"If you don't live, you won't have to die" Russian song identification
August 25, 2004 1:59 PM Subscribe
Can anyone help identify a Russian song of which I have only a very hazy drunken recollection? [more...]
Grammatically, the song is based on supremely pessimistic variations of the negative first conditional - the only verse I can remember with distinct clarity goes, "If your neighbour doesn't have a dog, you won't have to poison it", and it continues along this path with verses expressing similar sentiments about wives, mother-in-laws etc. The payoff is provided by the chorus which goes: "If you don't live, you won't have to die". If it's any help, I was introduced to the song in Georgia (the former Soviet republic), but I am positive it is Russian in origin.
I would love to track down this song together with a complete English translation.
?????????????!
Grammatically, the song is based on supremely pessimistic variations of the negative first conditional - the only verse I can remember with distinct clarity goes, "If your neighbour doesn't have a dog, you won't have to poison it", and it continues along this path with verses expressing similar sentiments about wives, mother-in-laws etc. The payoff is provided by the chorus which goes: "If you don't live, you won't have to die". If it's any help, I was introduced to the song in Georgia (the former Soviet republic), but I am positive it is Russian in origin.
I would love to track down this song together with a complete English translation.
?????????????!
Or perhaps "If you Don't Have an Aunt (from the TV film "Irony of Fate")"
(I think it may just be a Russian aphorism that makes it's way into many songs,
so those probably didn't help, sorry)
posted by milovoo at 2:27 PM on August 25, 2004
(I think it may just be a Russian aphorism that makes it's way into many songs,
so those probably didn't help, sorry)
posted by milovoo at 2:27 PM on August 25, 2004
Response by poster: milovoo - thanks, that's getting very warm, but it seems to be a poem written 'from a line from a Russian song' - i.e. inspired by the song but not the song itself. Close, but no cigar
on preview - second link: yes! I suspect it is an aphorism of sorts, in which case I guess I am looking for the best known version(s) of it in a song...
thanks - halfway there already...
posted by gravelshoes at 2:34 PM on August 25, 2004
on preview - second link: yes! I suspect it is an aphorism of sorts, in which case I guess I am looking for the best known version(s) of it in a song...
thanks - halfway there already...
posted by gravelshoes at 2:34 PM on August 25, 2004
Response by poster: I'm guessing the song comes from the film mentioned Irony of Fate .
posted by gravelshoes at 2:39 PM on August 25, 2004
posted by gravelshoes at 2:39 PM on August 25, 2004
My roommate has a copy; will see about getting one to you when we finish setting up internet access on her computer.
posted by casarkos at 6:10 PM on August 25, 2004
posted by casarkos at 6:10 PM on August 25, 2004
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posted by gravelshoes at 2:05 PM on August 25, 2004