While today Lithuanian music is increasing internationalized it still has its own peculiarities. Moreover, many of the songs still played on the radio are some years or several decades old, having witnessed the turbulent history.
Music has always been important to Lithuanians. In pre-modern times they had special songs for every daily task or lifetime event. In the 20th century, both independence movements (1918 and 1990) had their own strong musical backings.
This article tells the Lithuanian musical history with the most influential songs of various periods.
See also: Lithuanian folk songs.
Lithuanian National Revival songs (1870-1918)
In the late 19th century Lithuanian language ceased to be regarded as the language of peasants alone. Poets such as priest Maironis wrote poetry in Lithuanian, most of it with patriotic words. The importance of Maironis work to Lithuanian history is difficult to overstate and some of his famous poems became songs such as "Oi neverk matušėle" ("Oh don't cry, beloved mother"). The popularity of these songs continued and never became dated as the Lithuanian nation continued struggles for its existence under the Soviet occupation.
Oi neverk, matušėle
©Maironis (Jonas Mačiulis)
Oi neverk, matušėle, kad jaunas sūnus
Eis ginti brangiosios tėvynės!
Kad pavirtęs kaip ąžuolas girių puikus
Lauks teismo dienos paskutinės.
Kad pavirtęs kaip ąžuolas girių puikus
Lauks teismo dienos paskutinės.
Taip nelaužyk sau rankų, kaip beržo šakas
Kad laužo užrūstintas vėjas;
Tau dar liko sūnų; kas tėvynę praras,
Antros neišmels apgailėjęs.
Tau dar liko sūnų; kas tėvynę praras,
Antros neišmels apgailėjęs.
Ten už upių plačių žiba mūsų pulkai:
Jie mylimą Lietuvą gina;
Kam nusviro galva, tam Dangaus angelai
Vainiką iš diemantų pina.
Kam nusviro galva, tam Dangaus angelai
Vainiką iš diemantų pina.
Daugel krito sūnų kaip tų lapų rudens:
Baltveidės oi verks, nes mylėjo!
Bet nei bus, nei tekės Nemune tiek vandens,
Kiek priešų ten kraujo tekėjo.
Bet nei bus, nei tekės Nemune tiek vandens,
Kiek priešų ten kraujo tekėjo.
Vedė Vytautas ten didžiavyrių pulkus
Ir priešų sulaužė puikybę:
Už devynias mares, už tamsiuosius miškus
Išvarė kryžiuočių galybę.
Už devynias mares, už tamsiuosius miškus
Išvarė kryžiuočių galybę.
Saulė leidos raudona ant Vilniaus kapų,
Kai duobę kareiviai ten kasė,
Ir paguldė daug brolių greta milžinų,
O Viešpats jų priglaudė dvasią.
Ir paguldė daug brolių greta milžinų,
O Viešpats jų priglaudė dvasią.
O neverk, matušėle, kad jaunas sūnus
Eis ginti brangiausios tėvynės!
Kad pavirtęs kaip ąžuolas girių puikus
Lauks teismo dienos paskutinės!
Kad pavirtęs kaip ąžuolas girių puikus
Lauks teismo dienos paskutinės! |
Oh, don't cry, beloved mother
English translation ©Augustinas Žemaitis
Oh, don't cry, beloved mother, that young son
Will go to defend dearest fatherland
That collapsed as a great oak tree of lush forests
He will await for the final day of justice
That collapsed as a great oak tree of lush forests
He will await for the final day of justice.
Don't break your arms in the way birch branches
Are broken by furious winds
You still have sons left; who will lose his homeland
Won't pray out a second one
You still have sons left; who will lose his homeland
Won't pray out a second one.
There beyond wide rivers our legions are shining
They are defending beloved Lithuania
Who's head bends down, for him the angels of Heaven
Are making a laurel of diamonds
Who's head bends down, for him the angels of Heaven
Are making a laurel of diamonds.
Many sons have fallen as those Autumn leafs
White-faced girls will so cry, because they have loved
But there won't be nor flow in the Nemunas as much water
As blood of enemies there had flown
But there won't be nor flow in the Nemunas as much water
As blood of enemies there had flown.
Vytautas was leading there the legions of heroes
And broken the arrogance of enemies
In the name of Nine Seas, in the name of Dark Forests
He forced the mightiness of crusaders away
In the name of Nine Seas, in the name of Dark Forests
He forced the mightiness of crusaders away.
The red sun was setting onto the graves of Vilnius
While soldiers were digging a pit there
And they laid many brothers at the side of giants
And the Almighty embraced their soul
And they laid many brothers at the side of giants
And the Almighty embraced their soul.
