Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian

Subject: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 21 - 10:35 PM

This is an obscure one, I admit. But could anyone here help me find the lyrics of (and any other information about) a Russian song from early 1960s LP “Martha Schlamme in Concert.”

I remember this “Russian” song from my childhood and would love to re-find it and learn the lyrics. Martha Schlamme was a Jewish Austrian folksinger who performed “international folk music” during the 1950s and ‘60s in a rather “classical” style which is not si popular these days.

The song in question was the first track on a live album. It might be a very common Russian song—or it might not actually be Russian at all! Unfortunately, I’m having trouble identifying the song because it doesn’t seem to exist on the internet. The best I can come up with it a written reference to the track at Discogs, which is how I discovered the title. But there’s no audio sample or video on YouTube.

So I’m turning to Mudcat in the hope that someone here might actually remember the song from having owned the album themselves all those years ago and might be able to give me a lead—maybe even the full lyrics with translation. It’s a lot to ask but worth a try. The folks on this forum are incredible!

Thank you all in advance!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Apr 21 - 10:52 PM

Interesting question about a very interesting person.
There's a very good Martha Schlamme discography at discogs.com. Oh, and be sure to look at her Wikipedia Article.

The song that interests you is indeed called Three Men in a Caravan. The album was released in 1961 on MGM Records, #E-3978.

Martha Schlamme has a YouTube Channel, but I don't see your song there.

There is a brief clip of the recording here:

https://rsa.fau.edu/album/42819

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: cnd
Date: 15 Apr 21 - 11:07 PM

You can hear 45 seconds of it here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 01:01 AM

My faith in the Mudcat community Is rewarded! Thank you so much. I really did try to do my own research before posting here but never found that clip!

It’s almost too much to ask but I’m going to anyway....could anyone help me with the lyrics? Any Russian-speakers out there?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 04:22 AM

That may take a while. Keep checking.
Joe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 10:13 AM

Discogs (and various record covers) shows the title as "Three Men in Caravan", although the absence of the indefinite article doesn't seem to change any search results.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 10:32 AM

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=121362

That thread has an extensive Martha Schlamme discography posted by Thomas Stern, but this particular song doesn't seem to be listed--although I could have missed it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Apr 21 - 12:48 AM

There are several copies of “Martha Schlamme in Concert for sale on eBay. Some have photos of the back of the album cover, which has interesting notes:

Three Men in Caravan is a Russian song Miss Schlamme learned from her friend Netanya Davrath. As the cavalry rides through a small village, the local beauty waves. The Captain thinks she's entranced by his dashing uniform. The Lieutenant is certain that he's the one who caught her eye. And the Cossack thinks it's he who's irresistible. But actually, like young girls everywhere, she waves at all the men.

Now, gee, if the album notes would only give the Russian name of the song. This is a start, though.

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: GUEST,Original Poster
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 12:23 AM

Thank you, Joe Offer!! You found it!

I had never heard of Netanya Davrath, butbased on your tip I searched her name on YouTube and sure enough, there she is, spelling her first name with an “i” (Natania) and singing THE VERY SONG!!! Only she calls it “Kosichka (The Braid)” with mo mention of men or caravans.

I ran “Kosichka” through Google translate in Cyrillic and came up with the more colloquial translation “Pigtail.” So we’ve got three men in a caravan... plus a pigtail. You have no idea how happy this makes me.

Now I’ve just got to find a Russian-speaker who would be willing to transcribe the song from the YouTube!

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: Monique
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 01:40 AM

Here you go! Someone posted a request for an English translation on Lyricstranslate.com

Косичка (Коса)

По дороге пыльной, что легла под уклон,
Шёл широкой рысью наш лихой эскадрон.
Видим, у дороги девка-краса,
Чудо - коса, море - глаза,
Улыбнулася улыбкой простой,
Всем помахав рукой.

И сказал тогда с улыбкой наш капитан:
"Оглянитесь-ка, за нами пыль да туман,
А стояла там ведь дева-краса,
Ох, чудо - коса, море - глаза,
Увидала, что герой на коне
И улыбнулась мне".

Все слыхали, все смеялись, каждый мечтал.
Вдруг с весёлым смехом лейтенант наш сказал:
"Очень радостно, что дева-краса,
Чудо - коса, море - глаза,
Увидала, что орёл на коне
И улыбнулась мне".

