Friday, March 12, 2010

Friday Night Videos: Я очень рад, ведь я, наконец, возвращаюсь домой

Tonight's Friday Night Video (Пятница Ночь Видео) is the new viral sensation Я очень рад, ведь я, наконец, возвращаюсь домой (I am very glad, because I'm finally back home) by "Mr. Trololo man," Eduard Khil.

Here's a little background from The Christian Science Monitor:

In an unlikely love match of Soviet nostalgia and social networking, the almost-forgotten radio star Eduard Khil – known as Mr. Trololo man – has suddenly become a YouTube pop icon with his own Facebook fanpage.

A 40-year-old clip from Soviet TV, starring a chubby and ruddy-faced Mr. Khil, decked out in a tacky Soviet polyester suit, has gone viral in recent weeks, garnering more than 2 million hits and sparked an Internet petition urging him to undertake a global tour to reignite his career. (Watch the video below.)

Reached at his St. Petersburg home, the elderly Khil would not give any response to the petition, offering a bit of philosophy instead.

"What is fame?" said Khil, a big star in his day. "[Russian poet Alexander] Pushkin said it's just a bright patch upon a shabby singer's rags. When it happens, it happens."

And now, fame has definitely happened – again. Unearthed by the Internet, one of Khil's ancient gigs has earned him sudden recognition, seemingly the world over, as the "Trololo Man" (also spelled Trolololo) after the repetitious, warbling tone in which he delivers the song.

Khil, a fine baritone, is shown crooning a wordless but catchy little tune titled, "I'm so happy to be finally back home," while strolling and gesturing dramatically amid a bizarre backdrop of ornate metallic constructions.

On the phone, he explained that the reason the iconic song has no lyrics is that the original ones, about a cowboy riding the range while his wife sits at home knitting socks, were banned as "too naughty" by Soviet censors of the day.

"A theme like that was unacceptable, so we decided to sing it without any words at all," he said. "So, in this case, I was an instrument rather than a singer."


Read the rest of the story at The Christian Science Monitor.

Enjoy!

10 comments:

Teresa said...

That was a very catchy tune.

Gee... Russia seems to be pretty strict with its censorship.

Opus #6 said...

I love looking at old-fashioned stars. Nowadays he would have had his teeth whitened, etc.

The Conservative Lady said...

I give it a 60...catchy tune but it's a little hard to dance to.

Kid said...

It would seem talented hair stylists were also in very short supply.

Anonymous said...

A the gold old days when the politboro met and the KGB spirited people away in the night...

Soloman said...

Teresa -

Remember, it is Russia - actually the USSR some 40 years ago... so yes, I'd say they were rather strict with their censorship!

Soloman said...

Opus -

He is pretty cool looking for a Soviet circa 1970, I'd say!

Soloman said...

TCL -

I'd categorize this more along the lines of driving music, considering the escalation of the tempo throughout the piece...

Soloman said...

Kid -

In 1970, I'd think that hairstyle was quite the rage!

Soloman said...

Dave -

I remember those days well... when I was three... heh.