Thread: Lyrics translation attempt

Hello, here I tried to translate text of a song from машина времени
I don't think there are any bad words in here...

Спускаясь к великой реке
Going down to the great river

Крестики, нолики, фантики...
Crosses, Zeros, Forfeits (this is about tic-tac-toe)
Стали теперь солдатики,
we have now become soldiers
Стали теперь служивые,
we are now in the army
Каждому вышел срок.
everybody had their time
С вечера спорили, ссорились,
argued and quarreled since evening
А поутру построились,
but made up in the morning
А поутру прицелились,
but took aim in the morning
Каждый нажал курок.
each one pulled the trigger

Спускаясь к великой реке,
Going down to the great river
Мы все оставляем следы на песке,
we all leave traces in the sand
И лодка скользит в темноте,
and the boat glides in the dark
А нам остаются круги на воде.
and what's left for us is rings in the water
Сабельки, пулечки, пушечки,
Sables, bullets, cannons
Выбритые макушечки.
shaven heads
Цепкие лапы Родины, да письмецо семье.
tenatious paws of the motherland, and a letter to the family
Холмики, крестики, нолики,
hills, crosses, zeros
Где вы теперь, соколики,
where are you now falcons
Где вы теперь служивые, спите в какой земле
where are you now ensigns, on what world are you sleeping

What is the verdict? Any suggestions?

The first couple of lines should are in the past tense.
I don't know the difference between "солдатики" and "служивые".
They both mean "soldiers" by my dictionary.
"фантик" does not come up at all in my dictionary.
The song does not specifically mention "we" or "they" so the song is probably referring to the crosses and zeros becoming soldiers.
Just my option. Feel free to curse me out if I am wrong. I wont get offended.


Крестики, нолики, фантики...
Crosses, Zeros, Forfeits (this is about tic-tac-toe)
Стали теперь солдатики,
became now soldiers
Стали теперь служивые,
became now soldiers
Каждому вышел срок.
everybody had their turn.
С вечера спорили, ссорились,
since evening argued, quarreled,
А поутру построились,
but in the morning were back in formation
А поутру прицелились,
but in the morning took aim
Каждый нажал курок.
Everyone pulled the trigger.

I think фантики = candy wrappers.

There is a line in the t.A.T.u. song Я твоя не первая (I'm Not Your First)

"Номера и стрелочки,
Шоколадки, фантики."

Originally Posted by kwatts59

I think фантики = candy wrappers.

You're right

Originally Posted by kwatts59

I don't know the difference between "солдатики" and "служивые". They both mean "soldiers" by my dictionary.

Служивый - слегка устаревшее слово, означает "находящийся на какой-либо службе, в том числе военной".

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

What is the verdict? Any suggestions?

Not bad at all but a gloomy irony is lost in translation.

So what is the gloomy irony?

What does this mean?
Холмики, крестики, нолики,
Где вы теперь, соколики,
Где вы теперь служивые, спите в какой земле.

I am afraid to guess.

hmmm... фант in my dictionary translates to forfeit, but if Denis says it's candy wrappers I believe him
What they have to do with tic-tac-toe
I do not know (wow that rhymed)

I figured it was "we", because the second part has Мы все оставляем следы на песке and А нам остаются круги на воде

I think there is a shade of meaning between солдат and служивый, which would be lost simply translating it to the same word - soldier.

The problem is translating the diminutives, since the irony of the song is giving war-related things terms of endearment...

Candy wrapper is фантик, not фант.

Anyway, I think that the song is saying that the tic-tac-toe and candy wrappers (Крестики, нолики, фантики) were left behind.
They all became soldiers and died in battle.
I am thinking that "Холмики, крестики, нолики," refers to their graves.

I may be completely off on this one.

No, I think you are right! I think you are spot on, it makes all sense now.

The tic-tac-toe and wrappers were the children that became soldiers, died, became ripples in the water, their boat has left down the river of time/life and sleep in a different world now... They fought for their motherland and when they died, a letter was sent to the family... the diminutives intesify the fact that they were only children.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

No, I think you are right! I think you are spot on, it makes all sense now.

The tic-tac-toe and wrappers were the children that became soldiers, died, became ripples in the water, their boat has left down the river of time/life and sleep in a different world now... They fought for their motherland and when they died, a letter was sent to the family... the diminutives intesify the fact that they were only children.

Yeah, that's closer. I'd say they were teenagers (~18 or so ), not literally children.

18 is still too young to be dying in battle.

да Россия походу солдатскими костями в десять слоев покрыта ...и не только 18леток ..