Al may be the greatest living pure musical storyteller. Modern day bard. Master of transporting the listener to exotic locations throughout history. He’s up there with McCartney and Dylan in his ability to paint vivid images with lyrics.
Your first word after the sone finished was "Wow". That was exactly what I said when I first heard this song on the radio late one evening in 1973. Long tracks, like this, would sometimes be played after 10 pm on our local rock station and I still am mesmerized by this song so many years later. Great summary of the song Harri!
Hello friend, It's good that you brought something, especially this song in particular. I love music.I agree with you, because he had to investigate and to obtain all this information and thus share it with all your followers. Everything he say in this song is true because I like history all the time I read history okay have a nice day
Al Stewart is an accomplished student of history. He has a big library of songs (he wrote) from the Middle Ages to today. His “Coldest Winter In Memory,” about Charles of Sweden’s invasion of Russia is every bit as haunting and beautiful as “Roads to Moscow.” I highly recommend it.
Roads to Moscow is one of the most beautiful, intelligent, and lyrical popular songs ever and deserves much more attention. Also, Alexander Solzhenitsyn won a Nobel Prize for writing several of the 20thC's most important novels, including 2 that helped bring down the USSR. Thanks for making this video!!!
Our soldier was not released, he escaped. Stalin was not the kind of leader to care He was a mass murderer. Unfortunately during WW2 he was our mass murderer. " 2 Brocken tigers on fire in the night, flicker their souls to the wind". Lord if I had written that line I would die a happy.
This is one of the great songs about war. It is the only one that is not an anti-war song, but does not glorify war. There is one that stands above the rest. That is And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. It's worth a listen.
Thanks for this Harri, it's my favourite Al Stewart song and the most meticulously researched, he says that he read through something like 50 books for background. As you say, it's supposed to be about Alexandr Solzhenitzin (it's easier to say the English version than it looks although the Russian pronunciation is a little different). Alexandr was also the inspiration for Renaissance's "Mother Russia" which you reviewed some time ago. Josef Stalin is often looked upon as a benign leader who turned the tide of the war. Nothing is further from the truth. Both Hitler and Stalin were very similar in their political views, but Stalin was the more ruthless. The Soviets managed to turn the tables on Hitler for three reasons - first, they received considerable help from the allies; second, the Russian winter bogged down their tanks and exposed the shortcomings of their supply chain and finally, the Soviet soldiers were more afraid of what the Communists would do to them and their families than they were of the Nazis. The Russians savagely occupied most of Eastern Europe and were only halted at Berlin when they were faced with the allied forces. The return to the Soviet Union which many had dreamed of turned sour when the Communists dragged their political opponents, those who they considered untrustworthy and the Cossacks from the trains and sent them to the Gulags in Siberia where they worked as slave labour in concentration camps until they were killed, died or in some cases released but notv set free. Solzhenitzin was sentenced to eight years in the Gulags and then internal exile during which time he wrote "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch" and "The Gulag Archipelago" which are essential reading about the insanity and terror within the Soviet Union. Both works were influential in Eastern Europe (when available) and the west. The books saved Solzhenitzin, because he was exiled in 1974 and lived in West Germany, Switzerland and the United States which he denounced for its decadence and finally was allowed to move back to Russia in 1994 and died there in 2008. One blot in his life is that he was an early supporter of Putin although I think that had he lived, he would have turned against him and his savagery. All in all, a brilliant song.
Wow! Thanks for your comment! You won't find any current artists researching books for a narrative song based on true events! Thanks again for sharing that information!