Oh, don't cry, beloved mother, that young son
Will go to defend dearest fatherland
That collapsed as a great oak tree of lush forests
He will await for the final day of justice
That collapsed as a great oak tree of lush forests
He will await for the final day of justice. |
Interwar Lithuanian songs (1918-1940)
The roots of Lithuanian pop music lie in the interwar period and such people as the traveling singer Danielius Dolskis who settled down in Kaunas. He used to write Lithuanian lyrics for popular world tunes and perform in upscale restaurants. His songs are still popular, having been recorded and re-recorded by many different musicians ever since.
"Palangos jūroj" ("In the sea of Palanga") song is one of the most popular Dolskis songs. The lyrics also signifies the urbanization-inspired change in lifestyle: Palanga is a popular resort town and the 1920s generation was among the first ones that had a significant number of people able to have a seaside holiday.
Palangos jūroj
©Danielius Dolskis
Palangos jūroj nuskendo mano meilė,
Ir šaltos bangos jos neatiduos.
Svaiginantis man vėjo garsas girdis,
Bet mano sielos jis negal paguost.
O viltis mane dar šaukia,
Mano siela kažko laukia.
Palangos jūroj nuskendo mano meilė,
Ir šaltos bangos jos neatiduos. |
In the sea of Palanga
English translation ©Augustinas Žemaitis
In the sea of Palanga my love had drowned
And the cold waves will not return it.
A drowsing sound of the wind I hear
But it could not soothe my soul.
Yet the hope is still calling me
My soul is waiting for something.
In the sea of Palanga my love had drowned
And the cold waves will not return it. |
While some topics were temporary in the popular music "love" theme always continued. Although even it followed the zeitgeist: forced to be socially conservative under the Soviet occupation it was to become extremely liberal in the 1990s.
Songs of the Soviet occupation era (1940-1990)
Like other arts under the Soviet occupation, music had to serve the regime. This does not mean that all popular music praised the Party or the Communism (there were military songs for that, many of them Russian). However, all of it had to adhere to the Soviet conservative yet anti-religious morals to survive censorship. "There is no sex in the Soviet Union" had been a popular saying.
The song we choose as an example for the era - "Senieji Vilniaus stogai" ("The old roofs of Vilnius") - is still popular. Its lyrics show how it was possible to discretely incorporate praise for Soviet programs. In this case, the campaign of building new functionalist microdistricts is praised as the topic of the song swiftly moves from the "Old roofs" to the "New roofs" of Vilnius.
Senieji Vilniaus stogai
©Jonas Mašanauskas
Senieji Vilniaus stogai,
Pražilę samana žalia,
Einu lyg paukštis lengvai
Sena siaurąja gatvele.
Stogai senieji, kai jus tik pamatau,
Aš pajaunėju ir tyliai pasakau:
„Aš jaunas, aš jaunas, aš jaunas“.
Senieji Vilniaus stogai,
Nušviesti ryto spindulių,
Aušra nušvinta rausvai
Ir aš miegoti negaliu.
Nešuosi mintį, Vilniau, tais rytais
Tave dabinti vis naujais stogais,
Dabinti, dabinti, dabinti.
Naujieji Vilniaus stogai,
Užgimę vidury dienos,
Balkonai, šviesūs langai
Nerimsta prašosi dainos.
Ir aš dainuoju pilna krūtine,
Jaunasis Vilniau, tu suprask mane,
Aš jaunas, tu jaunas, aš jaunas.
Tu mano Vilniau jaunas. |
The old roofs of Vilnius
English translation ©Augustinas Žemaitis
The old roofs of Vilnius
Turned gray by the green moss
I am walking easily as a bird
In an old little street
Old roofs, whenever I see you
I become younger and silently say:
"I'm young, I'm young, I'm young".
Old roofs of Vilnius
Brightened by morning rays
The dawn comes red
And I could not fall asleep.
I am having a will, oh Vilnius, in those mornings
To decorate you with new roofs
Decorate, decorate, decorate...
New roofs of Vilnius
Born in a midday -
Balconies and bright windows
Relentlessly ask for a song.
And I sing with a full bosom
Young Vilnius, please understand me.
I am young, you are young, I am young.
My Vilnius, you are young. |
In the Soviet Union, the government commonly required popular singers to also sing in Russian. Seeing the brutality of the Soviet Russian occupation few Lithuanians agreed to this, however, sacrificing the possibility of the Soviet Union-wide career.
