Ochi Chornye (Brown-Eyed Girl)

POST #74
PASTICHE of 2 original songs: parodysitism?

RECIPIENT SONG (music): "Ochi Chornye (Dark Eyes)", poem in Russian by Hrebinka, 1843 set to music in 1884; recorded by Al Jolson, Django Reinhart, Louis Armstrong, Red Army Chorus, Fyodor Chaliapin, Ivan Rebroff etc.
INVADING SONG (lyrics): "Brown-Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison 1967.

PARODY COMPOSED: Giorgio Coniglio, February 2015.

KEYWORDS: classicsong, goldenoldy, mishmash, multiculturalism









Imagine that Ivan Rebroff sang the classic melody, using Morrison's 1967 lyrics.

OCHI CHORNYE (BROWN-EYED GIRL)

(to the tune of the Russian classic "Ochi Chornye"))

Where did we go? Down in the hollow
Days when rains came, playing a new game.
Laugh and running so, skip and jumping so.
In the morning glow, our hearts thumping so.

You, my brown-eyed girl; you, my brown-eyed girl,
I'm remembering when we used to sing,
Gde stradan'ya nyet, gde vrazhdy zapryet,
Sha la la la la, la la te da. 

What did happen to Tuesday and so slow
Down old mine with trans-istor radio?
Laughing in sunlight, while we'd slip and slide
Hid by rainbow's wall, along waterfall.

Hard to find my way, saw you yesterday,
We're both on our own; my, how you have grown!
Memories cast back to that grassy track - 
We were overcome near the stadium.

You, my brown-eyed girl; you, my brown-eyed girl,
Ochi chornye, ochi strasnye,
I'm remembering when we used to sing,
Sha la la la la, la la te da. 

Performing Notes

Alternate verses 1 - slow with plucking, 2- faster with chords

Where did [Fm] we go? Down in the [C7] hollow
[Fm] Days when [C7] rains came, playing a [Fm] new game.
Laugh and [Bbm] running so, [C7] skip and [Fm] jumping so.
In the [C7] morning glow, our hearts [Fm] thumping so.

[C7] You, my [Fm] brown-eyed girl; you, my [C7] brown-eyed girl,
I'm remembering when we [Fm] used to sing,
Gde stra[Bbm]dan'ya nyet, gde vrazh[Fm]dy zapryet,
Sha la la la [C7] la- just like [C] that, la la te [Fm] da. 


Compare with the modified lyrics by Chaliapin, which were popularized in the West.