TRANSLATIONS OF
VLADIMIR VYSOTSKY

SAMPLES: "Knight's Tale"



"Knight's Tale" ("Любовь В Средние Века," "Рыцарский Турнир," "Сто сарацинов я убил...") was written in 1969, as part of the "Love & Family Affairs In Different Eras" song cycle. In contrast to all other songs in the cycle, this one is very serious and dramatic, without a shadow of humor. When I was 15, this was one of my favorite songs (1970 version, with second guitar by Peter Todorovsky). In fact, this was my first ever translation of Vysotsky: my classmate Paul Shabash and I did it as part of the history project. As of today, there are only 6 lines remaining from the original version. I first recorded this song in the summer of 2005 in the UltraSky Studio with DJ Chkalov but was ultimately unsatisfied with the result. This time, I think, it came out much better. Added on 12/21/07.


  • Knight's Tale mp3


    • Music & lyrics: Vladimir Vysotsky

    Translation: Vadim Astrakhan (with special thanks to Paul Shabash)

    Arrangements & Production: Vadim Astrakhan & Polina Goudieva

    Mix: Eric Kvortek

    Vocals & acoustic guitar: Vadim Astrakhan

    Acoustic guitar: Thad DeBrock

    Keys: Polina Goudieva




    KNIGHT'S TALE

One hundred Saracens I killed to honor her!
One hundred deaths gone to the lady I adore!
But our king, deceitful sire,
Declared a tournament, that liar.
Kings of the world, to me, are rotten to the core!

Here is my opponent, the Royal Court’s First Knight.
The king has sent another one for me to fight.
But it is for her loving heart
My spear’s aiming so hard.
I don’t care for his royal tricks tonight.

A coat of arms is on his chest – a gallows pole.
Like in a sunken ship there I’ll make a hole.
The king may be his dear friend,
But, anyway, I’ll kill him, and
Today about the king I don’t care at all.

The king proclaimed:  “For him it'll be an easy win!”
“You rest in peace, my friend!” – he added with a grin.
When I’ll die and rot in grave,
The king will wed my dear dame.
Oh, God forgive me, I despise the king!

The sign is given, and so we begin.
We charge our horses, and we’re closing in.
No helmets worn, it will do.
The king’s excited with the view,
But still today I don’t care for the king!

It’s over finally.  The battlefield can rest.
His blood is spilled all over feather-grass.
The king’s as mad as one can be,
But now she belongs to me,
Today about the king I couldn’t care less!

No happy endings.  Our love was betrayed.
The king has sent me on a Holy Land crusade.
Neither of us could do a thing
We’re both vassals to the king.
For it’s too early not to care about kings.

(C) 2007 Vadim Astrakhan.  All rights reserved