That is helpful historical background, so it's surprising that you are all wet about Putin. Too many Americans buy into the media propaganda painting him as some ruthless KGB thug, when he is simply a consumate diplomat, doing his job very well. (The economic recovery and growth of Russia since 2001 proves that.) Those who think Ukraine is being abused by Russia should know about this background information: First, NATO broke its promise (made in 1991) not to expand past Berlin. Since 1991, about nine eastern European countries have joined NATO, taking the alliance far eastward. A NATO-aligned Ukraine would be on the actual border of Russia. Putin has warned about the consequences of such encroachment for more than 15 years. NATO offers no benefit to Ukraine; the US has simply been trying to antagonize Russia. Second, literal Nazis are in control of Ukraine -- people whose grandparents assisted Hitler, and massacred thousands of Jews. Well over 20 million Russians died in WW II; if there is anything they will not tolerate, it is having Nazis on their border. (Zelensky is a powerless puppet who has no control over them whatsoever.) Finally, Crimea and the entire eastern part of Ukraine is ethnically Russian. They were shelled (rockets, mortars, and artillery) for eight years between the US-backed Maidan coup in 2014 and Russia's intervention in 2022. Around 10,000 people died, so Putin had a completely legitimate humanitarian right and obligation to protect Donbas from Nazi slaughter. Any immorality in this conflict rests squarely on the shoulders of Ukrainian Nazis, US/UK puppet Zelensky (who destroyed his country for foreign interests), and the U.S. government -- principally warmongering neoconservatives like Victoria Nuland and corrupt leeches like Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
I read his books in the late 70's, or early 80's, and saw the TV movie on "One Day in the Life" with Jason Robards. People who find history boring are the ones who never understand that Life is a constant struggle, and not a spectator's sport. Slava Ukraine.
This is such an extraordinary and evocative song, brilliantly imagined and brought to life by Al Stewart. You truly get the feeling you f the 4 year journey of the soldier, and the ebb and flow of the war, surviving the horrors only to be betrayed by his own soul de at the end. Another episode song steeped in history and allegory by Stewart I recommend in Nostradamus.
This is a most incredible song . Thanks for reacting to it. Your honesty and willingness to reaction to a great variety of music is a great combination. Cheers!
All songs on Past, Present, Future were written by Al Stewart. On the Sleeve notes inside the album cover, he originally set out to write a song representing each decade of the twentieth century. He achieved this marvelously. If you can find the sleeve notes somewhere they will explain each song. It would take up too much space here. Great review. Great explanation by Paul Dover on the meaning of Roads To Moscow.
Thank you for the historical education you provide. November 12 is Remembrance Day to honor the 500,000 Allied deaths in The War to End All Wars - WWI - and WW II which defended the evils of Nazi-ism and fascism. Winston Churchill was the Global Indispensable Man who had to fight his own countrymen, who understandably, did not want repeat the loss of blood and treasure of WW One. There is an ancient Latin maxim which translates: If you want peace, prepare for war Thank you for introducing young people to the sacrifices of the last 100 years in defense of freedom - imperfect as it is.
I first heard the album 'Past, present and future' in 1978. I was punk generation, age 15. But this set my mind and heart down a different road-not better than the artists i already admired but simply different and just as important. Roads to Moscow blew me away and I'm absolutely certain i could have created the first selfie video, enacting the whole lyrical scene in my bedroom mirror. Al Stewart actually led me to a love of history, as well. What a poet, writer, lyricist, musician, story teller. What an ARTIST.
Captured, released but they had contact with the West. The special trains did not take them home. Rather, they went to the Gulags ... Eventually to die as slave laborers in the frozen Gulag system. Very powerful and evocative. Al often writes songs about real people and events throughout history. He is brilliant and one of a kind. He also LOVES fine wine. He did an album, Down in the Cellar all about wine ... Brilliant. Cheers, Harri from the steamy heat of the Nicaraguan jungle.
I am not sure that the person in the song had been released by the Germans. The lyric is also consistent with him escaping because of a lucky break. Imagine spending the rest of your life in a gulag because you were able to break out of a prisoner of war camp. Stalin was a special kind of evil.
I dunno about that. Most Americans have never heard of him, and he’s not considered a commercial act over here because he’s an acoustic folk troubadour and there’s just no radio stations that run that sort of thing. But I saw him at an outdoor concert once in Florida and there were hundreds of people there who were totally into it. Also: one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my life
Al Stewart has many songs about our history. This part of our history is very important for all of us to remember, whether we like it or not. Lots of people gave their lives for the freedom that we enjoy so much. Never take that for granted. Freedom is not free. It was paid for in blood and given to you and I.
Al got the idea from The Gulag Archipelago by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Many of his songs deal with historical events, particularly the period 1919-1950s
I always have a strong reaction to this song. If you understand the history behind the song, you then understand why everyone loses in war, and it must be avoided if at all possible.
