A classic song from the euphoric days of 1989. So sad that 23 years later most americans still don't have a clue about Russia and russians are about and continue to think in cold-war cliches.
This video really depresses me. Billy Joel, usually an upbeat, happy, fun, loving guy, seems so saddened and unsatisfied. I don't know much about his history but did something happen with him in the 80s? He's looks so sad :(
@WalrusMuffins10797 Dear , his wife left him..took children, also..so sad..she is famous manequin, K.Brinkley..Whatever, Billy is a genius and music master..And a good man..
@jukera6, Well to be honest, I overexhagerated. I sometimes just say things to say them without really thinking about if I agree with what I even say. I guess that is my Liberalism getting in the situation. But I also said what I said because I remember seeing something like it somewhere.
Anyway, I just in general think the way the government functions sometimes is improper. For example, the war on drugs. Rather being so ant- drugs, I think we need to do a better job of educating people.
@45Hamlin, All War is bad. And America will also be fighting a war, whether it is in the Middle East, Europe or in our own United States. The current war I believe we are fighting is a war of the government against Civil Liberties.
Billy Joel WAS in fact, a "left wing man". Rumor has it he was close to the Communist Party. While for many Europeans that would not mean much, for most of the Americans it was pure blasphemy. Nevertheless, I do think his songs are heartfelt and that all of us as humans should rather think about all that 90% of our life that unites us and not about the 2% that separates us.
First time seeing the video and I love the song . I am awed by both the video and the song. Billy I just got into your music and I can not get enough of it.
Powerful lyrics from one of the best! Im 42yrs old and wasnt really into Billy in the 80's, but now im very appreciative of his talent. I played some of his stuff to my son and i said to him 'you,re listening to a proper artist...wrote it, sings it, plays it!' Not many of that calibre around today.
...because the longer you try to maintain a false perception the farther reality has to come crashing down because the most civilized nation in the world before WWII also thought Jobs was their biggest problem.
Because if you are forced to be a slave to "maintain" a minimum wage job, the false ceiling of pure perception didn't get higher but the floor collapsed right from under you...
...but reality -even at the ordinary level - no matter how diluted my Poet makes explaining it Gibbs, is something you can't run from because "my" nation's economics is crossing into the craft of intelligence trash of what the other side can not conclusively dis prove for personal positioning but if this nasty nation is scared to defend the core of human rights against full blown war crimes, good look with that surface level problem Poet...
...making it complete...for a piss poor, bull hit, two years to late jobs plan with the only consequence to ordinary Americans being that now someone making minimum wage has to agree to be Obama's slave to protect their personal interest -which is not giving master any reason to take away their normal life whose former guarantee used to be the upside of freedom when you are dirt poor-while in ordinary America maybe a uckin billionaire oil man would give up their sole to maintain their position.
...will further dilute the truth and the antidote against the downward sloping reality of our economic backdrop. And the only consequence now is that the left side of my extrajudicial managed horse now has a marker to manage their lawfully know social opinion and now the entire country-instead of a clinging to pride half-have to turn their heads to the most horrific collapse of principle and rule of law-all to ensure their is no lawful proof it ever took place exclusively for a criminal defense.
...because if some political positioning genius on K street making 200k doing e harmony personality profiling has not figured it out yet, animal whoop at DOD just gave Karl Rove the greatest gift ever with the new IMF chief..
I was just going to deal with it and hold my breath as I champion the poor - as I rake it in -not caring that a piss poor, bull hit, watered down, two years to late, being just slightly more right than wrong...
The funny thing is Mr. President that if you had set the right expectations before the window of economic reality closed and shot for the moon, it more likely than not would have worked-assuming a quick validation of a few assumptions- instead all your political communications lost all reality in translation...
I told you that not standing up for what is right is far worse than being wrong because I can come up with these gems all day long and your economic team is lucky I am a better man...
2:31...I thank God, I mean thank God, I mean thank God, it wasn't you...
The cost of freedom is high...
WHERE ARE THE JOBS!!!
We will never forsake our most basic freedom for security...
WHERE ARE THE JOBS!!!
He had a pen ready too to shatter our curse into a thousand...
Cause there may still be one wise man out there and failure for a much greater good is only bad if there are none other like me cause failure is the best way to set the stage sometimes...
I just cried when i heard this brilliantly put together 80's song. Eugene Artamn is correct in his analysis that Billy's song turns from an historical account to an anti-war or celebration of of his friendship with his Russian comrade. It is so touching because he has really to be disciplined to play and sing and remember all at the same time, it is a feat. This combined with a serious attitude, but not miserable and a touching story creates this pure almost religious atmosphere.
Билли Джоэл - молоток дядька! Он одним из первых американских звезд приехал в СССР в 1985 или 86 году. И еще никто из западных певцов не посвящал свою песню детям блокадного Ленинграда. Казалось бы, что ему Гекуба! В Америке весело и без проблем! А он написал песню после того как в Ленинграде увидел мемориал - дневник Тани Савичевой. Получилась настоящая антивоенная песня без лишнего пафоса и с чувством!
@eugeneartamn Translation of your message into English: Billy Joel - hammer guy! He was one of the first American stars came to the USSR in 1985 or '86. And yet none of the western singers did not devote a song the children of besieged Leningrad. It would appear that Hecuba to him! In America, fun and hassle-free! And he wrote the song after I saw the memorial in Leningrad - the diary of Tanya Savicheva. The result was a real anti-war song without too much pathos and feeling!
"By Billy Joel - hammer is uncle! It one of the first American stars arrived to the USSR in 1985 or 86 year. And still no one of the western singers devoted its song to the children of blockade Leningrad. It would seem that to it [Gekuba]! In America it is gay without the problems! But it wrote song in Leningrad it after saw memorial - Tanya [Savichevoy]'s diary. Came out present anti-war song without the excess enthusiasm and with a feeling!"
@drjustin84 You thumbs up whores preclude any sort of 'youtube revolution'. I mean how low does your self esteem have to be to ask for a 'thumbs up' on your own comment. I'v been on youtube since 2007 and not once have i asked for nor given a thumbs up. You and your rotten culture are all about recognition, acknowledgement and the self. In short you're a moron and a vital prerequisite and an enabler for the establishment of the likes of VEVO, Jersey shore and MTV. You're a cancer & I love you.
@julieno7426 no, Viktor was a circus clown whom Billy Joel met in the USSR when he toured the country with his family in 1987. This song is a true story in all senses.
For me, this is one of the most beautiful and moving songs... I don't know what kind of nazi disliked this, but there's 7 of them!
Don't know why really, this song speaks of the enmity between two nations, and the friendship of two men of those respective nations... There's a lesson here.
@WedgeAntillesBR Indeed, but I think in the context of the song the "war" is the Second World War -- you know, the one that the U.S. and the Soviets won together.
the lyric "stop 'em at the 38th parallel, blast those yellow reds to hell" haunts me ... its just one of those lines thats so good that you wish you wrote only that one line ... but billy joel made a whole song of lines like that ... its kind of sad that people will remember him for piano man when he has song like this which are so much better (not that piano man isnt a great song because it is)
I've noticed that when it comes to music today that the good bands have 2 or 3 awesome songs and the rest of them suck ass. There are exceptions *cough Green Day *cough, but most of them are like that. Whatever happened to the artists like Billy Joel where they had 10+ songs that were fantastic...
