Top 8 Russian drinking songs for the New Year

Long before karaoke was invented, singing at the table was an integral part of Russian culture. We have made up a list of all the most popular Russian drinking songs. 

Oiy da ne vecher (Oiy, it’s not evening yet)

This is a song about the Cossack leader Stepan Razin, who lived in the 17th century and led a major rebellion against the Tsar near the Volga River. In the song, Razin is complaining that he couldn’t sleep well and is singing about his dream.

Sigmund Freud had not been born yet, so Razin is trying to interpret his dream using various people’s methods. This song was first written down by folk-specialists in the Ural region around the 1880s where it was dictated by an old Cossack. Today it is performed by the Kazachiy Krug ensemble. 

Kazachiy Krug - Oiy, it’s not evening yet. Source: YouTube

Oiy moroz, moroz (Oiy, it’s freezing, it’s freezing)

This is a request to the winter cold not to freeze the traveller and his horse, while they are on the road, because his beautiful wife is waiting for him at home. It is as if this song came out of nowhere. The singer Maria Morozova-Uvarova had confirmed that she was the one who had written it in 1954. After that nobody could either argue against this fact or prove it. It is performed by Valery Zolotuhin (from the movie Lord of the Taiga region).

Valery Zolotuhin - Oiy, it’s freezing, it’s freezing. Source: YouTube

Povorot (A turn)

What does a new turn on the road bring us? What about a turn in life? We won’t know until we actually turn… It is one of the most popular songs performed by legendary rock-group Mashina vremeni. The music is by Alexander Kutikov and the lyrics by Andrei Makarevich, both are the group’s front men. 

Time’s Machine - A turn. Source: YouTube

Cherniy voron (The black raven)

This is a folk song of the Cossacks. The main hero compares his death to a black bird, which is flying in circles over his head. He is sure that if he sings this song, then his bad fate will give way to good fate. This song was first heard in 1934 the movie Chapayev – it was sung by the actor Boris Babochkin. 

Boris Babochkin - The black raven. Source: YouTube

Ocharovana – okoldovana (Charmed and enchanted)

This is a lyrical song about a loved one. The music is composed by Mikhail Zvezdinskiy, performer of criminal world songs and city art songs and the lyrics are written by Russian poet Nikolai Zabolotskiy.  

Mikhail Zvezdinskiy - Charmed and enchanted. Source: YouTube

Trava u doma (Grass near the house)

This is a song from the early 1980s about the tough lives of cosmonauts. The main idea is that it’s really great to be out in space, but nevertheless, at home it’s always going to be better. Even when we are far away travelling in the galaxy, we still dream about the grass near our houses.  Composed by Vladimir Migul, with lyrics by Anatoliy Poperechniy, this song is performed by the group Zemlyane. Here is a rather interesting fact – in 2009 the Russian Federal Space Agency named this song the official hymn of Russian cosmonautics. 

Zemlyane - Grass near the house. Source: YouTube

Kak upoitelni v Rossii vechera (Oh, how ravishing the evenings are in Russia)

This song is about the fact that Russian nature is beautiful, especially right before and after the sunset. The singer is nostalgic about Russia’s noble society of the 19th century when officers drank champagne, women danced at balls and it was just great to be an aristocrat. This song was written in the late 1990s. Music by Alexander Dobronravov, lines by Victor Pelenyagre. This song is performed by the group Beliy Orel. 

Beliy Orel - Oh, how ravishing the evenings are in Russia. Source: YouTube

Vsyo budet horosho (Everything’s going to be alright)

Everything’s going to be alright, especially if you have some alcohol and then paint the town red. This song is written by the Kiev-born actor and musician Andrei Danilko, who usually performs as his female comic character Verka Serdyuchka. In 2007 he finished in second place when taking part in the Eurovision contest (singing another song). 

Verka Serdyuchka - Everything’s going to be alright. Source: YouTube

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