#warm enough

devastating news, folks - just found out one of the insert songs in Chernobyl is this cheery little number:

The chorus filters in through the background as Legasov is parking himself at the Polissya's bar and embarking on his career of lies, stepping into the KGB's embrace. And it's a song about the Tagansky prison, and the lyrics are:

Цыганка с картами, дорога дальняя. (G*psy with cards, the road is distant.) Дорога дальняя, казенный дом. (The road is distant, to a government house.) Быть может старая, тюрьма центральная (Perhaps the old, central prison) Меня, мальчишечку, по новой ждет. (Is waiting for me, the boy, again.) Таганка, все ночи, полные огня, (Taganka, all nights full of fire) Таганка, зачем сгубила ты меня? (Taganka, why did you ruin me?) Таганка, я твой бессменный арестант, (Taganka, I am your permanent prisoner,) Погибли юность и талант в твоих стенах. (Youth and talent in your walls perished.)

Also distressing: the song that was on the radio as Pavel and Bacho and co. were burying the animals -

Чёрный ворон, (Black raven) Что ж ты вьёшься надо моею головой? (Why do you circle over my head?) Ты добычи не дождёшься, (You won't have your prey,) Чёрный ворон, я не твой (Black raven, I'm not yours)

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD;

I will freely admit to taking sides on the fight re. the Chernobyl soundtrack - to whit, sound design is an art, but not music per se - but I do think that the audio aspects were very thoughtfully put together. My major point of contention is that music should be able to stand on its own terms; if a work was only designed for use a specific context, to the extent that it cannot be properly appreciated outside of said context, it lacks its own specifically musical integrity.* However, it is absolutely excellent in context. The texture and atmosphere that Hildur has created could not have been replicated on traditional instruments; she has crafted an audio landscape out of the physical environment of a nuclear reactor and I for one am delighted by this. And the few songs that were chosen? Everything about Vichnaya Pamyat?? *kisses fingers*

(* 1) does this mean I don't think all movie soundtracks count? frankly no, not necessarily;  Klaus Badelt, Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, and so on can indeed bite me. Atli is on real thin ice. 2) what about things like ballet scores? Opera is meant to be in context, is it lacking? I'm gonna say no, they're not necessarily lacking, because something can be designed for context but still capable of standing outside it. They don't need an explanation before appreciation. I am not an aesthete by studies but I was raised on a steady diet of kqed and that doesn't rub off quickly)