Northeast Philadelphia is full of russians, have no problem with them - just wondering they are separatist and have poor manners. I know it's a stereotype - but a lot of us here when are offended by a russian...or i'm sorry "Ukrainian" ..say it figures - it's getting to that point where they are so rude we are starting to expect it - that's not good - ask the blacks.
The view that Americans see of Russia being totalitarian and evil is the view of Stalin's time. The Soviet Union was a nice place to live after Stalin died.
@sovietkazakh Yes. Poor, with a risk of being in a gigantic war which would destroy us all, and while getting more and more poor because of the nuclear race and the space race. "Nice" needs to considered.
@TheIgraenne The Americans had the same threat of war so you can't use that. As for the "poorness", I guess if you compare it to the ability to become rich, but the Soviet Union was by no means poor. Everyone had housing there while some people here (in the US) lived off of garbage
@sovietkazakh Eh, I guess I won't go into a discussion on a matter I have no personal experience with. But, in the history books I've had, soviet union versus US, Soviet Union loses in human standard. Remember not only Russia was in the Soviet union, but smaller countries too, some of them forced by violence into a political view point they didn't want in the first place, where speaking up about your ideas could get you fired and in deep trouble. (East-Germany is my main point from this)
Those history books were written by cold-war era Americans. Everyone in the USSR before Gorbachev had a house, food, running water and heat. I have many friends who lived in Russia in the USSR times, I can't speak for the other soviet republics, but these guys liked it in the USSR, they preferred it to the Russia they live in now. Also, One in Four Germans want Germany divided again. People are realising that communism is the way forward for humanity.
communism would be the best system for humanity, but people want results within their lifetime. communism lets them work their entire life without any individual progress. i think pure communism on earth would make it better place to live but thats just my opinion
Your work in a communist state helps the whole nation progress onwards. For example, a man discovers how to live forever. He doesn't patent the technology, and keep it to himself. He goes to the government, gives him the technology and says 'Here. I found a way to better the lives of everyone in our nation'
@ShadowRSonic Except that it never works out that way... No matter how you slice. it it always ends up with the those who have power, taking more and those who have less (of everything) getting more of less.
@ShadowRSonic That's one way to see it, and a very idealistic way at that. It's the same as saying "In a capitalist state, everyone can get what they want, if they're willing to work for it." If history taught us anything, it's that nothing ever goes the ideal way. Of course the atrocities that happened in Sovjet states weren't linked to 'orthodox' communism, but do you know one state where communism has actually thrived? Try visiting N-Korea (oh wait, they won't let you in, right)
Cuba is thriving. Their quality of life isn't as great as that of the West, but with the trading embargo lifted between them and the USA, things will improve. Cuba is the perfect balance of Communism and Capitalism.
@ShadowRSonic Exactly, balance, I'm glad to hear you say it. Balance is the key. The answer doesn't lie in extreme ideologies. The only thing we need are just leaders who protect our needs. Also, communism means no political freedom and such, which is something we can't do without in this day and age. On the other hand, we have grown to be more conscious of the other people in our society, so we also need social measures. 50 years have gone to waste because everyone thought they HAD to choose.
@13DraconusMaximus13 Communism worked in Africa and North America (IIRC, South America had currencies), but then the Europeans came. In Russia it was going to be a two step process: 1. Make everyone equal so that the kids would grow up with the new norm. 2. Eliminate government as it became unneeded. There were two problems with this: 1. The adults remembered having money, so production decreased as people received less. 2. Stalin took over and perverted the government.
@GunbladeKnight Communism has three steps to its establishment: Revolution, then a dictatorship, then that dictatorship returns the power to the people. It NEVER gets past the second stage.
@TheIgraenne They haven't tried it...they've been talking about grass roots democracy recently, which means people in China will be able to vote for local representatives. This is meant to increase all the way up to the top at some point, but the candidates will likely only be CCP members. I'd find that okay...single part rule keeps things tidy in my opinion.
@Baconandsandwich I personally would rather see four or more parties in the US, at least for a while. If the electives have to really fight for votes, then the better for us. As of now, it's more of a "We win, they lose" scenario in the government, and they are more loyal to their parties than their constituents.
@ACJSIE In modern times, yes. But communism is the oldest form of social structure. As people began to be more efficient, and people were able to do more various things, it became harder for some. If a sculptor needed food, but the hunter didn't want a statuette, then they might go without food. This led to the evolution of currency and capitalism as people now had something that could be used to trade for anything.
In order to go back to communism, we would need to abolish currency everywhere.
@GunbladeKnight Which is another thing that would not work, because of both what you pointed out, and the fact that the older people would remember having currency and being able to use it.
@ACJSIE Which is why I like the idea of communism, but know that it is an impossibility. And it is also my belief that true capitalism died with the advent of the railroads, and even more so with the internet. The faster information and farther people can travel, the more advantage the big corporations have. Think of how Rockefeller was able to amass his oil monopoly. Of course, a highly regulated economy is also terrible if one were to look at India. What we need is to find the perfect balance.
@GunbladeKnight I agree with that, I believe that capitalism has grown dysfunctional, and the current alternatives are less appealing. Just what the balance is has proven problematic to find however.
@ACJSIE Socialism Works. At least it works in Canada. The main reason so many politicians are afraid of it is because A. They're being paid off by Insurance companies and B. Socialism has been made into a "word that cannot be spoken" because of the evil connotations put on it during the cold war.
It isn't perfect, but it works. Take healthcare: Cheap prescription drugs, free emergency care, free hospital stays, etc.
I don't understand why the republican party tries to block Obamacare.
@TheRimDoctor Indeed, socialism is the most appealing alternative, mainly it combines the two things of capatilisim and communism. it also works in Sweden, high taxes but health care, university ect is payed for them.
@ACJSIE Capitalism doesn't work because Capitalism left unchecked would create a feudalism because the rich get richer only because the poor get poorer.
In Canada, we have very low university costs yearly, and student loans are forgiven in 5 years. All prescription drugs are covered 90% by MCP, high minimum wage and we have Aggressive human rights protection. My only issue is high income tax and the telecommunications monopoly held by TELUS, Rogers and Bell-Aliant. But who's really complaining?
@ystasino Most nations don't actually NEED to spend the outrageous amounts of money they do on their defense budgets, plus, nations don't NEED to get involved in every little border conflict that happens. The majority of the world can afford to be socialist, instead it is posed as a evil force, rather than the best choice for a economy. Higher taxes but more benefits to the people rather than higher taxes and a larger army.
@TheRimDoctor Really? Come one dude? No it doesnt work it never has and it never will... What type of taxes do you think the Canadias pay? Why should i have to pay for those who wont take care of themselves? Why dont you try leaning about socialism and stop babbling back what the usless democrats have been cramming into your head! Ron paul 2012
@ntkernel We pay fairly high income tax. I'm Canadian. I know what taxes I pay. And you know what? I'll gladly pay for the health care of my neighbor, Rick, or someone I don't even know. And I know that they'll do the same for me. You couldn't pay me to live in the United States. Ron Paul's Libertarian Tea Partiers don't even believe in Global Warming or even basic science principles. The Tea Party is just a disorganized group of people with no knowledge of political systems or government.
@ntkernel And you know something else? We are a Socialist Democracy. In fact, (I'm sure you ignorant Americans haven't even heard) our most beloved politician, and leader of Official Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons, who was head of the NDP [Who are so unbelievably socialist it would give you a heart attack,] died of cancer a few weeks ago. And he had the same healthcare as every other person in the country and had to pay the same taxes despite the fact he was our second in command.