In the end of the Soviet era a new form of protest was ideologically-overcharged songs that were effectively parodies of themselves (but the censors had no pretext to ban them). One of the masters of such parody was sung poetry author Vytautas Kernagis. The song goes in-line with a major Soviet campaign on eradicating Colorado potato beetle which even included rewarding children who captured the beetles for extermination.
Kolorado vabalai
©Vytautas Kernagis, lyrics ©Juozas Erlickas
Ant aukšto kranto upės mėlyno
Malonu pasvajoti ir išgerti
Atėję kolūkiečiai padainuos
Papasakos apie šių metų derlių
Apie brigadinės rangos metodą
Papasakos brigadininkas Rapolas
Ir apie naują bulvių veislę – tokią,
Kuri nebijo Kolorado vabalo
Žilvičiai upės abiejuos krantuos
Klausydami kuždėsis apie laimę
Akordeonu pirmininkas gros
Pritardamas savos kūrybos dainai
REFRAIN:
Suplėšysim į gabalus
Tuos kolorado vabalus
Ir bulvės vėl žydės
Ir mylimam kolūkyje
Pakėlę žemės ūkį mes
Dainuosim iš širdies
Klajos dangum žvaigždė ir suoks lakštingala
Atsispindės mėnulis butely
Mirgės ant seno ilgo geležinkelio
Mažyčiais žiburėliais traukinys
Ir aš į kolūkio laukus išėjęs
Paimsiu arklį, lyrą ir melžėją
Dainuoja ji, dainuoju aš su ja
Ir traktorius dainuoja danguje
REFRAIN |
Colorado potato beetles
English translation ©Augustinas Žemaitis
On a high blue river bank
It is nice to dream and drink
Collective farm workers will come and sing
And tell about this year's harvest.
Brigade commander Rapolas will tell
About the method of brigade preparation
And about a new breed of potatoes
Immune to Colorado potato beetles.
The willows on both river banks
Will silently speak of joy
The chairman of the collective farm will play accordion
To accompany his own song.
REFRAIN:
We will tear apart
Those Colorado potato beetles
And the potatoes will bloom again
And in the beloved collective farm
We will improve the agriculture
And sing at heart.
A star will travel in the sky, a nightingale will sing
And the moon will be reflected in a bottle.
On the old long railway
A train will shine in small lights.
I will go to the collective farm fields
Together with a horse, a lyre, and a milkwoman
She is singing, I am singing together
While the tractor is singing in the sky.
REFRAIN. |
Under the Soviet rule singers who were believed to be "anti-system" were called bards after the Celtic poets. Today in Lithuania a bard means a sung poetry singer. Perhaps the popularity of Vytautas Kernagis (who was a bard in both senses) changed the word's meaning and popularized the sung poetry genre.
The legal "anti-system" music had to be tame enough to cheat the censors, so most people who never lived under a totalitarian regime would probably not consider it anti-system at all, expecting direct criticism rather than merely a bit of subtle irony in a truly "anti-system" art.
There were, however, more openly dissenting songs created by the people in secret. They were patriotic and pro-independence. Written by political prisoners, guerillas and the persecuted Lithuanian majority these songs were banned in the Soviet Union, passed by the word of mouth alone. Many are anonymous and thus considered folk music.
Lithuanian songs for freedom (1987-1994)
During late 1980s Lithuanians started to dare to tell what they were thinking for decades - that the Soviet occupation must end. Songs on the censored topics (history, religion, freedom) became more and more open even if that meant KGB interrogations of some singers.
The music was so important in raising people's morale that the entire independence of the Baltic States which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union is sometimes named "The Singing Revolution".
Among the most daring singers of the era was Arvydas Vilčinskas who symbolically yet openly sung about the exiles, mass murders, nationalization, forced state atheism and other things the Lithuanian nation suffered under the Soviet occupation. His concerts used to attract full stadiums and many of his songs are still well known.
Verkia Dievas medinis
©Arvydas Vilčinskas
Stovi tėvo dvareliai tušti,
Vakar buvo visi išvežti.
Liko žymės gyvų dar bėdų,
Skelia širdį – graudu, apmaudu.
REFRAIN:
Verkia dievas medinis kieme,
Nebėra čia mums vietos, - eime.
Pasilikt čia ilgiau nieks neleis,
Eisim savo keleliais, keliais
Mūsų niekas daugiau čia nekvies
Ir nepils mums auksinio alaus.
Rankoj stiklas daugiau nežibės
Ir tų žodžių jau nieks nekalbės.
