Ехал я на побывку (Yekhal ya na pobyvku)—Mnogaya L’eta! Yale Russian Chorus 65th Anniversary CD

Yale Russian Chorus: Yekhal ya na pobyvku (Heading Home on Furlough). The idea for this song occurred to lyricist Lev Oshanin (1912-1996) in 1945, near the end of World War II, when Russian forces were closing in on Berlin. (The original title was “Heading Home from Berlin.“) Oshanin wanted to convey the exuberance of a young soldier as he journeyed home, going back over the same territory through which the Red Army had advanced westward. The soldier excitedly anticipates his joyful reception. Oshanin, the author of many well-known song lyrics (e.g., “Ekh, dorog’i“ [“Bleak Roads“]), on this occasion collaborated with the composer Isaac Dunayevsky (1900-1955), celebrated for his numerous hits, including “Okh ty, s’erdtse“ (“Oh, My Heart“). Chœurs Populaires Russes (1963): Paris, summer 1963. Conductor: Denis Mickiewicz. Soloist: John Stewart.