The Manul Song

December 19, 2008 4:01 PM

Russian-speaking mefites, could you please help me with the lyrics to this Manul (aka Pallas Cat) Song?

I can figure out some of the written words (though, much love if you are willing to translate those too), but the lyrics are far beyond my ability.

Will email the channel owner if no one feels like translating, but I figured I'd give it a shot here too.

posted by notquitemaryann to writing & language (3 comments total)

А я все чаще замечаю,
Что меня как будто кто-то подменил.
О морях и не мечтаю,
Телевизир мне природу заменил.
Что было вчера позабыть мне пора,
С завтрашнего дня, с завтрашнего дня!
Ни соседям ни друзьям. Никому!
Не узнать меня!
Не узнать меня!!!


This is from the cartoon "Winter in Prostokvashino," sung by a cat character (the cat's name is Matroskin, hence the title).

"I'm noticing more and more
That it's like someone's changed me.
I don't dream about seas,
Television's replaced nature for me.
It's time for me to forget what was yesterday,
Starting tomorrow, starting tomorrow!
Neither neighbors nor friends, nobody!
Will recognize me!
Will recognize me!!"

Written words:

"Pet the cat! Pet the cat, you bitch!"
"What are you looking at? Close the door, bitch!"
"Sorry for bothering you...do you need a kitten, by any chance?"
"I need your clothes and your motorcycle."
"YOU'RE MEAN. I'M LEAVING."
"Take the cat down! Take the cat down, you bitch!"
"People, you're not assholes...right?"
"Man, I'm fucked now...all I wanted was for someone to pet me."
posted by nasreddin at 4:47 PM on December 19, 2008

Marvelous. As always, I'm impressed. Thank you very much!

Russian Terminator lolpallascat. I love it.
posted by notquitemaryann at 5:13 PM on December 19, 2008

Obviously, nasreddin nailed it; just one minor emendation: подменил in "меня как будто кто-то подменил" means something more than "change," it means "exchange/substitute for." So кто-то подменил мне шляпу ("somebody подменил my hat") means "somebody took my hat and left his instead." So the idea is that the singer has been replaced by someone unlike his former self.

Great video!
posted by languagehat at 8:10 AM on December 20, 2008