REFRAIN
Liko tuščia, išplėšta namuos,
Nėr sesulės linksmos, nei mamos.
Nieks sutinkant neglaus prie širdies
Ir išleidžiant neverks, neliūdės.
REFRAIN |
A wooden God is crying
English translation ©Augustinas Žemaitis
The father's little manor is all empty,
Yesterday it was all carted away.
The marks of still-alive woes have remained
The heart is breaking, it's sad and awkward.
REFRAIN:
A wooden God is crying in the yard
No more place for us here - let's go.
No one will permit us to stay any longer
We'll continue on our paths, on our little roads.
No one will ever invite us here again,
No one will pour us gold-colored beer.
The glass won't shine in a hand
And those words will be spoken by no one.
REFRAIN
It's so empty, so robbed inside home
There's no happy sister nor mother
No one will clasp us to bosom when greeting
No one will cry nor be sad when we leave.
REFRAIN |
This particular song is about the Soviet occupation of 1940. The first verse speaks of nationalization (when Soviets robbed away property from all Lithuanian classes - peasants to urban dwellers), the second verse symbolizes the destruction of Lithuanian traditions, the third verse tells of the physical Soviet genocide (the mother and sister are likely exiled or murdered) while the refrain describes the need to leave Lithuania as refugees (chosen by some 100 000 after World War 2).
The wooden God is Rūpintojėlis, a traditional Lithuanian wooden statue of sad Jesus, erected near village homes. Like many allegories in Vilčinskas's songs it has multiple meanings: beside the obvious one (a statue in the yard of a nationalized home) it laments the attacks on the religious and the fact that the nationalised home will remain empty and ransacked with the statue itself likely destroyed soon. The tune of the song is delusively happy and this is a signature of A. Vilčinskas. After suffering so much Lithuanians frequently adopted the "laughter through tears" stance towards sad events.
In addition to such ballads there was rock music that offered an even bolder position. 1987-1989 saw annual "Rock march" tours across Lithuania. Rock music on itself was something politically incorrect in the Soviet Union, so the fact that concerts took place at all was already seen as a victory in 1987. But in 1988-1989 the rock bands were more and more daring to transfer their pro-independence opinion into lyrics, culminating in texts like "Lietuvos valstybė" by Antis, aimed at leftist Western European politicians who were ready to disregard the Lithuanian tragedy in order to preserve stability of the Soviet Union:
Lietuvos valstybė
©Antis
Ei, tu, vakarų pilieti,
Tarybų Sąjunga tau taip įdomi
Ei, tu, išprusęs užsienieti,
Čia dar ne Rusija, Rusija toli
Ei, tu, kvapnusis europieti,
Париж – Москва draugystės traukiny
Sakai, žemėlapyje net nepažymėta
Nei Estija, nei Latvija, nei Lietuva
Ei, tu, šaunusis demokrate,
Ką apie mūsų gyvenimą žinai?
Ei, tu, naivus aristokrate,
Kaip vėl tave lengvai apgavo Rytai
Ei, tu, tolimas kaimyne,
Trys šimtai mylių ir pasaulio pabaiga
Ei, tu, artimas vaikine,
Sustok, pažvelk pro langą
Lietuvos valstybė – pabandyk ištarti
Lietuvos valstybė – Baltijos aušra
Lietuvos valstybė – mirti ar gyventi
Lietuvos valstybė – pasaulio Lietuva
Ei, jūs, Europos vegetarai,
Gardus pyragas Pabaltijo tautų
Ei, jūs, aukšti parlamentarai,
Šalin žemėlapius suteptus krauju
Ei, jūs, apsukrūs diplomatai,
Stipri pažemintų tautų valia
Ei, jūs, Perkūno žodis sako
Nuo šiol tebūna
Lietuvos valstybė – pabandyk ištarti
Lietuvos valstybė – Baltijos aušra
Lietuvos valstybė – mirti ar gyventi
Lietuvos valstybė – pasaulio Lietuva |
Independent State of Lithuania
English translation ©Augustinas Žemaitis
Hey you, a Western citizen,
Soviet Union interests you so much,
Hey you, an educated foreigner,
This is no Russia, Russia is far away.
Hey you, a perfumed European
In a Parizh–Moskva friendship train,
You claim no maps even show
Neither Estonia, nor Latvia, nor Lithuania?
Hey you, a great democrat,
What do you know about our life?
Hey you, a naive aristocrat,
How easily the East have cheated you again.
Hey you, a far-away neighbor,
You think the world ends beyond 300 miles?
Hey you, a nearby boy,
Stop and look through a window.
