Title: Baron von der Pshik (Барон фон дер Пшик)Artist: Leonid Utyosov71 plays
“Baron von der Pshik” (“Барон фон дер Пшик”) performed by Leonid Utyosov, 1945 Composed by Sholom Secunda, arranged by Orest Kandat, lyrics by Anatoly Fidrovsky [download here]
There have been several songs with the tune [of “Bei Mir Bistu Shein”] in the Soviet Union. In 1943, a Russian-language song for the music was produced with satirical anti-Nazi lyrics titled “Baron Fon Der Pshik” (“Барон фон дер Пшик”) by Anatoli Fidrovsky, music arrangement by Orest Kandat. Initially it was recorded by the jazz orchestra (director Nikolay Minkh) of the Baltic Fleet Theatre; later it was included into the repertoire of Leonid Utyosov’s jazz orchestra. [x]
Lyrics in Russian and English:
Барон фон дер Пшик Покушать русский шпиг, Давно собирался и мечтал. Любил он очень шик, Стесняться не привык, Заранее о подвигах кричал.
Орал по радио, Что в Сталинграде он, Kак на параде он, И ест он шпиг. Что ест он и пьет, А шпиг подает Под клюквою развесистой мужик!
Барон фон дер Пшик Забыл про русский штык, А штык бить баронов не отвык. И бравый фон дер Пшик Попал на русский штык - Не русский, а немецкий вышел шпиг.
Мундир без хлястика, Разбита свастика. А, ну-ка, влезьте–ка На русский штык! Барон фон дер Пшик, Ну где твой прежний шик? Остался от барона только пшик! Капут!
Baron von der Pshik Long planned and dreamed Of eating Russian bacon. He loved his style, Wasn’t used to being shy, Screamed of his heroism in advance.
Yelled on the radio, That he’s in Stalingrad, As if he’s in a parade, And he’s eating bacon. That he eats and drinks, And he’s served bacon, By a man ender a cranberry tree!
Baron von der Pshik Forgot about Russian bayonets, But bayonets remember to hurt Barons. And brave von der Pshik Pushed himself onto a Russian bayonet - And it turned out to be not a Russian, but a German pig.
Uniform without a strap, A broken swastika. C’mon, jump On a Russian bayonet! Baron von der Pshik, Well, where is your former style? All the Baron’s got left is zilch! Kaput!
A bit of context to understand the translated lyrics (which, by the way, I tried to cobble together with my mom’s help and I welcome corrections!): the song’s repeated mentions of “Russian bacon” are a reference to Germans calling Russians “Russian swine.” A bayonet is a sword that fits over a rifle and turns the gun into a spear. So when the Baron leaps onto a Russian bayonet, “not a Russian, but a German pig” is supposed to mean that the Baron ‘caught’ on the bayonet is a ‘German swine.’
Sidor Belarsky, born Isidor Livshitz (February 12, 1898 – June 7, 1975), was a Ukrainian-American singer born to a Jewish family in Kryzhopol, Ukraine. (x)
Regina Spektor performing “Eli, Eli” by Hannah Sensesh
Lord, may it never end, The sand and the sea, The water swishing, The lightning in the sky, The prayer of man.The voice called, and I went. I went, because the voice called.
