Vladimir Vysotsky. Become a Seaman. (Commentary.)

Poems and Songs of Vladimir Vysotsky. Serving the Elements.

Commentary to the song “Become a Seaman”.

There is Stanislav Slutsker’s song “Albatrosses”, which has much in common with this one.

And, of course, here comes to mind Valery Belozerov’s poem “The Ship” (1958).

Here also comes to mind the sailor song “The Beginners”:

Mirthful waves dance on the scope,
Try to reach the tired seamen.
With the old salts, till the ocean
The beginners, the beginners.
With the old salts, till the ocean
The beginners, the beginners.

While behind the heavy tempests,
In a distant land somewhere,
Their dear captains there wait for
The fair lasses with forbearance.
Their dear captains there wait for
The fair lasses with forbearance.

Don’t you hasten to fall in love with,
O lads on the dry land living,
These fair lasses’ dreams are but with
The beginners, the beginners.
These fair lasses’ dreams are but with
The beginners, the beginners.

They’ll come back to their own harbor
As for gladness as for woe —
One won’t able to look around
Or they have to put to ocean.
One won’t able to look around
Or they have to put to ocean.

What’s the reason, O you sea souls,
For your wish to go from here?
Such a question is simple odd for
The beginners, the beginners.
Such a question is simple odd for
The beginners, the beginners.

Mirthful waves dance on the scope,
Try to reach the tired seamen.
With the old salts, till the ocean
The beginners, the beginners.
With the old salts, till the ocean
The beginners, the beginners.

The song was written in 1976, performed in the film “The Wind of Hope” (1978).

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