Independent State of Lithuania - try to spell it.
Independent State of Lithuania - the Baltic dawn.
Independent State of Lithuania - to die or to live.
Independent State of Lithuania - Lithuania in the world.
Hey you, European vegetarians,
Here's a nice pie of Baltic nations.
Hey you, important members of parliaments,
Do away with blood-soaked maps.
Hey you, fast-thinking diplomats,
The willpower of humiliated nations is strong.
Hey you, Perkūnas tells you
From now on let it be:
Independent State of Lithuania - try to spell it.
Independent State of Lithuania - the Baltic dawn.
Independent State of Lithuania - to die or to live.
Independent State of Lithuania - Lithuania in the world. |
Lithuanian songs of the libertarian 1990s
The 1990 independence and its subsequent successful defense from Russian aggression meant that the patriotic goals were successfully met. The initial wave of patriotically, religiously and historically themed music subsided.
However, the restored freedom introduced other once-censored themes as well: business, sex, crime. Local bands attempted to emulate previously non-existent Western styles but a lack of global ties meant that such imitations would just make new fusion styles instead.
Among the emulated styles of 1990s was hip hop and SEL was one of its most popular local bands. The following is their song "Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės" ("Liberate yourself from control"):
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
SEL
Sustok
Nepraeik
Paklausyk manęs
Galbūt šita daina tave į protą atves
Aš žinau – nesu tau nei tėvas nei Dievas
Bet negalvok kad mano patarimas „lėvas“
Pripažink luk tu dažnai fantazuoji
Apie prabangą aprūpintą rytojų
Bet laimė ir turtai iš dangaus nenukris
Jei tu sėdėsi ir nieko nebedarysi
Tu pilnai pajėgus pradėt savo gyvenimą
Nejau tėvų rūpestis tavęs nežemina
Maitina jie tave aprengia ir apauna
Ir už tai paklusnų sūnų gaunaIšsivaduok nuo materialines priklausomybės
Tapk savarankiška laisva asmenybe
Atsikratyk tau primestos sūnelio rolės
Ir išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės.
Palikai tėvų namus
Suktą darbą radai
Ir iš kart po boso koja patekai
Jo nurodymus tau perduoda jauna sekretorė
Kur blaško tave nes tu jos nori
Prisipažink juk tu slaptai fantazuoji
Apie tai kaip tavo bosas pakrato kojas
Kaip iš po jo kontrolės tu išsivaduoji
Atsisėdi į jo kėdę ir kitus kontroliuoji
Bet pamąstyk juk tu pakankamai užsidirbai
Kad pradėtum savo nepriklausomą biznį
Juk žinai – tam kuris tvirtai stovi ant kojų
Jokios problemos neegzistuoja
Išsivaduok nuo materialines priklausomybės
Tapk savarankiška laisva asmenybe
Atsikratyk tau primestos pavaldinio rolės
Ir išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės.
Tu pasiekei tai apie ką svajojai
Kai tu su tėvais gyvenai ir ateities bijojai
Naujam biznį tu buvai pionierius
Na o dabar tapai suktas milijonierius
Dabar atrodo neturėtų tavęs nieks kontroliuoti
Tu laisvas žmogus gali durnių volioti
Deja pasaulis visai kitaip galvoja
Tavo veiklą įstatymai kontroliuoka
Tau draudžia be vizos palikti valstybę
Pakeisti savo pilietybę
Tave varžo nusistovėjusios dogmos
Debilų sugalvotos beprasmiškos normos
Išsivaduok nuo materialinės priklausomybės
Tapk savarankiška laisva asmenybe
Atsikratyk tau primestos piliečio rolės
Ir išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės
Išsivaduok nuo kontrolės. |
Liberate yourself from control
SEL
Stop.
Don't pass by.
Listen to me.
Perhaps this song will bring you to your mind.
I know I am neither your father nor God
But don't think that my advice is wrong.
Confirm it - you frequently dream
About luxury and a sufficient future.
But neither success nor riches will fall out of sky
If you will sit and do nothing.
You are capable of starting your own life -
Doesn't the parental care humiliate you?
They feed you, they dress you and put on the shoes.
And in return, they get a subservient son.Liberate yourself from material dependency
Become a self-sufficient and free personality.
Drop that "little son" role forced upon you
And liberate yourself from control,
Liberate yourself from control,
Liberate yourself from control.
You had left the parents' home
You found a good job
And fallen under the boot of a boss.
His orders are passed through a young secretary
Who dispells your concentration as you want her
Confirm it - you frequently dream
That your boss dies
That you drop his control
That you sit in his seat and control the others.