@davidkerr6 So do I. I'm telling you now if Stephen Harper were to die, no one would shed a tear (Except maybe Ralph Klein). In fact, Danny Williams would probably get on the Screech and party.
@ntkernel So if you want to tell me I don't know what taxes I pay or what the government is of my own country, go back to Texas. And for the record, this Year in Newfoundland and Labrador pay 7.7% on the first $31,904 of taxable income,12.5% on the next $31,903,13.3% on the amount over $63,807. And multiply a 26% federal income tax So I pay ~$6,000 this year, with a sizable $2-3000 income tax return at the end of the year from revenue Canada. Now, If I needed a heart surgery , in America you'd
@ntkernel ...In America you'd fork over the same amount of money to Insurance companies, plus anything not covered out of your own pocket, or if you don't have insurance, that could be over $30,000 for a new heart. $30,000 is a hell of a lot more than my $6000 Income tax. Also, fears of losing your health insurance are complete bullshit, I have West Life Insurance provided by my job to cover the last 10% of my drugs not covered by MCP. There's your socialism for you.
@ntkernel mate tbh man im british and we get free halth care, and the only major taxes that we pay differently is to do with buisnesses as the american gov. takes a "free buisness approach" to it all....and if you are doubting what I say here im a modern studies student so....
@maxiejj7 Wow have you been chatting with the CFR? or any of the other "Hi I am a democrat and am your friend" groups? I think you should write comrade obama a letter and let him know your his "Biggest fan"...
@ShadowRSonic Hm... Odd, how history is written by the "victors" (if America won is arguable). And yeah, we do have something about that in our history book too, that some Germans wanted it back to East Germany and West Germany. Oh well, them to that. Again, I won't argue against somebody who seem to know much more about this then me.
This song reminds me of the Robin Williams movie Moscow on the Hudson.
it is unfair to say that we don't know what war does or looks like, to many of us have been in wars for that to be so. We do however, take our sense of security for granted. I think most people take for granted whats never in danger of being lost. that is why 9-11 hit so hard. I think it is safe to say we are safe from Canada and Mexico, but we now know that does not mean we are safe.
I have to agree Stalin's rule was indeed monstrous, but Leningrad or no Leningrad, it's still a struggle for their Homeland and for world peace, although it wasn't something Stalin or Brezhnev hoped after the war after all.
World War II. The war on record with the most casualties. Ever. Most were civilians. All because of an image of hate from one man, more families were broken at once then ever, or ever will be. We cannot forget what happened, but as Billy Joel shows us, it should never happen again.
Leningrad was a town in soviet russia which Stalin renamed when he became leader. It was a very cold climate and many people died in the Battle of Leningrad.
@EsaulRuss well, actually, the longest siege of all time was the siege of Candia in medieval times, which lasted about 21 years, which beats the heck out of the 3 year siege of stalingrad. there have actually been two longer sieges in the past 20 years
@Ace4929 Right, but what I should have said is that the siege of Leningrad was the most blody and a large enterprise in terms of area of land(city) covered and in terms of how many peolpe died. And the weather conditions were far worse than anywhere else during the siege. Plus Germans used extra bid guns in that siege.
well, thats not nececarily true. you see in sieges like the siege of Vicksburg during the American Civil War, conditions got as bad, or at least nearing as bad as Leningrad would be. That siege lasted only a couple of months. the fact that Leningrad got to the point of being immensly bad in a few years, while Vicksburg got to that point in only a couple of months. It was so bad, that the entire state of mississippi wouldnt celebrate the fourth of july for 40 years after the battle
@Ace4929 Just shut up and don't compare WW2 and Siege of Leningrad to anything.America does not know what war on their land is.They know only to meddle.Civil War cannot be compared but at all to the Horrors of WW2
@thorayork WWII was the bloodiest war in the history of the world, and i cannot neglect that fact. 23% of all russian men aged 18-30 died. countrysides were ravaged, entire townes razed, and it was terrible. but saying that the american civil war was nothing and that america dosent know nothin bout war on their territory is like saying that WWI was "a bit of a tiff" in the civil war, 2% of the entire population died. 1,100,000 casualties. that is not to be taken lightly
While we may never know the horrors that germany or russia faced during WWII, but we know the horrors of war. look up andersonville, look up shermans march to the sea, look up gettysburg,, and you will se how bad we had it. I compare these two wars because they are probably two of the most groundbreaking in history, definetly in american history. you also must remember that if you multiplied the civil wars numbers to encompass the entire globe, then the results are truly terrifying
@thorayork Allow me to rephrase, considering close to 1,000,000 people lost their lives or were horribly maimed in the American Civil War, when the population was nowhere near that of what it is today, the Civil War was horrifying. At most of the battles (gettysburg/antietam), there were more casualties in a single day than all of the allied casualties during the entire Normandy/D-Day in WW2.
@pizzamovies The US Civil war was extremely bloody, with very proportionately high losses on both sides- but it's true that after that, Americans were not used to war on their home turf, and would have had no idea of the kind of devastation in Eastern Europe, with something like 23 million deaths in the USSR alone. But proportional or not, sacrifices were made all around- and whoever wins, war is hell.
@Ace4929 This might have been a siege. I looked it up and is was pathetic even beside the states @ Vicksburg not even to mention the slaughter at Stalingrad. General Paulus should have taken his troops out of there. The greatest military mind was a man known as Sun Tzu in China. His book of 13 chap. reveal the most astute military mind that has ever been. He says once the soverign has entrusted the army to his general he should NOT interfere in the field. How many wars lost by intererrence?
@nor888vast695 WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT? are you saying that Vicksburg was not a siege? Grant was camping around the town cutting off supplies, while his artillary and the navy were shelling the town from a distance. i think that qualifies as a siege. maybe you need to check your sources. anywho, yeah, i know sun tzu. can you tell me what chapter and section that was, because i think you are wrong. sun tzu never said for generals not to think on their feet
i dont know why, call me crazy, but this song makes me wonder how the world went to such crap after the cold war. everyone became selfish and stopped caring about morals and each other. back then there was a weird sense of appreciation and respect countries and people had for one another. now its all about money and competition. i wish people like JFK and other paragons of morality still lived today..
...but both are great. When people ask me where do I like it more, I can't respond. I am not a child of one country. I am a child of the world. We need to think about tomorrow, not yesterday. Russia isn't communist nowadays. And America isnt a stupid country. Understand that.
I was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia and now I live in Levittown. It's funny how this song relates to me. I get so much crap for being a Russian everyday. People need to learn how to move on. History is history. Americans alter their history books, and Russians alter theirs. I laugh in history class everyday, and when I go to visit Russia, I laugh at how wrong of a view everyone has on America. Both of the countries are great. In some ways they are better than eachother...
@LizZibirova - well-said my Russian brother. if you look closely, listen and not impose anyone's view on anyone, we can see that in the core, in the very basic of humanity, we're all connected and whether we admit it or not, nothing makes us feel better than doing a good deed for someone else.
@LizZibirova I love russians. History is written by the victor, and those victors made Russia out to be idiots or barbarians. But all the russians i've met are pretty damn sweet. Nice to meet ya, comrade. =)
@ThenThereWasB CoD reference? NIce. We should drop the whole anti-Russian anti-American gimmick here and now. Cold War is over people! Infinity Ward isn't helping the issue either (No Russian). We're allies now, let's keep it that way.
