Soviet Tankmen's Song
Encyclopedia
The Soviet Tankmen's Song is a popular tune originating in the Russian film A na Voine kak na Voine ("All's fair in love and war"), about the crew of an SU-100
self-propelled gun. It has no title and is referred to by its first line: Po Polyu Tanki Grokhotali ("Across the Field Tanks Thundered"). The song melody originated from the old Russian miners song "Sirens sounded alarm", popularized in the 1940 film "Big life". The lyrics of the song were replaced during World War II.
The tanks were rattling like a thunder
The soldiers went to their last fight
And here they carried young commander
With head all broken outright
An armor-piercer hit his vehicle,
So say good-bye to his Guards crew.
Just four more corpses in the hillside
Will add to fair morning view.
And as the vehicle is burning,
Wait for the shells to detonate.
You want to live and see next morning,
But you're too weak and it's too late.
When they extract us from the wreckage,
They'll put our bodies in a strip.
Then salvos by our turret gunners
Will set us down to our last trip.
Now mournful telegrams are flying
To every friend and relative
To read: "Your son will not be coming,
Nor will he ever get a leave."
His old mom will sob in a corner,
His dad will wipe a silent tear.
His fiancee will never learn now
What kind of end got her love dear.
And there's his photo in her old books
Collecting dust in their sad gloom,
His uniform with shoulder-straps on...
And he's no longer her bridegroom.
SU-100
The SU-100 was a Soviet tank destroyer. It was used extensively during the last year of World War II and saw service for many years afterwards with the armies of Soviet allies around the world.- Development :...
self-propelled gun. It has no title and is referred to by its first line: Po Polyu Tanki Grokhotali ("Across the Field Tanks Thundered"). The song melody originated from the old Russian miners song "Sirens sounded alarm", popularized in the 1940 film "Big life". The lyrics of the song were replaced during World War II.
English translation
English translation by Daniil VorobyevThe tanks were rattling like a thunder
The soldiers went to their last fight
And here they carried young commander
With head all broken outright
An armor-piercer hit his vehicle,
So say good-bye to his Guards crew.
Just four more corpses in the hillside
Will add to fair morning view.
And as the vehicle is burning,
Wait for the shells to detonate.
You want to live and see next morning,
But you're too weak and it's too late.
When they extract us from the wreckage,
They'll put our bodies in a strip.
Then salvos by our turret gunners
Will set us down to our last trip.
Now mournful telegrams are flying
To every friend and relative
To read: "Your son will not be coming,
Nor will he ever get a leave."
His old mom will sob in a corner,
His dad will wipe a silent tear.
His fiancee will never learn now
What kind of end got her love dear.
And there's his photo in her old books
Collecting dust in their sad gloom,
His uniform with shoulder-straps on...
And he's no longer her bridegroom.
See also
- March of the Soviet TankmenMarch of the Soviet TankmenMarch of the Soviet Tankmen is a military march composed in 1939 by the Pokrass brothers with lyrics by Laskin. It was commonly used as a Soviet propaganda song in World War II.- Lyrics :...
- Three Tankmen (Soviet song) — Russian: «Три танкиста (песня)».