But think about this - you have earned enough
To start your own independent business.
You know - for the one who is standing firmly
No problems exist.
Liberate yourself from material dependency
Become a self-sufficient and free personality.
Drop that "employee" role forced upon you
And liberate yourself from control,
Liberate yourself from control,
Liberate yourself from control.
You have reached what you sought for
When you lived with your parents and feared the future.
When your business was young you were a pioneer
And now you are a streetwise millionaire.
It would seem no one would control you now -
You are a free man, you can do whatever you wish;
Unfortunately, the world thinks differently,
Your actions are controlled by the laws.
They forbid you to leave the country visa-free
They forbid you to change nationality
You are controlled by old dogmas
Meaningless norms created by idiots.
Liberate yourself from material dependency
Become a self-sufficient and free personality.
Drop that "citizen" role forced upon you
And liberate yourself from control,
Liberate yourself from control,
Liberate yourself from control. |
Belief in freedom of speech and free market was nearly universal and no government would have considered censorship. Some songs were anarchist and some racist, the new topics ranged from murders to transexuality. People eagerly listened to all the new ideas; discussions on them were generally prejudice-free, no thought was considered "too radical to even discuss". But this freedom of speech eroded with EU membership (~2004), leading even to calls for prosecution for some of the 1990s "politically incorrect" radio hits. An example of an era's controversial song may be "Atbėgo kariūnai" ("The soldiers quickly came") where the phrase "Atbėgo kariūnai, sušaudė Brazauską" ("The soldiers quickly came, they shot Brazauskas") is constantly on repeat (Brazauskas was a well-known Lithuanian political figure who hasn't been shot at in reality).
International era at Lithuanian music (2000 and later)
By 2000s the prime Lithuanian music became well-internationalized. Foreign style songs (e.g. metal, electro) were no longer naive adaptations but faithful copies.
Increasingly this "internationalized Lithuanian music" has foreign producers, English lyrics and little to distinguish it from startup musicians of London or New York. The hopes of Lithuanian musicians for careers in either East (Russia) or the West have been left largely unfulfilled, however.
Pop music remained more Lithuanian, although it is looked down upon by those who consider themselves to be more "hip".
Still, Lithuanians had some genres that had popularity far surpassing that of their contemporaries in West, among them sung poetry, neo-folk, and sports anthems.
Sports anthem "Trys milijonai" is likely the Lithuanian song performed outside Lithuania the most frequently. As an unofficial Lithuanian sports anthem it is performed in various international events where Lithuanians particiapte and the countries provide their songs to fill the pauses. It was created for 2000 Sydney olympics by "most wanted husband" Marijus Mikutavičius and inspired entire subgenre of "sport anthems" for different events, teams and sports but still has not been surpassed in popularity. Together with the neo-folk and sung poetry the sport anthems became an antithesis to internationalization in music.
Trys milijonai
Marijus Mikutavičius
Galbūt per daug ir per ilgai mes kariavom,
Galbūt per ilgai kartojom žodį "šlovė" (jė-jė)
Gal kartais per daug iš kitų reikalavom
Ir kartais per tyliai mes norėjom nugalėt.
Bet ir aš ten buvau,
Laimingas pergalės dainas dainavau,
Iškėlęs du pirštus į dangų laikiau,
Nes nugalėtojų jau niekas neteis,
Į juos akmens nepaleis.
Viskas buvo seniai -
Tu per ilgai per ramiai gyvenai,
Bet mano gyvas kraujas vėl atsigaus,
Kaip atsigauna žolė po gero lietaus.
Jė jė jė jė
REFRAIN:
Nesikankink dėl medalio,
Bet verta kovot ligi galo dėl savo garbės,
Pabandom iš naujo,
Nors esam pasauly tik trys milijonai,
Neliek savo kraujo dėl aukso,
Nes būsi legenda,
Kol nepraradom vilties,
Net jeigu ir vėl
Tik per klaidą netapom mes čempionais.
Ir aš tūkstantį kartų sakiau savo draugui:
"Mes geri, mes galingi, mes šiandien laimėsim",
Ir jis sakė "nė velnio",
Ir jis tūkstantį kartų buvo teisus, bet
Bet geriau negyvent negu visai netikėt (jė).
Nenuleidžiam galvos, net jeigu mums nesiseka
Devynis kartus iš eilės.
Juk mes ne iš tų,
Kur pralaimi dar nenugalėti.