@camoninjahhh Lol i'm not sure if you're insulting me or just relating to the reference positively...But i meant no harm by it because it's true (for the most part)
@LizZibirova zdravstvuj, I had to lear russian in Czechoslovakia at school and we hated it! Today I am happy I have learned it and love the language, world is a strange place. This songs makes me cry!
I'd have to say that this is one of my favorite of Billy Joel's lesser-known songs. It is so underrated. Why doesn't radio play this song anymore? Oh, that's right, because we have to give the new sensation their airtime. Well, personally, I say screw the new sensation, give me some Billy Joel dammit!
Bloody hell, what a bunch of pathetic morons you lot are, banging on about politics instead of purely commenting on what is TRULY GREAT MUSICAL MASTERPIECE by Billy JOEL.....pop yourselves some chill pills and get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you just do not get the message, and why in earth are you debating Stalin, invasion of Berlin in the context of this song....you just do not get any of it. You are not impressing anybody by applying misunderstood historic references to a song about two people on opposite side of the iron curtain....snap out of it, if you want to impress, analyze the song, and stop thinking we will be impressed by your lack of analytical abilities.
Point is, Stalin killed more than 20 million people, slaughtered innocent German civilians on the march to Berlin, and WAS NOT part of the liberation campaign of Western-Eastern Europe, and instantly went against the same powers he was an ally of during the Second WW. All the territory he "liberated" went into pure Russian hands... All the way up until Berlin.
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azula3 5 days ago
A classic song from the euphoric days of 1989. So sad that 23 years later most americans still don't have a clue about Russia and russians are about and continue to think in cold-war cliches.
Sordidlives1973 1 week ago
@Sordidlives1973 ive always liked russians
xXhalofan21Xx 1 day ago
Like this if you think Billy is HOT in this video!! hahaha....awesome song but it makes me cry. :(
moehowardfan 2 weeks ago
I he would only realize the truth about Leningrad not the officia lies
Cathonius 3 weeks ago
GRREATT STUFFF!!!
Alan123123123 1 month ago
This video really depresses me. Billy Joel, usually an upbeat, happy, fun, loving guy, seems so saddened and unsatisfied. I don't know much about his history but did something happen with him in the 80s? He's looks so sad :(
WalrusMuffins10797 1 month ago
@WalrusMuffins10797 Dear , his wife left him..took children, also..so sad..she is famous manequin, K.Brinkley..Whatever, Billy is a genius and music master..And a good man..
ShumadijskiKonji 1 month ago 2
@ShumadijskiKonji
What a sad story, anyway I love awesome artist!
ekaminska8 3 weeks ago
@WalrusMuffins10797 Love from Serbia, Europe!
ShumadijskiKonji 1 month ago
@eugeneartamn
Croneis600 1 month ago
Я полностью согласен, слишком много людей в Америке боялся и не любил Россию
Croneis600 1 month ago
By educating people on drugs, we can show them the dangers of using drugs.
TobyShively 2 months ago
@jukera6, Well to be honest, I overexhagerated. I sometimes just say things to say them without really thinking about if I agree with what I even say. I guess that is my Liberalism getting in the situation. But I also said what I said because I remember seeing something like it somewhere.
Anyway, I just in general think the way the government functions sometimes is improper. For example, the war on drugs. Rather being so ant- drugs, I think we need to do a better job of educating people.
TobyShively 2 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@45Hamlin, I understand what you are saying.
TobyShively 2 months ago
*Always be fighting a war
TobyShively 2 months ago
@45Hamlin, All War is bad. And America will also be fighting a war, whether it is in the Middle East, Europe or in our own United States. The current war I believe we are fighting is a war of the government against Civil Liberties.
TobyShively 2 months ago
@TobyShively Interesting, how so? I disagree but I would like to hear your argument(unlike most politicians)
jukera6 2 months ago in playlist YouTube Mix for Billy Joel
Billy Joel WAS in fact, a "left wing man". Rumor has it he was close to the Communist Party. While for many Europeans that would not mean much, for most of the Americans it was pure blasphemy. Nevertheless, I do think his songs are heartfelt and that all of us as humans should rather think about all that 90% of our life that unites us and not about the 2% that separates us.
Kostagh 2 months ago 2
THE ONLY SINGLE THING ON THIS PLANET THAT COULD MAKE THIS BETTER IS IF IT WASNT ON VEVO
TheSchoolOfFool 2 months ago
I wanna to know the "10" dislikes!!!!!
doc19751 2 months ago
UWAGA POLACY PRZEJMUJĄ TEN FILM, VIVA LA POLONIA RUSSIAN GREAT PIGS !
dezzerterSS20 3 months ago 6
based on this wonderful video im guessing billy joel was half russian.
98vanguard 3 months ago
For the great part of People born after 1989 is difficult to understand what great this video were....
ferrerovideo 3 months ago
My Great Grandfather died in Leningrad, perished underneath the ice while transporting food to the starving people.
Hatinonthehaters 3 months ago
@Hatinonthehaters thats incredible. you must be proud to be his great grandson.
scorpin969 3 months ago
First time seeing the video and I love the song . I am awed by both the video and the song. Billy I just got into your music and I can not get enough of it.
blacksheep78416 3 months ago
Powerful lyrics from one of the best! Im 42yrs old and wasnt really into Billy in the 80's, but now im very appreciative of his talent. I played some of his stuff to my son and i said to him 'you,re listening to a proper artist...wrote it, sings it, plays it!' Not many of that calibre around today.
rolly873 4 months ago
Billy Joel super piosenka. Bardzo mi się podoba: wykonanie i przesłanie. BRAVO
zbylbyt 4 months ago
@zbylbyt In English, guys ! Translation: Super song by Billy Joel. I really like: execution and message.
04061969Airman 3 months ago
...because the longer you try to maintain a false perception the farther reality has to come crashing down because the most civilized nation in the world before WWII also thought Jobs was their biggest problem.
Because if you are forced to be a slave to "maintain" a minimum wage job, the false ceiling of pure perception didn't get higher but the floor collapsed right from under you...
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
@TheHeardHouse
Man, you're really good at making run on sentences.
ichirofan7 4 months ago in playlist Music
@ichirofan7 its the internet... you don't need to have real sentences...
Skykilla21 3 months ago
...but reality -even at the ordinary level - no matter how diluted my Poet makes explaining it Gibbs, is something you can't run from because "my" nation's economics is crossing into the craft of intelligence trash of what the other side can not conclusively dis prove for personal positioning but if this nasty nation is scared to defend the core of human rights against full blown war crimes, good look with that surface level problem Poet...
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
...making it complete...for a piss poor, bull hit, two years to late jobs plan with the only consequence to ordinary Americans being that now someone making minimum wage has to agree to be Obama's slave to protect their personal interest -which is not giving master any reason to take away their normal life whose former guarantee used to be the upside of freedom when you are dirt poor-while in ordinary America maybe a uckin billionaire oil man would give up their sole to maintain their position.
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
...will further dilute the truth and the antidote against the downward sloping reality of our economic backdrop. And the only consequence now is that the left side of my extrajudicial managed horse now has a marker to manage their lawfully know social opinion and now the entire country-instead of a clinging to pride half-have to turn their heads to the most horrific collapse of principle and rule of law-all to ensure their is no lawful proof it ever took place exclusively for a criminal defense.
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
...because if some political positioning genius on K street making 200k doing e harmony personality profiling has not figured it out yet, animal whoop at DOD just gave Karl Rove the greatest gift ever with the new IMF chief..