Having grown up in the post WWII era, these events are still etched into my mind. This is an amazing song capturing the feeling from the Russian perspective.
This one is the best song from a great album, 'Past Present Future'. Best album of the year but hard to pigeonhole for radio stations. You do songs other reactors don't cover and I like that.
Stewart has said at concerts that this song is about Alexander Solzhenitsyn. I was curious if smooth jazz great Peter White was the one playing acoustic guitar but couldn't find anything. It was probably Stewart and probably before White started working with Stewart. White co-wrote "Year of the Cat" if I remember correctly.
The arrangement is beautiful, vocal harmony, crescendos and diminuendos expressing so much. I love the touch Isaac Guillory has on his guitar. evoking such feeling. I believe this to be Al Stewart's 'magnum opus'. He did so many beautiful things but I never quite appreciated them in the same way as this composition. I liked the innocence of 'Denise at Sixteen', just an innocent guitar instrumental and quite moving. Unfortunately, I can't appreciate his oeuvre is the same light. - Thanks for your reaction Harri, and God bless!
On the notes on the album cover it stated that Al wanted to write a song about each decade after the war. Nostradamus was also on this album which loosely ties in with later decades. This whole album is so well written and performed. Al Stewarts lyrics are truly amazing.
Oh man! All these years I’ve had to that album, since it was new, loved the music of that song, and never knew the connection to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. After being shipped off to Siberia, to the Gulag, he managed to do rather a lot of writing, and became known as a dissident. In the mid 1970s these was a well known book of his circulating, a VERY long and rough read - I never did finish it although I most likely still have it. After getting somewhere near halfway through I had to shelve it, and not for the usual reasons. Gulag Archipelago.
The truth of the Russian soldiers who fought that war is harsh beyond belief. Often they were conscripted (press ganged really), given very little training, put on a cattle train and sent to fight a brutal well trained and well equipped enemy. When they got to the front they were often sent straight into battle with obsolete rifles and little to no ammuntion, or food. They would have to forage and rob the dead to survive. When the Red Army went on the offensive, especially early in the war, NKVD troops (later called the KGB) would summarily shoot anyone caught or even suspected of retreating. After the war, any Russian soldier liberated from German prison camps was shipped off to the Gulags. I knew a fair bit about WW2 in Russia (The Great Patriotic War as it is known in Russia) when I first heard this song, it was a gut punch.
I’m surprised you mentioned Alexander Solzhenitsyn! He was sent to the Siberian gulag because his letter complaining about the war was intercepted and read by the censors. He was made famous by his book the Gulag Archipelago detailing his horrific experiences there. A really good song that honors him is a song by the group Renaissance called Mother Russia. Give a listen, it’s a fantastic song!
Would be better if you could get the Lyrics from Lyrica so you could read along. The story,is gripping. Soldier was put back on a train sent deep into Siberia to a "transient camp" to die. Solsenietsen,did not die. Says,last line" and I wonder when I'll see home again,and my mind whispers "never",and the steely gray Russian Skies go on Forever"... Incredible.
The song never states that he was turned over by the Germans. It says, "they only held me for a day, a lucky break I say, they lean and listen closer". He never finishes the story. He could have escaped and went back to the front line. It was the end of the war and the German army was in disarray. It wasn't just soldiers that were captured and released. It was almost every Russian soldier that was captured was sent to the gulag. Even if they were liberated by their own army or they had escaped German captivity..
You may not like to think about the war but you would not be sitting doing a UA-cam Channel if these men didn’t g fight for your freedom. The British and Americans allowed freedom to continue for us to be free. War needs to be always thought of. We can’t forget. We owe our very existence to the greatest generation. So how ever painful it is to learn we must always keep our children aware.
Stalin would not even negotiate for the release of his own son when he was captured. A very complicated and dangerous individual. Funny though, as much as a sociopath and narcissist as he was, even Truman admired him as a man of his word, and that's what shocked Stalin that Hitler wasn't the same. This is what ART is about.
Al doesn't write songs about war, he writes songs about history. And unfortunately war is a big part of history. It always has been and it seems it always will be.
The closed captions are ridiculously bad. The music and lyrics are sublime. The Russians forgot what the Ukrainians did to slow down the Nazis so they couldn't take Moscow in the first year of the war. They never did... the Ukrainian will to fight against all odds hasn't change since WW2.