Ir nebelieka jau baimės,
Kada viskas nurimo ir baigės,
Gali numirt iš nevilties ar iš laimės,
Net jei žaidi tik šachmatais arba dartais.
Juk būna, kad kartais
Lieki vienas be draugo
Ir jauti, jog kažkas tave saugo.
Mes per vieną naktį dideli užaugom
Ir mes galingi iš naujo (jaho, jaho, jaho).
REFRAIN |
Three million
Marijus Mikutavičius
Perhaps we fought for too long - and in too many wars
Perhaps too long we have been chanting "Glory"
Maybe at times we required too much from the others
And sometimes our will to win has been too silent
But I was there too
Happily singing the victory songs
Raising two fingers skywards -
As the victors will not be tried
No stones will be thrown at them.
Everything was so long ago
You have lived too calmly for too long
But my living blood will awaken again
As the grass awakens after a good rain.
Ye! Ye! Ye! Ye!
REFRAIN:
Don't torment yourself for a medal
But it is worth to fight to the end for your own honor
Let's try anew
Although we are only three million in the whole world
Don't spill your blood for the gold
As you will be a legend
As long as we haven't lost hope
Even if yet again
We are not champions by mistake alone.
For a thousand times I told my friend:
"We are great, we are powerful, we will win today"
And he said: "Hell no".
And he was right a thousand times but
It is better not to live rather than not to believe at all (Ye)
We don't bend our head down even if luck is not on our side
Nine times in a row
As we are not ones of those
Who lose before being defeated
And there is no more fear
After everything has calmed down and finished.
You may die of sadness or joy
Even if you play only chess or darts
Sometimes it happens
That you remain alone without friends
And still feel that someone guards you.
In a single night, we have grown big
And we are powerful all anew (yahoo, yahoo, yahoo).
REFRAIN |
October 10th, 2015 - 10:29
I am an Australian and am interested in English translation for the first and second verse of Lithuanian song – Bijūnēlis žalijas. Would very much appreciate it.
October 11th, 2015 - 19:08
ORIGINAL TEXT:
Bijūnelis žalias,
Bijūnėlis gražus,
Bijūnėlio žali lapai,
Raudoni žiedeliai.
Bijūnėlį lenkiau,
Gražų žiedą skyniau,
Gražiais žiedais bijūnėlio
Galvelę dabinau.
TRANSLATION:
Little peony green,
Little peony pretty,
The leafs of little peony are green,
The blossoms are red.
I bent the little peony,
I plucked the pretty blossom,
I used the pretty blossoms of the little peony
To beautify [my] little head
August 1st, 2016 - 19:56
Looking for the original text and translation for a children’s song my grandmother used to sing. It had hand motions and started like vida, vida.
August 2nd, 2016 - 07:44
Unfortunately that’s relatively little information. If you’d write more lyrics I could translate.
February 15th, 2018 - 15:50
Is this the little bird song? Birdie, what hurts you? “My head”?
April 14th, 2018 - 20:44
My father was from Lithuania and used to sing a song called “Tu Lietuva Tu Mana.”
It is on youtube but I am sure he used to have a verse or two in it about Stalin, Hitler and Italy, unless he decided to write his own lyrics. Are you aware of these extra lyrics? Anyhow, do you have an English translation of that song?
April 15th, 2018 - 04:27
I am not aware of these extra lyrics. They may be written by him or, perhaps, more likely, by somebody else, as folk songs regularly get expanded. In any case, such lyrics/versions that are tied to a particular era of history tend to wither later, as they no longer seem actual after the politicians mentioned lose power and die, and the threats come from somebody else. Whereas the main patriotic lyrics are seemingly eternal and they remain and they may still be sung and recorded.
The main part of the song is translated like that:
You are Lithuania, you are mine, you are beautiful Fatherland
Lithuania, you are mine, shalala homeland.
Old mother put me to sleep and carried me
And gives me away for war, aged 21
You are Lithuania, you are mine, you are beautiful Fatherland
Lithuania, you are mine, shalala Homeland.
(shalala here is a meaningless word to give rhyme/rthytm)
April 15th, 2018 - 13:55
What is the difference in meaning between Lietuva and Lietuvėla?
Also….
Mane sena motinėla
migde ir nešioja,
Dvidešint vienų
metelių karan dovanoja.
Panevežia slaunas miestas,
mūras mūravotas,
Ir kas metai mūsų brolių
prie mieros nustotas.
Ąžuolėli tu medeli,
kodėl nežaliuoji,
Brolukėli tu jaunasai,
kodėl nedainuoji
April 15th, 2018 - 14:37
Yes, I have translated the first four lines of this, as well as the refrain.