I was just going to deal with it and hold my breath as I champion the poor - as I rake it in -not caring that a piss poor, bull hit, watered down, two years to late, being just slightly more right than wrong...
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
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TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
The funny thing is Mr. President that if you had set the right expectations before the window of economic reality closed and shot for the moon, it more likely than not would have worked-assuming a quick validation of a few assumptions- instead all your political communications lost all reality in translation...
I told you that not standing up for what is right is far worse than being wrong because I can come up with these gems all day long and your economic team is lucky I am a better man...
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
Golly Gee Wiz Mr. President...
Even though the backdrop was forming, people just spoke differently back then...
ARE WE SAFE FROM TEWOW!!!!
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
Definitly one of the msot underplayed songs,but one of my favorites.
SingerKId12 4 months ago
War Criminal, Coward, Traitor,
2:31...I thank God, I mean thank God, I mean thank God, it wasn't you...
The cost of freedom is high...
WHERE ARE THE JOBS!!!
We will never forsake our most basic freedom for security...
WHERE ARE THE JOBS!!!
He had a pen ready too to shatter our curse into a thousand...
Cause there may still be one wise man out there and failure for a much greater good is only bad if there are none other like me cause failure is the best way to set the stage sometimes...
TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
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TheHeardHouse 4 months ago
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yySh0e 4 months ago
i always cry when he says "he made my daughter laugh"
WafflesandFruitloops 4 months ago
I just cried when i heard this brilliantly put together 80's song. Eugene Artamn is correct in his analysis that Billy's song turns from an historical account to an anti-war or celebration of of his friendship with his Russian comrade. It is so touching because he has really to be disciplined to play and sing and remember all at the same time, it is a feat. This combined with a serious attitude, but not miserable and a touching story creates this pure almost religious atmosphere.
SophieMadeleineEve 5 months ago
@SophieMadeleineEve
It's not a feat. Do you remember 1989? Do you?
None of my friends went off to war. Someone taught them better than that.
DavidEmalineEvalineMadeline
acdcmarycooper 4 months ago
Билли Джоэл - молоток дядька! Он одним из первых американских звезд приехал в СССР в 1985 или 86 году. И еще никто из западных певцов не посвящал свою песню детям блокадного Ленинграда. Казалось бы, что ему Гекуба! В Америке весело и без проблем! А он написал песню после того как в Ленинграде увидел мемориал - дневник Тани Савичевой. Получилась настоящая антивоенная песня без лишнего пафоса и с чувством!
eugeneartamn 5 months ago 31
@eugeneartamn Had to copy-paste this into some sort of online translator .... thumbs up
New987user 4 months ago
@eugeneartamn Translation of your message into English: Billy Joel - hammer guy! He was one of the first American stars came to the USSR in 1985 or '86. And yet none of the western singers did not devote a song the children of besieged Leningrad. It would appear that Hecuba to him! In America, fun and hassle-free! And he wrote the song after I saw the memorial in Leningrad - the diary of Tanya Savicheva. The result was a real anti-war song without too much pathos and feeling!
04061969Airman 3 months ago
@eugeneartamn билли хуйоел мудачина пиндосовский.
Ишь клоунов нашел. на "таракашках блокадных" выехал.
Мразь. Стыд, блядь, и позор.
Покрасился бы, билли, когда под обстрелом бомбами по льду в картонной над морозной водой блядь ехал.
Герой, ебана.
Sysmat011 2 months ago
@eugeneartamn i agree completely!
ShaneWilliamsHitler 1 month ago
@eugeneartamn билли красавец,молодцом
AttikusMulti 1 month ago
@eugeneartamn
"By Billy Joel - hammer is uncle! It one of the first American stars arrived to the USSR in 1985 or 86 year. And still no one of the western singers devoted its song to the children of blockade Leningrad. It would seem that to it [Gekuba]! In America it is gay without the problems! But it wrote song in Leningrad it after saw memorial - Tanya [Savichevoy]'s diary. Came out present anti-war song without the excess enthusiasm and with a feeling!"
Source: Yahoo Babelfish
rbaff79 3 days ago in playlist billy joel 2
One of his greatest songs...and that's saying a lot since he has so many of them
utwoob 5 months ago
the only thing i can count on in my life...the only constant...billy joel playing in my car...
JAYCOOP1 5 months ago 28
@JAYCOOP1 As long as he doesn't break anything...
scott72able 2 months ago
@JAYCOOP1 .. nimam avta, Billya Joela pa z veseljem poslušam.
mufi523 1 month ago
Ta Billyeva pesem mi je med redkimi najboljšimi. ( ubogi otroci, ki postanejo Vojaki.
mufi523 6 months ago
It kind of pisses me off that a band as bad as LMFAO is being advertised here.
CYCOfilms 6 months ago
I don't know what the Highest Honour one can receive in America? but Billy Joel should be getting one. I'm not referring to a Musical Award here.
clivegoodwill 6 months ago
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drjustin84 6 months ago
@drjustin84 You thumbs up whores preclude any sort of 'youtube revolution'. I mean how low does your self esteem have to be to ask for a 'thumbs up' on your own comment. I'v been on youtube since 2007 and not once have i asked for nor given a thumbs up. You and your rotten culture are all about recognition, acknowledgement and the self. In short you're a moron and a vital prerequisite and an enabler for the establishment of the likes of VEVO, Jersey shore and MTV. You're a cancer & I love you.
Foxaiis 6 months ago
this shit is epic
TheNickdust1 6 months ago
Makes me cry every time
danielvillar7 6 months ago
one of the most beautiful modern ballads in my opinion
18KOFF19 6 months ago
@sovietlenin1917
I think communism just failed as an overall goverment. Made it to easy for psychos like stalin to grab control.
CallsignGooser 6 months ago
Is Viktor the real person? Or is he just a character made up for the song?
julieno7426 6 months ago
@julieno7426 no, Viktor was a circus clown whom Billy Joel met in the USSR when he toured the country with his family in 1987. This song is a true story in all senses.
1prouddemocrat 6 months ago
@1prouddemocrat Thank you.
julieno7426 6 months ago
go on wikipedia and search your birth year and watch all the stuff that happend since you where born
MrTripleCC 6 months ago
For me, this is one of the most beautiful and moving songs... I don't know what kind of nazi disliked this, but there's 7 of them!
Don't know why really, this song speaks of the enmity between two nations, and the friendship of two men of those respective nations... There's a lesson here.
PanzerSmurf1 6 months ago
EVEN PPL WHO DON'T LIKE RUSSIAN,I DO LIKE,MUST LOVE THIS SONG--THIS IS FOR MY RUSSIAN FRIEND MINISTR FROM CROATIAN FRIEND!
dylanfloyd777 6 months ago
why argue politics when you can sit back and listen to this kick ass song?
bmwinter2 6 months ago
WON THE WAR? Are you kidding me? US lost all the wars during the Cold War hahaha
WedgeAntillesBR 6 months ago
@WedgeAntillesBR Indeed, but I think in the context of the song the "war" is the Second World War -- you know, the one that the U.S. and the Soviets won together.
partmaudite 6 months ago
the lyric "stop 'em at the 38th parallel, blast those yellow reds to hell" haunts me ... its just one of those lines thats so good that you wish you wrote only that one line ... but billy joel made a whole song of lines like that ... its kind of sad that people will remember him for piano man when he has song like this which are so much better (not that piano man isnt a great song because it is)
caulinrocker1 6 months ago 2
I got negative votes on Yohoo!Answers for saying this song was the last thing to make me cry uncontrolably...People are so close-minded...
