This is my version of Ukrainian folk song Oi u luzi chervona kalyna (Red Viburnum in the Meadow), composed by Ukrainian composer Stepan Charnetsky in 1914. It was made world famous by Andriy Khlyvnyuk’s a capella rendition amidst the siege of Kiev.

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Lyrics

Ой у лузі червона калина
Ойу лузі червона калина похилилася,
Чогось наша славна Україна зажурилася.
А ми тую червону калину підіймемо,
А ми нашу славну Україну, гей-гей, розвеселимо!

In the meadow, there a red kalyna (Viburnum), has bent down low,
For some reason, our glorious Ukraine, has been worried so.
And we’ll take that red kalyna and we will raise it up,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey – hey, rise up – and rejoice!

Trivia

As some of you will notice the main theme of Für Elise is used as an intro to the solo. I am a classically trained pianist but also a guitar aficionado, so I am very much into these cross-genre references with a special affection to (tacky) neoclassical clichés such as this.

Those of you who know their 80s metal, will recognize the beethovenian reference as a nod to the 80s metal band Accept and their hit “Metal Heart”, which IMO perfectly describes the unrelenting Ukrainian fighting spirit.

Credits

Vocals: Andriy Khlyvnyuk

Arrangement, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drums programming: Nikolaos Zisimos

This version is dedicated with love and respect to the people of Ukraine, who courageously fight for Freedom. Any revenue from this video will be donated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

If you are so inclined, you too can donate here.