This is a history lesson put to music. Absolutely brilliant
Yes, schools should teach with music like this as well as books, the kids might remember and understand things better....
My favorite song of all the songs in the world. Still makes me cry. First heard it on the King Biscuit Flour Hour back in 1975ish.
Al may be the greatest living pure musical storyteller. Modern day bard. Master of transporting the listener to exotic locations throughout history. He’s up there with McCartney and Dylan in his ability to paint vivid images with lyrics.
Stunning song. Thanks for the reaction! The guitar in particular is so haunting, matching beautifully with the tragic lyrics.
Such a timely song. It's my favorite Al Stewart song. Thanks for reacting to it.
Listen to The Murmansk Run by Al Stewart .. Even better.
Al Stewart combines great music and historical narrative ❤️
Al Stewart is in a sub-genre all his own!
Your first word after the sone finished was "Wow". That was exactly what I said when I first heard this song on the radio late one evening in 1973. Long tracks, like this, would sometimes be played after 10 pm on our local rock station and I still am mesmerized by this song so many years later. Great summary of the song Harri!
Hello friend, It's good that you brought something, especially this song in particular. I love music.I agree with you, because he had to investigate and to obtain all this information and thus share it with all your followers. Everything he say in this song is true because I like history all the time I read history okay have a nice day
Al Stewart is an accomplished student of history. He has a big library of songs (he wrote) from the Middle Ages to today. His “Coldest Winter In Memory,” about Charles of Sweden’s invasion of Russia is every bit as haunting and beautiful as “Roads to Moscow.” I highly recommend it.
Eloquent reaction to an amazing performance.
I couldn’t read the info boxes either.
Roads to Moscow is one of the most beautiful, intelligent, and lyrical popular songs ever and deserves much more attention. Also, Alexander Solzhenitsyn won a Nobel Prize for writing several of the 20thC's most important novels, including 2 that helped bring down the USSR. Thanks for making this video!!!
Damn. I never knew until today this was about Solzhenitsyn. Always took it as about an innocent soldier betrayed. Makes sense now.
@@annabodot962 Solzhenitsyn WAS an innocent soldier betrayed.
I didn’t know that. What a man Solzhenitsyn must have been. To not be broken by his experiences.
Our soldier was not released, he escaped. Stalin was not the kind of leader to care
He was a mass murderer. Unfortunately during WW2 he was our mass murderer.
" 2 Brocken tigers on fire in the night, flicker their souls to the wind". Lord if I had written that line I would die a happy.
This is one of the great songs about war. It is the only one that is not an anti-war song, but does not glorify war. There is one that stands above the rest. That is And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. It's worth a listen.
Thanks for this Harri, it's my favourite Al Stewart song and the most meticulously researched, he says that he read through something like 50 books for background. As you say, it's supposed to be about Alexandr Solzhenitzin (it's easier to say the English version than it looks although the Russian pronunciation is a little different). Alexandr was also the inspiration for Renaissance's "Mother Russia" which you reviewed some time ago.
Josef Stalin is often looked upon as a benign leader who turned the tide of the war. Nothing is further from the truth. Both Hitler and Stalin were very similar in their political views, but Stalin was the more ruthless. The Soviets managed to turn the tables on Hitler for three reasons - first, they received considerable help from the allies; second, the Russian winter bogged down their tanks and exposed the shortcomings of their supply chain and finally, the Soviet soldiers were more afraid of what the Communists would do to them and their families than they were of the Nazis.
The Russians savagely occupied most of Eastern Europe and were only halted at Berlin when they were faced with the allied forces.
The return to the Soviet Union which many had dreamed of turned sour when the Communists dragged their political opponents, those who they considered untrustworthy and the Cossacks from the trains and sent them to the Gulags in Siberia where they worked as slave labour in concentration camps until they were killed, died or in some cases released but notv set free.
Solzhenitzin was sentenced to eight years in the Gulags and then internal exile during which time he wrote "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch" and "The Gulag Archipelago" which are essential reading about the insanity and terror within the Soviet Union. Both works were influential in Eastern Europe (when available) and the west. The books saved Solzhenitzin, because he was exiled in 1974 and lived in West Germany, Switzerland and the United States which he denounced for its decadence and finally was allowed to move back to Russia in 1994 and died there in 2008.