ShinyDoll143 7 months ago
Billy Joel is my favourite history teacher....
Fentonnn97 7 months ago 42
I've noticed that when it comes to music today that the good bands have 2 or 3 awesome songs and the rest of them suck ass. There are exceptions *cough Green Day *cough, but most of them are like that. Whatever happened to the artists like Billy Joel where they had 10+ songs that were fantastic...
TheHEARTSofLIGHT 7 months ago
All people arguing about capitalism and communism, just enjoy the fucking music <3
paulv3rm3ul3n 7 months ago
Northeast Philadelphia is full of russians, have no problem with them - just wondering they are separatist and have poor manners. I know it's a stereotype - but a lot of us here when are offended by a russian...or i'm sorry "Ukrainian" ..say it figures - it's getting to that point where they are so rude we are starting to expect it - that's not good - ask the blacks.
m1sabo 8 months ago
The view that Americans see of Russia being totalitarian and evil is the view of Stalin's time. The Soviet Union was a nice place to live after Stalin died.
sovietkazakh 8 months ago
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TheIgraenne 8 months ago
@sovietkazakh Yes. Poor, with a risk of being in a gigantic war which would destroy us all, and while getting more and more poor because of the nuclear race and the space race. "Nice" needs to considered.
TheIgraenne 8 months ago
@TheIgraenne The Americans had the same threat of war so you can't use that. As for the "poorness", I guess if you compare it to the ability to become rich, but the Soviet Union was by no means poor. Everyone had housing there while some people here (in the US) lived off of garbage
sovietkazakh 8 months ago
@sovietkazakh Eh, I guess I won't go into a discussion on a matter I have no personal experience with. But, in the history books I've had, soviet union versus US, Soviet Union loses in human standard. Remember not only Russia was in the Soviet union, but smaller countries too, some of them forced by violence into a political view point they didn't want in the first place, where speaking up about your ideas could get you fired and in deep trouble. (East-Germany is my main point from this)
TheIgraenne 8 months ago
@TheIgraenne
Those history books were written by cold-war era Americans. Everyone in the USSR before Gorbachev had a house, food, running water and heat. I have many friends who lived in Russia in the USSR times, I can't speak for the other soviet republics, but these guys liked it in the USSR, they preferred it to the Russia they live in now. Also, One in Four Germans want Germany divided again. People are realising that communism is the way forward for humanity.
ShadowRSonic 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic
communism would be the best system for humanity, but people want results within their lifetime. communism lets them work their entire life without any individual progress. i think pure communism on earth would make it better place to live but thats just my opinion
maxiejj7 7 months ago
@maxiejj7
Your work in a communist state helps the whole nation progress onwards. For example, a man discovers how to live forever. He doesn't patent the technology, and keep it to himself. He goes to the government, gives him the technology and says 'Here. I found a way to better the lives of everyone in our nation'
ShadowRSonic 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic
yes but that man would be a billionaire in kapitalistic (not sure thats how its spelled) world
maxiejj7 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic Except that it never works out that way... No matter how you slice. it it always ends up with the those who have power, taking more and those who have less (of everything) getting more of less.
ntkernel 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic That's one way to see it, and a very idealistic way at that. It's the same as saying "In a capitalist state, everyone can get what they want, if they're willing to work for it." If history taught us anything, it's that nothing ever goes the ideal way. Of course the atrocities that happened in Sovjet states weren't linked to 'orthodox' communism, but do you know one state where communism has actually thrived? Try visiting N-Korea (oh wait, they won't let you in, right)
13DraconusMaximus13 7 months ago
@13DraconusMaximus13
Cuba is thriving. Their quality of life isn't as great as that of the West, but with the trading embargo lifted between them and the USA, things will improve. Cuba is the perfect balance of Communism and Capitalism.
ShadowRSonic 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic Exactly, balance, I'm glad to hear you say it. Balance is the key. The answer doesn't lie in extreme ideologies. The only thing we need are just leaders who protect our needs. Also, communism means no political freedom and such, which is something we can't do without in this day and age. On the other hand, we have grown to be more conscious of the other people in our society, so we also need social measures. 50 years have gone to waste because everyone thought they HAD to choose.
13DraconusMaximus13 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic How is it capitalist?
celticsoulbrother 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic
celticsoulbrother 7 months ago
@13DraconusMaximus13 Communism worked in Africa and North America (IIRC, South America had currencies), but then the Europeans came. In Russia it was going to be a two step process: 1. Make everyone equal so that the kids would grow up with the new norm. 2. Eliminate government as it became unneeded. There were two problems with this: 1. The adults remembered having money, so production decreased as people received less. 2. Stalin took over and perverted the government.
GunbladeKnight 6 months ago
@GunbladeKnight Communism has three steps to its establishment: Revolution, then a dictatorship, then that dictatorship returns the power to the people. It NEVER gets past the second stage.
ACJSIE 6 months ago
@ACJSIE they TRIED the third stage in China. but i think people are realizing communism is just not working.
TheIgraenne 5 months ago
@TheIgraenne It's not that it doesn't work, it's just too premature, brought on by revolutions.
nicck 5 months ago
@TheIgraenne They haven't tried it...they've been talking about grass roots democracy recently, which means people in China will be able to vote for local representatives. This is meant to increase all the way up to the top at some point, but the candidates will likely only be CCP members. I'd find that okay...single part rule keeps things tidy in my opinion.
Baconandsandwich 5 months ago
@Baconandsandwich I personally would rather see four or more parties in the US, at least for a while. If the electives have to really fight for votes, then the better for us. As of now, it's more of a "We win, they lose" scenario in the government, and they are more loyal to their parties than their constituents.
GunbladeKnight 5 months ago
@ACJSIE In modern times, yes. But communism is the oldest form of social structure. As people began to be more efficient, and people were able to do more various things, it became harder for some. If a sculptor needed food, but the hunter didn't want a statuette, then they might go without food. This led to the evolution of currency and capitalism as people now had something that could be used to trade for anything.
In order to go back to communism, we would need to abolish currency everywhere.
GunbladeKnight 5 months ago
@GunbladeKnight Which is another thing that would not work, because of both what you pointed out, and the fact that the older people would remember having currency and being able to use it.
ACJSIE 5 months ago
@ACJSIE Which is why I like the idea of communism, but know that it is an impossibility. And it is also my belief that true capitalism died with the advent of the railroads, and even more so with the internet. The faster information and farther people can travel, the more advantage the big corporations have. Think of how Rockefeller was able to amass his oil monopoly. Of course, a highly regulated economy is also terrible if one were to look at India. What we need is to find the perfect balance.
GunbladeKnight 5 months ago
@GunbladeKnight I agree with that, I believe that capitalism has grown dysfunctional, and the current alternatives are less appealing. Just what the balance is has proven problematic to find however.
ACJSIE 5 months ago
@ACJSIE Socialism Works. At least it works in Canada. The main reason so many politicians are afraid of it is because A. They're being paid off by Insurance companies and B. Socialism has been made into a "word that cannot be spoken" because of the evil connotations put on it during the cold war.
It isn't perfect, but it works. Take healthcare: Cheap prescription drugs, free emergency care, free hospital stays, etc.
I don't understand why the republican party tries to block Obamacare.
TheRimDoctor 5 months ago
@TheRimDoctor Indeed, socialism is the most appealing alternative, mainly it combines the two things of capatilisim and communism. it also works in Sweden, high taxes but health care, university ect is payed for them.