Все слыхали, все смеялись, я промолчал.
Ехал тихо, ехал гордо, ехал и знал,
Но уверен я, что дева-краса,
Чудо - коса, море - глаза,
Увидала, что орёл на коне
И улыбнулась мне.

По дороге пыльной, что легла под уклон,
Шел широкой рысью наш лихой эскадрон.
А вдали осталась дева-краса,
Чудо - коса, море - глаза,
Улыбнулася улыбкой простой,
Всем помахав рукой.

In the meanwhile, here is what Google translate gives (I changed their original "scythe" for "pigtail" as there seems to be a confusion!):

Pigtail
On a dusty road that went downhill,
Our dashing squadron was walking at a broad trot.
We see a beautiful girl by the road,
Miracle - pigtail, sea - eyes,
Smiled with a simple smile
All with a wave of his hand.

And then our captain said with a smile:
"Look around, there is dust and fog behind us,
And the maiden-beauty stood there,
Oh, a miracle is a pigtail/braid,, the sea is eyes,
I saw that the hero was on horseback
And she smiled at me. "

Everyone heard, everyone laughed, everyone dreamed.
Suddenly, with a cheerful laugh, our lieutenant said:
"It is very joyful that the maiden is a beauty,
Miracle - pigtail, sea - eyes,
I saw that the eagle was on horseback
And she smiled at me. "

Everyone heard, everyone laughed, I said nothing.
I rode quietly, rode proudly, rode and knew
But I am sure that the maiden is a beauty,
Miracle - pigtail, sea - eyes,
I saw that the eagle was on horseback
And she smiled at me.

On a dusty road that went downhill,
Our dashing squadron was walking at a broad trot.
And the maiden-beauty remained in the distance,
Miracle - pigtail, sea - eyes,
Smiled with a simple smile
All with a wave of his hand.

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: Monique
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 04:12 AM

A better translation by Deepl Translator

BRAID

Along the dusty road that sloped downhill,
"Our dashing squadron went at a trot.
And we see a beautiful maiden by the road,
A miracle braid, a sea of eyes,
She smiled with a simple smile,
And waved to everyone.

And then the captain said with a smile:
"Look around, there's dust and fog behind us,
And there stood a maiden beauty
"Oh, the miraculous braid, the sea-eyes,
She saw the hero on horseback
And she smiled at me."

Everyone heard, everyone laughed, everyone dreamed.
Suddenly with a merry laugh our lieutenant said:
"It's a joy to have a maiden beauty,
The miracle braid, the sea-eyes,
"She saw the eagle on horseback
And she smiled at me."

Everyone heard, everyone laughed, I kept silent.
I rode quietly, I rode proudly, I rode and I knew,
But I'm sure that the maiden is a beauty
The miracle braid, the sea-eyes,
She saw the eagle on horseback
And she smiled at me.

Along the dusty road, which was inclined downhill,
"Our dashing squadron was trotting along the dusty road.
And in the distance remained a maiden beauty,
The miracle braid, the sea-eyes,
She smiled a simple smile,
She waved to everyone.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: Monique
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 09:46 AM

There's now a translation posted on Lyricstranslate.com.
You can hear it sung by Leonid Utyosov on this video (with lyrics below)

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: GUEST,Original poster
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 07:56 PM

Thank you to everyone who helped me find this song! I originally heard it sung at a party when I was a child and have literally been searching for it my whole life. Now, thanks to the amazing Mudcat community and the generous Russian speakers at the LT site I can actually sing the lyrics I’ve heard in my head for so long. I am so grateful!

Mark this one solved!

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Jun 21 - 05:32 AM

You might be able to find Devrath's source on russianrecords.com. I've not used it much but it's become a major source of primary klezmer recordings.

Davrath made one huge hit recording, a 2-LP set of Canteloube's "Songs of the Auvergne".

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Jun 21 - 07:05 AM

She spelt her name Netania Davrath for that. Recorded 1963 and 1966 in Vienna with an unnamed orchestra conducted by Pierre de la Roche (who? - there is no information about him on the booklet woth the 1990 Vanguard CD re-release I have).

Subject: RE: Req:3 Men In A Caravan (Martha Schlamme)-Russian
From: Monique
Date: 07 Jun 21 - 07:38 AM

On this page they say that there's no "Pierre de la Roche", that his name is kept secret.