Belye Rozy
| "Belye Rozy" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Laskoviy Mai | |
| from the album Belye Rozy | |
| A-side | "Belye Rozy" |
| B-side | "Sedaya Noch" |
| Released | 1989 |
| Recorded | 1988 |
| Genre | Eurodisco |
| Length | 5:43 (Spotify) |
| Label | Melodiya |
| Songwriter | Sergey Kuznetsov |
| Composer | Sergey Kuznetsov |
Belye Rozy (Russian: Белые розы, White Roses) is a song by the Soviet group Laskoviy Mai. Both music and lyrics were written by Sergey Kuznetsov.
Background
According to Kuznetsov, the song was written in 1986 while he was mildly intoxicated.[1][2]
More than 25 years later, Kuznetsov stated that the roses in the song symbolise people who are discarded after being used.[3]
Kuznetsov also claimed that the song was written the morning after the group’s first concert, held for New Year 1987. The group received its name “Laskoviy Mai” just before going on stage. The phrase “white roses” came to Kuznetsov on his way home, and he wrote the song in 15 minutes the next morning using a red pen. He stated in 2013 that the original manuscript survives.[4] Yuri Shatunov, who first performed the song as the group’s lead vocalist, was 13 years old.[4]
Popularity
The music video debuted on Soviet Central Television in January 1989 on the programme Utrennyaya pochta (Morning Post). It had been filmed in late 1988. The song made the group an immediate nationwide sensation.[5][6]
The song was also popular in Poland in the late 1980s.[7] It gained renewed popularity in early 2008 after Polish singer Natasza Urbańska performed it during a New Year’s concert broadcast simultaneously on two major Polish TV channels.[8][9][10] The song remains popular in Poland and is frequently played in restaurants.[10]
Ukrainian group TIK released a Ukrainian-language version, "Bili troiandy", in July 2008.
In Russia, the song remains widely known and was voted for by viewers on an episode of Dostoyanie Respubliki on Channel One Russia in 2009.[11]
Many artists have covered the song, including Mikhail Shufutinsky.[12]
Influence
A parody titled "White Goats" (Belye kozy) was recorded by Sergey Minaev and Vladimir Markin.[13] A musical phrase from the song appears in a track by the group Serebryanaya Svadba.[14]
In 2019, Dima Bilan released the song About White Roses, which references “Belye Rozy” and other late-1980s/early-1990s hits. It was later covered by Yuri Shatunov.
The B-side to "White Roses", "Grey Night" has been used in various Russian films and TV series, including I Am (2009) and The Boy's Word: Blood on the Asphalt. (2023)
Track listing
7-inch vinyl single, 33⅓ rpm (Melodiya – С62 28083 003)
All songs written and composed by Sergey Kuznetsov.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Belye Rozy (White Roses)" | 5:48 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sedaya Noch (Grey Night)" | 6:55 |
Charts
Year-end charts
| Chart (1988) | Category | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Zvukovaya Dorozhka | Most popular songs of the year[15] | 10 |
| Chart (1989) | Category | Position |
| TASS Hit Parade | Top 20 songs of the year[16] | 4 |
| Zvukovaya Dorozhka | “Unpopular Song of the Year” nomination[16] | 1 |
References
- ^ "Yuri Shatunov: "I sued Razin for $10,000,000!"". Argumenty i Fakty (in Russian). 3 September 2008. Archived from the original on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
- ^ "The song "White Roses" was written "under the influence"". Argumenty i Fakty (in Russian). 7 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ "Author of the superhit "White Roses" lives in poverty and is not in contact with Shatunov" (in Russian). TSN.ua. 5 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-04-30. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ a b Sergey Chirkov (22 May 2013). "25 years later: "White Roses" never fade" (in Russian). Argumenty i Fakty Orenburg. Archived from the original on 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ Svetlana Korneeva (2004). How Stars Are Made (in Russian). Piter. pp. 23–. ISBN 978-5-469-00155-3.
- ^ Aleksey Karakovsky (25 February 2014). "Fragmented memories of the 1980s" (in Russian). Kontrabanda. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ "Contemporary Russian pop music" (in Polish). RosjaPL.info. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
"Russian popular music" (in Polish). Altao.pl. 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2016-01-31. - ^ Viktor Shankov (14 January 2008). ""White Roses" becomes a New Year's hit in Poland" (in Russian). Novye Izvestiya. Archived from the original on 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
- ^ "Laskoviy May stuns all of Poland" (in Russian). Pravda.ru. 14 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2016-09-13. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ a b "Neighbourly cover versions". Trud (in Russian). 26 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ "White Roses – chosen by viewers" (in Russian). Channel One Russia. 4 October 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ "Mikhail Shufutinsky performs his version of "White Roses"". Archived from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ Sergey Minaev and Vladimir Markin – White Goats on YouTube
- ^ Aaron Shustin (24 June 2022). "My Youth…". Archived from the original on 2022-08-31. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
- ^ Fedor Razzakov (10 July 2015). Pugacheva vs. Rotaru: Great Rivals (in Russian). Eksmo. ISBN 978-5-457-04924-6.
- ^ a b Fedor Razzakov (10 July 2015). Pugacheva vs. Rotaru: Great Rivals (in Russian). Eksmo. pp. RA1 – PT339. ISBN 978-5-457-04924-6.
- "Stars of the 1990s: where they are now" (in Russian). Segodnya.ua. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 2016-01-31.