ACJSIE 5 months ago
@ACJSIE Capitalism doesn't work because Capitalism left unchecked would create a feudalism because the rich get richer only because the poor get poorer.
In Canada, we have very low university costs yearly, and student loans are forgiven in 5 years. All prescription drugs are covered 90% by MCP, high minimum wage and we have Aggressive human rights protection. My only issue is high income tax and the telecommunications monopoly held by TELUS, Rogers and Bell-Aliant. But who's really complaining?
TheRimDoctor 5 months ago
@ACJSIE Not every country is as homogeneous or has to spend as little for war as Sweden.
ystasino 5 months ago
@ystasino Most nations don't actually NEED to spend the outrageous amounts of money they do on their defense budgets, plus, nations don't NEED to get involved in every little border conflict that happens. The majority of the world can afford to be socialist, instead it is posed as a evil force, rather than the best choice for a economy. Higher taxes but more benefits to the people rather than higher taxes and a larger army.
ACJSIE 5 months ago
@TheRimDoctor Really? Come one dude? No it doesnt work it never has and it never will... What type of taxes do you think the Canadias pay? Why should i have to pay for those who wont take care of themselves? Why dont you try leaning about socialism and stop babbling back what the usless democrats have been cramming into your head! Ron paul 2012
ntkernel 4 months ago
@ntkernel We pay fairly high income tax. I'm Canadian. I know what taxes I pay. And you know what? I'll gladly pay for the health care of my neighbor, Rick, or someone I don't even know. And I know that they'll do the same for me. You couldn't pay me to live in the United States. Ron Paul's Libertarian Tea Partiers don't even believe in Global Warming or even basic science principles. The Tea Party is just a disorganized group of people with no knowledge of political systems or government.
TheRimDoctor 4 months ago
@ntkernel And you know something else? We are a Socialist Democracy. In fact, (I'm sure you ignorant Americans haven't even heard) our most beloved politician, and leader of Official Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons, who was head of the NDP [Who are so unbelievably socialist it would give you a heart attack,] died of cancer a few weeks ago. And he had the same healthcare as every other person in the country and had to pay the same taxes despite the fact he was our second in command.
TheRimDoctor 4 months ago
@TheRimDoctor I frigging miss Jack... best leader in Canadian history!
davidkerr6 4 months ago
@davidkerr6 So do I. I'm telling you now if Stephen Harper were to die, no one would shed a tear (Except maybe Ralph Klein). In fact, Danny Williams would probably get on the Screech and party.
TheRimDoctor 4 months ago
@ntkernel So if you want to tell me I don't know what taxes I pay or what the government is of my own country, go back to Texas. And for the record, this Year in Newfoundland and Labrador pay 7.7% on the first $31,904 of taxable income,12.5% on the next $31,903,13.3% on the amount over $63,807. And multiply a 26% federal income tax So I pay ~$6,000 this year, with a sizable $2-3000 income tax return at the end of the year from revenue Canada. Now, If I needed a heart surgery , in America you'd
TheRimDoctor 4 months ago
@ntkernel ...In America you'd fork over the same amount of money to Insurance companies, plus anything not covered out of your own pocket, or if you don't have insurance, that could be over $30,000 for a new heart. $30,000 is a hell of a lot more than my $6000 Income tax. Also, fears of losing your health insurance are complete bullshit, I have West Life Insurance provided by my job to cover the last 10% of my drugs not covered by MCP. There's your socialism for you.
TheRimDoctor 4 months ago
@ntkernel Checking this years federal tax again, it's 15%, not 26%, my mistake there.
TheRimDoctor 4 months ago
@ntkernel mate tbh man im british and we get free halth care, and the only major taxes that we pay differently is to do with buisnesses as the american gov. takes a "free buisness approach" to it all....and if you are doubting what I say here im a modern studies student so....
TheDudeWithShoes 4 months ago
@GunbladeKnight I have the perfect balance formula. I will unleash it December 20th 2020.
TommyTonic10 5 months ago
@maxiejj7 Wow have you been chatting with the CFR? or any of the other "Hi I am a democrat and am your friend" groups? I think you should write comrade obama a letter and let him know your his "Biggest fan"...
ntkernel 7 months ago
@ShadowRSonic Hm... Odd, how history is written by the "victors" (if America won is arguable). And yeah, we do have something about that in our history book too, that some Germans wanted it back to East Germany and West Germany. Oh well, them to that. Again, I won't argue against somebody who seem to know much more about this then me.
TheIgraenne 7 months ago
@TheIgraenne "...some of them forced by violence into a political view point they didn't want in the first place..."
This can be true of Iraq and Afghanistan as well.
GunbladeKnight 6 months ago
@TheIgraenne
That wasn't happening in the USA too? Holy fucking shit, you are stupid.
ShadowRSonic 7 months ago
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TheIgraenne 7 months ago
This song reminds me of the Robin Williams movie Moscow on the Hudson.
it is unfair to say that we don't know what war does or looks like, to many of us have been in wars for that to be so. We do however, take our sense of security for granted. I think most people take for granted whats never in danger of being lost. that is why 9-11 hit so hard. I think it is safe to say we are safe from Canada and Mexico, but we now know that does not mean we are safe.
princessxera 8 months ago
I LOVE THIS SONG AND WUT US GERMANS DID TO THEM. TEEHEEZ! WE FUCKED THEM RUSSIANS UP! :D
SxOoddLESsS 8 months ago
@SxOoddLESsS I'm pretty sure the Russians came right back around and avenged the Nazis pretty well.
sovietkazakh 8 months ago
The best song of Billy Joel career and a top ten song ever. If you don't get goosebumps from this song, you are not human
aga3736 8 months ago
Billy Joel is one of my favourite songwriter, I get goosebumps from some of his lyrics:
"I was born in '49, a Cold War Kid in McCarthy time
Stop 'em at the 38th parallel, blast those yellow reds to hell"
You can't teach that!
LiamS92 8 months ago 46
@LiamS92 why not? History is history. It should be taught on how it was.
MoondogGuitarist 6 months ago
I have to agree Stalin's rule was indeed monstrous, but Leningrad or no Leningrad, it's still a struggle for their Homeland and for world peace, although it wasn't something Stalin or Brezhnev hoped after the war after all.
ThreeSevenSpeedway 8 months ago
World War II. The war on record with the most casualties. Ever. Most were civilians. All because of an image of hate from one man, more families were broken at once then ever, or ever will be. We cannot forget what happened, but as Billy Joel shows us, it should never happen again.
TrueDragonNinja 8 months ago
War sucks, and it's fucking childish.
TheGrownUpAdult 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
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princeofChulavista 9 months ago
Stalin was a tortionair to his own people! shame on him!
Nonnel81 9 months ago
Leningrad was a town in soviet russia which Stalin renamed when he became leader. It was a very cold climate and many people died in the Battle of Leningrad.
YouKnowItsMatt 9 months ago
@flairacoldstone not true, there was youtube before vevo. they make money from adds.
OfficialTribe 9 months ago
Leningrad has survived probobly the longest siege of all times!
EsaulRuss 9 months ago
@EsaulRuss well, actually, the longest siege of all time was the siege of Candia in medieval times, which lasted about 21 years, which beats the heck out of the 3 year siege of stalingrad. there have actually been two longer sieges in the past 20 years
Ace4929 9 months ago
@Ace4929 Right, but what I should have said is that the siege of Leningrad was the most blody and a large enterprise in terms of area of land(city) covered and in terms of how many peolpe died. And the weather conditions were far worse than anywhere else during the siege. Plus Germans used extra bid guns in that siege.
