm gonna learn this and sing it in my Russian class.

[Earlsin613]

i cant get this song out of my head.. its really annoying

[TatersChoice]

The intro is absolutely haunting and 1:00 to 1:08 is an amazing example of how he can just strikingly hit the high as well as the low notes.

[Corvastus]

Now I know how to save opera from becoming a dying art form: put all the music in a video game and everyone that plays it will go crazy when they hear it. Who's looking forward to Tosca: Source?

[RushNPhysics]

@Corvastus I would so play that. Rigoletto and Aida would be better though.

[tttc]

I really like 2:55, where he says "volga" slightly diffirent than from before. The whole song feels more personal. Great performance.

[soviethabbo]

ITSTY BITSY TEENY MEN!

[thegeniusandthefool]

This sucks. Look up Leonid Kharitonov singing live, it's a much better rendition of this Russian folk tune.

[dammir]

@thegeniusandthefool

I've heard Leonid Kharitonov, he has a beautiful voice, but not so deep than Boris Christoff; and he makes effort to sing this song because he wants to sing in a range too low for his voice; but very interesting interpretation.

Boris Christoff gives sense and weight on every word at a level which no other basso has reached yet today (I have heard a lot of bassos from any country)

[jhb134]

@dammir - Any opinions about Paul Robeson, Chaliapin and other interpreters?

[dammir]

@jhb134

Paul Robeson is my second favorit singer. I have a lot of records from him : about 12 cds.

Paul Robeson was'nt an opera singer, but had a magic voice in negro spirituals and melodies like this song of Volga Boatmen; singing opera claims another training; Boris Christoff would'nt be a very good interpreter of negro spirituals; however, Paul Robeson had a much better voice than most of opera singers, and so Boris Christoff for negro spirituals.



[jhb134]

@dammir - Thanks, and Robeson was excellent, in so many vocal roles. Christoff was one of the best, in Moussorgsky's Boris Godunov, and his legacy is SECURE. .. I like the old recordings of Mark Reizen, despite his, sometimes .. questionable intonation .. and other great singers of the Balkans, Russia, et. al.

[BurnFreet]

Ve must poosh leetel rating (higher)!

[hansjalv]

Stunning!

[WafflesMgee]

HE SWALLOWED A FERRET

Or... A sandvitch.

[cadinho38]

WHO SICK MAN SEND BABIES TO FIGHT ME?

[alexeykulikov]

Эй,Ухнем!!!

РОССИЯ!!!

[Freyja1133]

This song tells the plight of the Russians who live by the volga river

[Maureclaire]

Awesome ! Thanks Tatiana ! This must be pretty old... fifties ?

[JonnyBgr]

SO Powerful russian I can't stop listin tune =)

so good!!!

[LHaritonov]

Bravo! Boris Christoff is great!

[TatersChoice]

I'm really sad that the comments mostly relate to the Heavy from Team Fortress 2. I knew this song before playing the game and thinking that there are people that can only relate this song to TF2 is sad.

[MaoiMeowi2]

Yeah, same with the Soviet national anthem. If it wasn't for Call of Duty, no one would even know what it sounds like. All I saw for a while in the comments was stuff like "hey its teh spetsnaz victory song!".

Shows how uninformed people really are.

[BlueKewne]

@TatersChoice

Do I smell soiled baby diaper?

[ManicMario64]

Boris Christoff is Credit to team!

[Jijo233]

HALP DEFEND!

[ObakeFilter]

Daaaagh, too many little men on this team!

[Shenanigans2002]

I legitimately enjoy this song!

[gorgack2000]

amoralis123 get off your high horse. Different people like different things, just because YOU don't like a certain type of music it does NOT mean that it sucks.

[SameOldBlaholtzen]

poosh little cart!

[TheYeIIowDucK]

dravasiiiiiii ta, iwaya jawa!

[SameOldBlaholtzen]

lol, i didn't expect to find you here xD

[TheYeIIowDucK]

HOLY SHIT WTF?

i don't remember writing that comment!!

:O

i got hacked or just failed?

[amoralis123]

SaeringVircolac

By the way, I was the nerd who helped The Who during their opera Tommy, in octophonic: 8 channels, intermingling musical instrument and human voices. You might learn something about Music. Music is music. It is erroneous to call some Classical and some Modern. I hate this classification set up by upper and lower echelons. Have a nice day and good luck. I shall most certainly listen to your recommendations.

[amoralis123]

Sound has no meanings if there is no EARDRUM. It is limited compared to other species of our planet: only to 18k. Even that is reduced to only 15k by the time a human child grows to 18. After that it is reduction. Children, dogs, cats hear voices that adults cannot. Continuous pounding of loud noise be it of traffic or drums thickens this human organ depriving it to react to soft rhythm. Check it out.

[amoralis123]

There are great modern musicians: Michael Jackson: Composer, Lyricist, Singer, Performer and a great entertainer ... a genius .. born once in a century. So hold your horses and learn. I am much much older and yes, I am still learning, learning from idiots like you who consider themselves to be expert at a tender age. Music is a vast ocean, larger than all the oceans and seas put together. Human vocal chords are even more. Each strand of the VC produces a distinct and different vibration.

[amoralis123]

Thnx for the comments. I hope it is a typographical error: Arrogant Prig not Prick. Arrogance, my friend, has nothing to do with appreciation of good music. You are most welcome to your opinion. I respect that. There are old idiots and young brilliants. Music is not the property of rich and famous or old or young. It is for all. If you really want to know about Music, go to India, spend years in an Aashram in the south and learn. India gave music to the world among other things.

[konoha93]

BORIS IS CREDIT TO TEAM

[lvdmonstarr]

AY-DA DA AY-DA

AY-DA DA AY-DA

[glavatatibg]

Come sing with me!

-Heavy weapons guy

[vivascargill]

Boris Chrtistoff!

[amoralis123]

RvV1992, pl don't show your peurile state. Most likely you r a generation of meaningless loud noise & incomprehensible human sounds with ear splitting screeches that you call Modern Music. Comments here prove my point. Russians have soul. They love Music. Listen to Vespers by Rachmaninof for at least 100 times to educate yourself. You might learn. I doubt it.

[curragheishal]

I doubt it too!!!!!!!!

[Sukaori]

I gotta admit, this dude got lung, but srry I cant realy agree, Some people like that "so called" music, I can stand it for only so long, of course some people need to be reminded that oldies are oldies, what was good then is still good now, americans "culture" is going down the crapper, I watched the veiw yesterday and contemplated suicide......... anyways to sum it up..

"whatever floats your boat" and

"You dont have to take the high road or the low road... Just DONT GO THERE"

[wariokid244]

@ amoralis123

agreed, youth of today have terrible music even though I am 14 I could not live without the russian soul of histroy!!

[SaeringVircolac]

That's a nice generalization there, what a song sounds like has no effect on how much "soul" it has, for example Banned from the Roxy by Crass go listen to it, and if you still can't see any meaning in it listen to C.R.A.S.S. by Conflict. You might learn something. I doubt it. Arrogant prick.

[PiggywinkleInc]

Come, sing with me!

[tak2two]

KILL THEM ALL... GOOD IDEA

[TorSmawbs]

heavy sings well

[shadowofRE]

CRY SOME MOAR

[EthanFilms]

I dont get the reference...

[wariokid244]

they're talking about a Russian character called Heavy from TF2,who acutally sounds la little like this guy

[Csp499]

Specifically, Wariokid, he sings this very song.

[RvV1992]

This sounds very similar to a star wars song. I don' t remember which one.

[95vg95]

do i smell soiled baby diaper?