Lyr Req: Midnight in Moscow

Subject: Midnight in Moscow
From: Doog O'Donnell
Date: 22 Jun 98 - 11:38 PM

This song was recorded about the late 60's. it was done as both a instrumental and also avocal version.I would appreciate if someone could lead me to getting the lyrics of this song. Thanks very much.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Roger Himler
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 07:47 AM

Doog,

I have a vague memory of a song from that era that I recall as "Moscow Nights." It was done by either the Chad Mitchell Trio or the the Limelighters. Is that what you are looking for? That song is in the DT. Just type in Moscow at the top of the page where it says "Search the DigiTrad Database. It will be about the 7th hit. Hope this is what you are looking for.

Good luck with the song.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Earl
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 08:51 AM

I think the instumental version was by the Village Stompers (which of course is no help with the lyrics)

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 09:25 AM

I seem to recall the most popular version of this in the UK was by Kenny Ball and his jazzmen. It's a long time since I heard it, but I think they may also have done the vocal version.

Mick

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Earl
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 11:50 AM

After some thought, I believe I was wrong about the Village Stompers.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Darlene
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 02:26 PM

You were right about the Village Stompers doing the instrumental version. It is also known as Moscow Nights and is widely sung in Russia. My husband and I perform at Renaissance Festivals and he used to sing it in Russian. We met this lovely Russian woman who was visiting at the Texas Renaissance Festival, and as my husband played the guitar, she sang the lyrics - in Russian. What a lovely voice and gracious woman. (My husband has never sung it in Russian again!)

In English, the lyrics begin something like this: "Stillness in the grove, not a rustling sound. Softly shines the moon clear and bright. My dear if you could know, how I love you so, in this beautiful Moscow night."

I hope this helps.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: bigj
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 05:09 PM

If my memory serves me well - and it does'nt always these days - on one of Sing Out's anniversary issues, they produced a free plastic 45 rpm on the cover. It contained versions of songs appearing in that issue, so if you can get hold (beg, borrow) one of those issues you might overcome your problem.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Earl
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 05:38 PM

My mind works better when I don't think.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow (Moscow Nights)
From: Doog O'Donnell
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 11:49 PM

To Roger Himler, Thanks very much for your help. That was the song I have been looking for quite a few years.Now that you mentioned it I believe it was recorded by the Chad Mitchell Trio.I appreciate your fast and accurate response. I would like to thank everyone else who responded. Doog in Wisconsin

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: jehill
Date: 24 Jun 98 - 10:19 AM

The instrumental version was by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. The English vocal version was called "Under Moscow Skies" not "Moscow nights". Hope that helps a bit. Can't remember who by though ... sorry. The vocal version wwas not very successful outside of Russia.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Jun 98 - 03:31 PM

Both MoscowNights and a somewhat dated, but excellent parody called "Afghanistan" are--where else?-- in the DT database.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 09 May 08 - 09:57 AM

For being one of the most iconic Russian 'folksongs', Moscow Nights' compsoer, Solovyov-Sedoy, was ridiculed by the artistic establishment for writing drivel like that.

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Megan L
Date: 09 May 08 - 11:31 AM

Found this version on youtube Lovely version

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Megan L
Date: 09 May 08 - 11:39 AM

Here it is sung in russian by one of the finest bass singers of the last century a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1qEMN6b_4kU">Ivan Rebroff

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 09 May 08 - 01:33 PM

I'm not sure if this is what Doog O'Donnell is looking for, but considering the song title he posted and the time frame.......

In March 1962, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen reached both #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the UK Singles Chart, with "Midnight in Moscow".

Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen

Charlotte R

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 09 May 08 - 01:49 PM

I forgot to say that the first one to sing the song was a young artist, Vladimir Troshin, in 1958. When Mark Bernes turned it down, Troshin begged Solovyov-Sedoy for it.
Here is Podmoskovnye Vechera in Russian, performed by a much older Troshin.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CC0wsBzHrzc

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: Joe_F
Date: 09 May 08 - 09:18 PM

Amusingly, the song has been translated in time & space as well as in language. "Podmoskovnye vechera" means "evenings in the suburbs of Moscow".

The second stanza is beautiful in Russian, but untranslatable. Literally it says "The river moves and doesn't move, all of moon silver. It's hard to express, and not to express, what is in my heart." The lover's hesitation between speaking & remaining silent is likened to the intermittent motion of the water's surface. (Or at least, so I understand it -- I don't know much Russian.)