EsaulRuss 9 months ago
well, thats not nececarily true. you see in sieges like the siege of Vicksburg during the American Civil War, conditions got as bad, or at least nearing as bad as Leningrad would be. That siege lasted only a couple of months. the fact that Leningrad got to the point of being immensly bad in a few years, while Vicksburg got to that point in only a couple of months. It was so bad, that the entire state of mississippi wouldnt celebrate the fourth of july for 40 years after the battle
Ace4929 9 months ago
@Ace4929 Just shut up and don't compare WW2 and Siege of Leningrad to anything.America does not know what war on their land is.They know only to meddle.Civil War cannot be compared but at all to the Horrors of WW2
thorayork 8 months ago
@thorayork WWII was the bloodiest war in the history of the world, and i cannot neglect that fact. 23% of all russian men aged 18-30 died. countrysides were ravaged, entire townes razed, and it was terrible. but saying that the american civil war was nothing and that america dosent know nothin bout war on their territory is like saying that WWI was "a bit of a tiff" in the civil war, 2% of the entire population died. 1,100,000 casualties. that is not to be taken lightly
Ace4929 8 months ago
While we may never know the horrors that germany or russia faced during WWII, but we know the horrors of war. look up andersonville, look up shermans march to the sea, look up gettysburg,, and you will se how bad we had it. I compare these two wars because they are probably two of the most groundbreaking in history, definetly in american history. you also must remember that if you multiplied the civil wars numbers to encompass the entire globe, then the results are truly terrifying
Ace4929 8 months ago
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pizzamovies 8 months ago
@thorayork Allow me to rephrase, considering close to 1,000,000 people lost their lives or were horribly maimed in the American Civil War, when the population was nowhere near that of what it is today, the Civil War was horrifying. At most of the battles (gettysburg/antietam), there were more casualties in a single day than all of the allied casualties during the entire Normandy/D-Day in WW2.
pizzamovies 8 months ago
@pizzamovies The US Civil war was extremely bloody, with very proportionately high losses on both sides- but it's true that after that, Americans were not used to war on their home turf, and would have had no idea of the kind of devastation in Eastern Europe, with something like 23 million deaths in the USSR alone. But proportional or not, sacrifices were made all around- and whoever wins, war is hell.
Danfish77 8 months ago
@thorayork
True! Americans have no idea what is war and what is to live in war and after war. But hope never they see what Soviet Union see at WWII.
swmkh 8 months ago
@Ace4929 This might have been a siege. I looked it up and is was pathetic even beside the states @ Vicksburg not even to mention the slaughter at Stalingrad. General Paulus should have taken his troops out of there. The greatest military mind was a man known as Sun Tzu in China. His book of 13 chap. reveal the most astute military mind that has ever been. He says once the soverign has entrusted the army to his general he should NOT interfere in the field. How many wars lost by intererrence?
nor888vast695 9 months ago
@nor888vast695 WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT? are you saying that Vicksburg was not a siege? Grant was camping around the town cutting off supplies, while his artillary and the navy were shelling the town from a distance. i think that qualifies as a siege. maybe you need to check your sources. anywho, yeah, i know sun tzu. can you tell me what chapter and section that was, because i think you are wrong. sun tzu never said for generals not to think on their feet
Ace4929 9 months ago
Thank's for great songs...
zuof8 9 months ago
this song is tremendously underated. I mean, come on guys, 700,000 views?
TheHammerAndAnvil 9 months ago
Like # 450, and proud of it! This was probably the first song I ever heard that made me cry.
Pikeandglaive 9 months ago
i dont know why, call me crazy, but this song makes me wonder how the world went to such crap after the cold war. everyone became selfish and stopped caring about morals and each other. back then there was a weird sense of appreciation and respect countries and people had for one another. now its all about money and competition. i wish people like JFK and other paragons of morality still lived today..
Temp3st60 9 months ago
...but both are great. When people ask me where do I like it more, I can't respond. I am not a child of one country. I am a child of the world. We need to think about tomorrow, not yesterday. Russia isn't communist nowadays. And America isnt a stupid country. Understand that.
LizZibirova 9 months ago
I was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia and now I live in Levittown. It's funny how this song relates to me. I get so much crap for being a Russian everyday. People need to learn how to move on. History is history. Americans alter their history books, and Russians alter theirs. I laugh in history class everyday, and when I go to visit Russia, I laugh at how wrong of a view everyone has on America. Both of the countries are great. In some ways they are better than eachother...
LizZibirova 9 months ago 66
@LizZibirova yes yyou can
SxOoddLESsS 7 months ago
@LizZibirova You should be proud to be Russian. I am proud to know you.....and I am glad you are here.......Liz.
robcas631 7 months ago 2
@LizZibirova - well-said my Russian brother. if you look closely, listen and not impose anyone's view on anyone, we can see that in the core, in the very basic of humanity, we're all connected and whether we admit it or not, nothing makes us feel better than doing a good deed for someone else.
xacto72 7 months ago 2
@LizZibirova I love russians. History is written by the victor, and those victors made Russia out to be idiots or barbarians. But all the russians i've met are pretty damn sweet. Nice to meet ya, comrade. =)
ThenThereWasB 7 months ago
@ThenThereWasB CoD reference? NIce. We should drop the whole anti-Russian anti-American gimmick here and now. Cold War is over people! Infinity Ward isn't helping the issue either (No Russian). We're allies now, let's keep it that way.
camoninjahhh 7 months ago
@camoninjahhh Lol i'm not sure if you're insulting me or just relating to the reference positively...But i meant no harm by it because it's true (for the most part)
ThenThereWasB 7 months ago
@ThenThereWasB It was friendly mocking, and i agree with you.
camoninjahhh 7 months ago
@LizZibirova
Damn the russians!
rayreturnz 6 months ago
@rayreturnz Trolololol
IncurablePessimist 6 months ago
@LizZibirova zdravstvuj, I had to lear russian in Czechoslovakia at school and we hated it! Today I am happy I have learned it and love the language, world is a strange place. This songs makes me cry!
vaclavjoseph 6 months ago
I'd have to say that this is one of my favorite of Billy Joel's lesser-known songs. It is so underrated. Why doesn't radio play this song anymore? Oh, that's right, because we have to give the new sensation their airtime. Well, personally, I say screw the new sensation, give me some Billy Joel dammit!
joshuabrooks21 9 months ago 2
Bloody hell, what a bunch of pathetic morons you lot are, banging on about politics instead of purely commenting on what is TRULY GREAT MUSICAL MASTERPIECE by Billy JOEL.....pop yourselves some chill pills and get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
msminx71 9 months ago
you just do not get the message, and why in earth are you debating Stalin, invasion of Berlin in the context of this song....you just do not get any of it. You are not impressing anybody by applying misunderstood historic references to a song about two people on opposite side of the iron curtain....snap out of it, if you want to impress, analyze the song, and stop thinking we will be impressed by your lack of analytical abilities.
kaarejo 10 months ago
Point is, Stalin killed more than 20 million people, slaughtered innocent German civilians on the march to Berlin, and WAS NOT part of the liberation campaign of Western-Eastern Europe, and instantly went against the same powers he was an ally of during the Second WW. All the territory he "liberated" went into pure Russian hands... All the way up until Berlin.
Tyco200 10 months ago