One blot in his life is that he was an early supporter of Putin although I think that had he lived, he would have turned against him and his savagery.
All in all, a brilliant song.
Wow! Thanks for your comment! You won't find any current artists researching books for a narrative song based on true events! Thanks again for sharing that information!
That is helpful historical background, so it's surprising that you are all wet about Putin. Too many Americans buy into the media propaganda painting him as some ruthless KGB thug, when he is simply a consumate diplomat, doing his job very well. (The economic recovery and growth of Russia since 2001 proves that.) Those who think Ukraine is being abused by Russia should know about this background information:
First, NATO broke its promise (made in 1991) not to expand past Berlin. Since 1991, about nine eastern European countries have joined NATO, taking the alliance far eastward. A NATO-aligned Ukraine would be on the actual border of Russia. Putin has warned about the consequences of such encroachment for more than 15 years. NATO offers no benefit to Ukraine; the US has simply been trying to antagonize Russia.
Second, literal Nazis are in control of Ukraine -- people whose grandparents assisted Hitler, and massacred thousands of Jews. Well over 20 million Russians died in WW II; if there is anything they will not tolerate, it is having Nazis on their border. (Zelensky is a powerless puppet who has no control over them whatsoever.)
Finally, Crimea and the entire eastern part of Ukraine is ethnically Russian. They were shelled (rockets, mortars, and artillery) for eight years between the US-backed Maidan coup in 2014 and Russia's intervention in 2022. Around 10,000 people died, so Putin had a completely legitimate humanitarian right and obligation to protect Donbas from Nazi slaughter.
Any immorality in this conflict rests squarely on the shoulders of Ukrainian Nazis, US/UK puppet Zelensky (who destroyed his country for foreign interests), and the U.S. government -- principally warmongering neoconservatives like Victoria Nuland and corrupt leeches like Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
I read his books in the late 70's, or early 80's, and saw the TV movie on "One Day in the Life" with Jason Robards. People who find history boring are the ones who never understand that Life is a constant struggle, and not a spectator's sport. Slava Ukraine.
You should hire me to do the correct translations on the screen
I have loved this song since I first heard it many moons ago. Thanks for your reaction ❤
This is such an extraordinary and evocative song, brilliantly imagined and brought to life by Al Stewart. You truly get the feeling you f the 4 year journey of the soldier, and the ebb and flow of the war, surviving the horrors only to be betrayed by his own soul de at the end.
Another episode song steeped in history and allegory by Stewart I recommend in Nostradamus.
Great reaction Harri! Al Stewart's music is in a genre of its own.
When you look in a dictionary for the word "Masterpiece" it simply says "Roads to Moscow" (Or at least should).
Not too many people do reactions to this one. Thank you for sharing yours. Such a hauntingly beautiful song.
The subtitles are awful
This is a most incredible song . Thanks for reacting to it. Your honesty and willingness to reaction to a great variety of music is a great combination. Cheers!
All songs on Past, Present, Future were written by Al Stewart. On the Sleeve notes inside the album cover, he originally set out to write a song representing each decade of the twentieth century. He achieved this marvelously. If you can find the sleeve notes somewhere they will explain each song. It would take up too much space here. Great review. Great explanation by Paul Dover on the meaning of Roads To Moscow.
Tim Renwick playing some fine guitar!
One of my favourite artists ever.
Never get tired of hearing this very atmospheric song from the 1970s
My favorite type of music, that tells a story, especially historical stories.
Thank you for the historical education you provide.
November 12 is Remembrance Day to honor the 500,000 Allied deaths in The War to End All Wars - WWI - and WW II which defended the evils of Nazi-ism and fascism.
Winston Churchill was the Global Indispensable Man who had to fight his own countrymen, who understandably, did not want repeat the loss of blood and treasure of WW One.
There is an ancient Latin maxim which translates:
If you want peace, prepare for war
Thank you for introducing young people to the sacrifices of the last 100 years in defense of freedom - imperfect as it is.
Everything he does is amazing but this is my fav Al Stewart song of all time. Try Night Train to Munich for another great WW2 song.
