Wake me up in the middle of the night, demand three Russia-themed songs, and I will probably give these:
Sting: Russians (1985)
Billy Joel: Leningrad (1989)
Scorpions: Wind of Change (1990)
Here’s a medley:
The world is closing in.
Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers?
We never knew what friends we had
Until we came to Leningrad.
Believe me when I say to you:
I hope the Russians love their children too.
We share the same biology, regardless of ideology.
These lines were written during the final phase, or right after the end, of the Cold War. Clearly, the theme is hope for communion with a former enemy, based on awareness of shared humanity.
And here’s the remake:
The world is going mad.
Did you ever think
A virus could divide us, like cattle?
We never knew that gas was bad
Until it came from Leningrad.
Believe me when I say to you:
Russian children transition too.
We don’t care about biology, that’s now our ideology.
It might not be the end, but it is an end. New beginnings require another generation (aka, 40 years in the desert). Gives me some hope regarding my prospective grandchildren.
Here's some real live Russian music that is guaranteed to crack a grin on even the grimmest of visages https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZrV4wbdnQ
A Russian Shirley Temple!