Poems and Songs of Vladimir Vysotsky. A Sad Love Song.
Commentary to the song “Catherine”.
This song has much in common with Gabdulla Tukay’s poem “To a Disgraced Tatar Girl” (1909).
It was another time, when decency was considered a virtue among all nations, when Muslim and Christian, Jewish and Buddhist women dressed modestly and covered their heads. Today, for example, one can see a modestly dressed and head-covered Christian woman — if she is not from the Old Believers — only in church and in the animated film “Masha and the Bear”.
And it is pertinent to recall here Plinius Minor’s words: “Quod dubitas, ne feceris.” (“Do not do what you are in doubt of.”)
A translation version of line 15:
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Let’s take a cab, it’s the right time for riding out! |
The presented text is partly adapted from Olga Mona’s translation.