I first heard the album 'Past, present and future' in 1978. I was punk generation, age 15. But this set my mind and heart down a different road-not better than the artists i already admired but simply different and just as important.
Roads to Moscow blew me away and I'm absolutely certain i could have created the first selfie video, enacting the whole lyrical scene in my bedroom mirror. Al Stewart actually led me to a love of history, as well.
What a poet, writer, lyricist, musician, story teller.
What an ARTIST.
Captured, released but they had contact with the West. The special trains did not take them home. Rather, they went to the Gulags ... Eventually to die as slave laborers in the frozen Gulag system. Very powerful and evocative. Al often writes songs about real people and events throughout history. He is brilliant and one of a kind. He also LOVES fine wine. He did an album, Down in the Cellar all about wine ... Brilliant. Cheers, Harri from the steamy heat of the Nicaraguan jungle.
"Harri from the steamy heat of the Nicaraguan jungle." Further explication is needed.
I live in the hot and steamy jungle in Nicaragua. Cheers!
I am not sure that the person in the song had been released by the Germans. The lyric is also consistent with him escaping because of a lucky break. Imagine spending the rest of your life in a gulag because you were able to break out of a prisoner of war camp. Stalin was a special kind of evil.
Al rates as good as any song writer of his era. His lyrics were over the heads of the general listening populatin in America.
I dunno about that. Most Americans have never heard of him, and he’s not considered a commercial act over here because he’s an acoustic folk troubadour and there’s just no radio stations that run that sort of thing. But I saw him at an outdoor concert once in Florida and there were hundreds of people there who were totally into it. Also: one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my life
I had the album Past, Present, Future. I was fascinated by this song, hauntingly beautiful. It did give you history and facts on the songs.
Great song and reaction. However at mark 10:53 I notice a womans face in the trees. Now that was awesome! Love from Texas!!!
Crazy fun fact.
Was played very prominently in the lepisode sode of the show Our Flag Means Death!
Lol
Al Stewart has many songs about our history. This part of our history is very important for all of us to remember, whether we like it or not. Lots of people gave their lives for the freedom that we enjoy so much. Never take that for granted. Freedom is not free. It was paid for in blood and given to you and I.
Al got the idea from The Gulag Archipelago by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Many of his songs deal with historical events, particularly the period 1919-1950s
I always have a strong reaction to this song. If you understand the history behind the song, you then understand why everyone loses in war, and it must be avoided if at all possible.
I remember this from when it was new. Sadly, it never seems to end there (and elsewhere)..but Ukraine is a lot of the same actual ground.
Having grown up in the post WWII era, these events are still etched into my mind. This is an amazing song capturing the feeling from the Russian perspective.
Irrespective of the expansive text, the lyrics are powerful enough.
This one is the best song from a great album, 'Past Present Future'. Best album of the year but hard to pigeonhole for radio stations. You do songs other reactors don't cover and I like that.
Such beautiful music and singing, but a painful story to listen to.
Al Stewert is a gift to us all.
Stewart has said at concerts that this song is about Alexander Solzhenitsyn. I was curious if smooth jazz great Peter White was the one playing acoustic guitar but couldn't find anything. It was probably Stewart and probably before White started working with Stewart. White co-wrote "Year of the Cat" if I remember correctly.
The two acoustic guitars were played by Al Stewart and Tim Renwick.
Pretty accurate description of the War on the eastern front.
How do you spell Alexandra' last name? He reminds me of somebody I have heard about.
Alexandr Solzhenitzin was a great writer and won the Nobel prize
His brutal writing ultimately brought down the Berlin Wall and ended the massacre once and for all. Or so we thought,
Al Stewart’s use of historical imagery, exotic instrumentation coupled with such beautiful harmonies make for an iconic and unique song!
Mad props for reacting to this gem. This is Al's best song.
P.S., The ending is chilling.
The arrangement is beautiful, vocal harmony, crescendos and diminuendos expressing so much. I love the touch Isaac Guillory has on his guitar. evoking such feeling. I believe this to be Al Stewart's 'magnum opus'. He did so many beautiful things but I never quite appreciated them in the same way as this composition. I liked the innocence of 'Denise at Sixteen', just an innocent guitar instrumental and quite moving. Unfortunately, I can't appreciate his oeuvre is the same light. - Thanks for your reaction Harri, and God bless!