“Lietuvėla” is a diminutive of Lietuva. Actually, one of many forms of diminutives, others could be Lietuvytė, Lietuviukė and so on. English language does not have diminutives, except for a few words (e.g. “puppy” for “dog” or “kitty” for “cat”), while Lithuanian language has many diminutives for every word and they are especially common in folk songs. Basically, diminutives could carry the meaning of “little”, “lovely”, “beloved”, etc. So “Lietuvėla” would be best translated as “Lovely Lithuania” based on context.
Also, “Lietuvėla” is a dialect word. In fact, entire song is written in a dialect. The standard version would be “Lietuvėlė”, also “Panevėžio” instead of “Panevėžia”. Words like “slaunas”, “mieros” does not exist at all in standard modern Lithuanian.
Approximate translation of the rest of the song would be:
Old mother
Has put me to sleep and carries me
Aged 21,
She gives me away for war
The famous city of Panevėžys
Masonry built of bricks
And every year by our brothers
Stopped by peace(? – the real meaning of this is not fully clear to me)
Oak, you lovely tree,
Why don’t you have green leaves?
Lovely brother, you youngster,
Why don’t you sing?
(in all cases “lovely + some word” is an approximate translation of a diminutive)
August 19th, 2018 - 00:54
The name of the country – LIETUVA- is feminine, so it is MOTHERLAND ( NOT fatherland) .The vowel endings are generally feminine. If it was LietuvAS, then it would be masculine.
August 19th, 2018 - 07:09
The original Lithuanian word is “tėvynė”, from “tėvas” – “father”. In Lithuanian, there is no word “motinynė” derived from “mother”. There is an alternative word “gimtinė”, literally “birthland” but usually translated as “homeland”.
As the English language has no feminine and masculine genders, in the English language the word “Lithuania” has no gender at all. In Lithuanian, the use of “tėvynė” (Fatherland) is common for any country regardless of the grammatical gender of its name.
March 3rd, 2019 - 08:21
Thanks for your informative website.
I would like to find out the meaning of a song my Lithuanian grandmother, Amelia Kavalas sang to me as a child. Sorry, I can only write phonetically.
Gevet possibilia, geset possibilia
Staro a sedova zebik nimagu
Tra ra ra, Tra ra ra ra ra ra ra–
Staro a sedova zebik nimagu
If you can make any sense of this, I will be grateful.
March 4th, 2019 - 17:41
This song is not Lithuanian. It sounds Russian. In 1795-1915, 1940-1941 and 1944-1990 Lithuania were occupied by Russians (Russian Empire, then by the Soviet Union), therefore, many people who grew up in this era had to learn Russian language and songs as well. Even if some people were pro-independence or anti-Russian, they would often still remember the songs they learned in their childhood and sometimes sing them.
April 4th, 2019 - 19:33
ide like to thank you you were such a great help
January 15th, 2020 - 02:50
Hi:
I am trying to identify a song my grandfather used to sing to us as children. It began with the words: Ta la lee la, Ta la lee la, Ta la lee la la la.
My grandfather immigrated to the US in 1922 from Kubiskis. His sir name was Alekna.
My sister and I have tried to recreate the song and have a mp3 recording of what we could remember. I would be willing to send it out if it would be helpful in identifying the song.
May 4th, 2022 - 14:29
I would like to find a Lithuanian song about art
May 18th, 2022 - 11:52
What art in particular? Art in general is not a usual subject for songs…
August 7th, 2022 - 20:34
I am looking for the lyrics (and English translation if possible) to a sutartines which has as its refrain “Ciutela Ciutute”. I realize that these are most likely vocable or nonsense syllables. I have heard a version that transposes other lyrics onto the melody and i would like to find the original lyrics. I have used the melody as a basis for an original composition of my own, so knowing the original lyrics would be good. Thanks for any help or suggestion of where to look.
Stanley Chepaitis
August 31st, 2022 - 16:40
Maybe you can help me. I was taught 2 Lithuanian songs from Minor Lithuania. I still can sing them,and know roughly the translation,but I want to know if that is real Lithuanian language or curish Lithuanian. One song .. I have no idea how to write it .Nevena plauka irsasche Nele gir gir gir gar gar gar Irsasche nele… which means that ducks are swimming on the river Memel… I could even send you a sound file if that helps also with the other song I know about a major in a village or town. Thank you so much
November 2nd, 2022 - 10:37
https://youtu.be/coAGAPz2GaU this is quite similar altho this version is about ducks swimming on a lake.