Subject: RE: Midnight in Moscow
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 10 May 08 - 10:35 AM

Matusovsky was an amazing poet, Solovyov-Sedoy once said that there is so much music in his lyrics that the melodies write themselves.

Subject: Lyr Add: MOSCOW NIGHTS / MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 May 08 - 12:50 AM

Information from Wikipedia:

"Podmoskovnye Vechera" (Russian: "„P„€„t„}„€„ƒ„{„€„r„~„쳌„u „B„u„‰„u„‚„p", English: "Moscow Nights" or, more correctly, "Evenings of Moscow's Suburbs") - Russian lyrics by Mikhail Matusovsky, music by Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy, 1955. The British jazz group, Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, had a hit with the song in 1961 under the title "Midnight in Moscow."

Russian lyrics and an English translation from http://www.pitt.edu/~slavic/sli/admin/moscow.html:

„P„€„t„}„€„ƒ„{„€„r„~„쳌„u „r„u„‰„u„‚„p

„N„u „ƒ„|„쳌„Š„~„쳌 „r „ƒ„p„t„… „t„p„w„u „Š„€„‚„€„‡„y,
„B„ƒ„v „x„t„u„ƒ„Ž „x„p„}„u„‚„|„€ „t„€ „…„„„‚„p.
E„ƒ„|„y „q „x„~„p„|„y „r„쳌, „{„p„{ „}„~„u „t„€„‚„€„s„y
„P„€„t„}„€„ƒ„{„€„r„~„쳌„u „r„u„‰„u„‚„p.

„Q„u„‰„{„p „t„r„y„w„u„„„ƒ„' „y „~„u „t„r„y„w„u„„„ƒ„',
„B„ƒ„' „y„x „|„…„~„~„€„s„€ „ƒ„u„‚„u„q„‚„p.
„P„u„ƒ„~„' „ƒ„|„쳌„Š„y„„„ƒ„' „y „~„u „ƒ„|„쳌„Š„y„„„ƒ„'
„B „쳌„„„y „„„y„‡„y„u „r„u„‰„u„‚„p.

„X„„„€ „w „q„쳌, „}„y„|„p„', „ƒ„}„€„„„‚„y„Š„Ž „y„ƒ„{„€„ƒ„p,
„N„y„x„{„€ „s„€„|„€„r„… „~„p„{„|„€„~„'?
„S„‚„…„t„~„€ „r„쳌„ƒ„{„p„x„p„„„Ž „y „~„u „r„쳌„ƒ„{„p„x„p„„„Ž
„B„ƒ„v, „‰„„„€ „~„p „ƒ„u„‚„t„ˆ„u „… „}„u„~„'.

„@ „‚„p„ƒ„ƒ„r„u„„ „…„w„u „r„ƒ„v „x„p„}„u„„„~„u„u.
„S„p„{, „쳌„€„w„p„|„…„z„ƒ„„„p, „q„…„t„Ž „t„€„q„‚„p.
„N„u „x„p„q„…„t„Ž „y „„„쳌 „쳌„„„y „|„u„„„~„y„u
„P„€„t„}„€„ƒ„{„€„r„~„쳌„u „r„u„‰„u„‚„p.

MOSCOW [AREA] NIGHTS
(translator's name not given)

Even whispers aren't heard in the garden,
Everything has died down till morning.
If you only knew how dear to me
Are these Moscow nights.

The river moves, unmoving,
All in silver moonlight.
A song is heard, yet unheard,
In these silent nights.

Why do you, dear, look askance,
With your head lowered so?
It is hard to express, and hard to hold back,
Everything that my heart holds.

But the dawn's becoming ever brighter.
So please, just be good.
Don't you, too, forget
These summer, Moscow nights.

Another English translation from http://brazilconcertband.org/next/russian.html (no title or translator's name given):
   
Not even a whisper is to be heard in the garden,
Everything has calmed down until dawn.
If you only knew how dear they are to me,
The evenings near Moscow!

The river is moving and (sometimes) not,
All made of the moons silver.
A song sounds and is not to be heard
In those quiet evenings.

Why do you, darling, look at me from the side,
Bending your head so low?
It is not easy to tell
All the things that are in my heart.

And dawn is getting more and more visible.
So, please, be so kind:
You, also, don쳌Lt forget
These summer evenings near Moscow.

[I don't know whether either of these English versions has been recorded.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Midnight in Moscow
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 May 08 - 12:54 AM

Well, it looks like the copy-and-paste of the Russian didn't work very well. That's funny; it looked fine when I copied it into Microsoft Word, and when I copied it again into the Mudcat message box.

Those who want to see the Russian can still follow my link.