On the notes on the album cover it stated that Al wanted to write a song about each decade after the war. Nostradamus was also on this album which loosely ties in with later decades. This whole album is so well written and performed. Al Stewarts lyrics are truly amazing.
Oh man! All these years I’ve had to that album, since it was new, loved the music of that song, and never knew the connection to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. After being shipped off to Siberia, to the Gulag, he managed to do rather a lot of writing, and became known as a dissident. In the mid 1970s these was a well known book of his circulating, a VERY long and rough read - I never did finish it although I most likely still have it. After getting somewhere near halfway through I had to shelve it, and not for the usual reasons. Gulag Archipelago.
The truth of the Russian soldiers who fought that war is harsh beyond belief. Often they were conscripted (press ganged really), given very little training, put on a cattle train and sent to fight a brutal well trained and well equipped enemy. When they got to the front they were often sent straight into battle with obsolete rifles and little to no ammuntion, or food. They would have to forage and rob the dead to survive. When the Red Army went on the offensive, especially early in the war, NKVD troops (later called the KGB) would summarily shoot anyone caught or even suspected of retreating. After the war, any Russian soldier liberated from German prison camps was shipped off to the Gulags. I knew a fair bit about WW2 in Russia (The Great Patriotic War as it is known in Russia) when I first heard this song, it was a gut punch.
Ignore the pictures and listen again...
I love your reactions very intelligent and you get it. Thank you!
I’m surprised you mentioned Alexander Solzhenitsyn!
He was sent to the Siberian gulag because his letter complaining about the war was intercepted and read by the censors.
He was made famous by his book the Gulag Archipelago detailing his horrific experiences there.
A really good song that honors him is a song by the group Renaissance called Mother Russia. Give a listen, it’s a fantastic song!
Subscribed!
Would be better if you could get the Lyrics from Lyrica so you could read along. The story,is gripping. Soldier was put back on a train sent deep into Siberia to a "transient camp" to die. Solsenietsen,did not die. Says,last line" and I wonder when I'll see home again,and my mind whispers "never",and the steely gray Russian Skies go on Forever"...
Incredible.
if not for FM radio back in the mid 70's this never gets played but it did at that time, FM music as such no longer exist.
Yes. FM radio mid 70s. Progressive rock station is where I first heard this. Always been a fan of AL. RoadsTo Moscow always my favorite.
Check out Broadway Hotel
Was he not a Russian partisan, or the perspective thereof? Not a German, a Russian I thought. It was good seeing him perform it live also.
The song never states that he was turned over by the Germans. It says, "they only held me for a day, a lucky break I say, they lean and listen closer". He never finishes the story. He could have escaped and went back to the front line. It was the end of the war and the German army was in disarray. It wasn't just soldiers that were captured and released. It was almost every Russian soldier that was captured was sent to the gulag. Even if they were liberated by their own army or they had escaped German captivity..
You may not like to think about the war but you would not be sitting doing a UA-cam Channel if these men didn’t g fight for your freedom. The British and Americans allowed freedom to continue for us to be free. War needs to be always thought of. We can’t forget. We owe our very existence to the greatest generation. So how ever painful it is to learn we must always keep our children aware.
of course he wrote the song.
Stalin would not even negotiate for the release of his own son when he was captured. A very complicated and dangerous individual. Funny though, as much as a sociopath and narcissist as he was, even Truman admired him as a man of his word, and that's what shocked Stalin that Hitler wasn't the same. This is what ART is about.
Al doesn't write songs about war, he writes songs about history. And unfortunately war is a big part of history. It always has been and it seems it always will be.
Past, Present, and Future was the album. Are we condemned to repeat history over and over and over? Good God, it sure seems so.
The closed captions are ridiculously bad. The music and lyrics are sublime. The Russians forgot what the Ukrainians did to slow down the Nazis so they couldn't take Moscow in the first year of the war. They never did... the Ukrainian will to fight against all odds hasn't change since WW2.
This was a Russian soldiers personal account of this battle defeating the German army to help turn the tide of the war against Hitler.
Soul shin eat zin is, I think, how you pronounce it?
The lyrics are wrong throughout the song the translation from some foreigner are screws up the song