Shchedrik (Ukrainian Carol, later adapted to become Carol of the Bells)

[fauredaniel57]

Thank to you, Kassa. Our group is called "Sorgen". We're performing ukranian songs, but also czech, slovenski, slovenska, russian and swedish. We'd like to sing some magyar songs as well. And I do have an idea: many of our singers are descendant from slavic lands, that's why we like to sing world wide popular music, always in male small group.

[moonlitshadow27]

this is the first time ive ever heard the original lyrics- gorgeous! i think i like the original better <3 beautiful language!

[EsaulRuss]

Not bad for the Americans:-) Althou they have slowed the song down to make it easyer to sing, and do not understand why the audience is laughing, but in USA they like to laugh when it is not about the money :-0

[Max0Inq]

If think singing this in it's original language gives this song a bit of mystery... It's not the case I don't understand Ukrainian but Slavic pronunciation is somehow colder and harsher - which goes well with repetitive minor ostinato.

[irynski]

@Max0Inq I wouldn't say it's 'harsher': I'd say that it's 'crisper'. As you understand Ukrainian, you'd probably know that it's a very lyrical language. I suspect this arrangement/interpretation devised to emulate a clean sound, like individual bells ringing. As it is traditionally sung with emphasis on one syllable per word, I suspect that is why it was reinvented in English a 'bell' carol. It's actually an ancient pagan Summer Solstice song, swallows being sacred birds that hark in the spring.

[Kassa799]

You know, I'm from Ukraine, and for me it's really a pleasure to know that people all over the world love our Carol and sing it. And that was really nice to hear how American people sings in Ukrainian. Pretty good, congrats!

Btw, I wanted to recommend you to listen to the 12 finalists of first season of Ukrainian X-Factor - they were singing "Shchedrik" at the last concert. (You can find it in YouTube searching for "Х-фактор (Гала концерт) - 12 финалистов (Щедрик)"). That's really good!

[SansaraUA]

@Kassa799 Yes, I also like this performance very much!!!)

[fauredaniel57]

@Kassa799 here in Argentina we are also performing the song, and making similar comentaries to the public, regarding the english translation. We appreciate very much this ancient song. We started our group 3 years ago with an ukranian singer, named Ivan Gutych.

[Kassa799]

@fauredaniel57 that's awesome! :)

You have no idea how much it means to me (and I believe all Ukrainians) that our culture is so popular all over the world (even if the American version of this carol is more well-known than the original one) and brings good mood on the X-mas holidays!

[1stdaveevans]

I want to see the text on which they read a song ;D maybe this is it:

Shchedrik, shchedrik, shchedrívochka Priletíla lastívochka Stala sobí shchebetati, Gospodarya viklikati: — Viĭdi, viĭdi, gospodaryu, Podivisya na kosharu, Tam ovechki pokotilisʹ, A yagnichki narodilisʹ. V tebe tovar vesʹ horoshiĭ, Budesh mati mírku groshyeĭ. Hoch ne groshí, to polova, V tebe zhínka chornobrova. Shchedrik, shchedrik, shchedrívochka, Priletíla lastívochka.

:D

[irisverygood]

Brilliant!

[andrij13]

best version i've heard on youtube!!! thanks !

[LeoraLaGraffe]

Such a beautiful song! Thank you to the Ukranian people for this song that the whole world enjoys! I am an American, and I wish the Ukranian people all good things and hope that our nations will always be friends.

[andrij13]

@LeoraLaGraffe

then convince the higher ups to help us with that pesky neighbor known as russia.

[gertzih]

nice ! :)

дякую за відео!

[ketdugraal]

it sounds really good!

nice job!

[motorolka13]

сміються з слів!самі пісню перекрутили,а з оригіналу сміються!плагіатори!

[MrOleynik]

I am told there are two versions in Ukrainian. One is the familiar secular one and the other is a more religious one. The religious one was banned in Ukraine during the soviet times.

[woodlawn4623]

Many thanks. I had long suspected the American version was simply an adaptation of the melody with new lyrics. My Ukranian grandmother told me so some 60 years ago but I never knew the actual lyrics in Ukranian as I never learned the language - especially the different alphabet.

[derzkiynazyk]

are they stupid????

Why do they laugh??

[tcseeme]

Well. they were stupid but now they've been educated. I think andreys2012 explained the laughter very well.

[derzkiynazyk]

thnx. I did not notice

[12stel]

@derzkiynazyk he just tried to add some funny, modern day meaning to his translation - for example he said," even , if you don't have the money (from the lambs), you still have a good looking wife" , which is sort of funny..

Also, he said the translation doesn't "ring any BELLS" which is English idiom meaning "remind you of something", but the song in English is also called "Carol of the BELLS", so some laughed recognizing that.

[XanderPetrov]

AMAZING!

Дуже подобається виконання!

Merry Christmas!

[melancholicUA]

I'm from Ukraine. And i don't understand this laughter in the hall. I don't laugh by listening english version.

[andreys2012]

The laugh is due to the literal translation. The americanized version of the song is completely different from the original ukranian version, and thus people laughed because then they quickly understood what the song was.

[kd5tmu]

@andreys2012

The "Americanized" version is a translation by Wolhowsky, of the version that this harmony was written for. The original Ukrainian carol, and the one that the American version is derived from only share the melody in common, nothing else. In other words, there is more than one set of Ukrainian lyrics.

[macspectrum]

@melancholicUA - relax, it's just people who have never heard the real words in English, that's all - better that people know the real meaning of our song, than keep thinking it's a Christmas carol - As TG Shevhenko said; "teach strangers"

[kachyr]

Просто прекрасне та чудове!

That was beautiful!

[vaudevilleUK]

Absoloutely fantastic. Do you have a studio recording of this on any of your CD releases?

[Jhonven1]

Nice performance. Two thumbs all the way up for you!!!!

[ILVGT]

Yes, this is the original version of the song, written by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych, and first performed in Kyiv, the capitol of Ukraine in 1916. It was actually written as a winter song, called Shchedryk. The lyrics and title were adapted to the english language many years later.

[bochritas]

thank you - I loved it !!!

[bonrya]

finally found one that's not in the english version. awesome vid. <3

[whiteoutittt]

I know right ! I was searching for it for a very long time only in Ukrainian. Yahoo I found one, that is really amazing sounding!

[Wascht123]

nice vid =D

is it the original version of "Carol Of The Bells"?

[chepyhamcr]

yes it is