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"DDT" group is almost a single exception among the members of Russian rock movement of 80s . These were young groups that made songs of political and social protest at the end of the existence of totalitarian USSR, but after the fall of USSR and the fall of the old communist government almost all of these groups lost their direction - some have been disbanded, some tried to make it singing pop-songs without too much success, some turned way too deeply into religion. "DDT" is may be a single group among them that hasn't lost it's political direction - it's many hits include "Don't shoot", "The White River", "Missing One". "DDT" continue to be very popular in Russia and they continue to be a group that constantly challenges the current Russian government.
For me, the secret of their lasting popularity is in the fact that the group (and especially, the leader, Yuri Shevchuk) have never been paying too much attention to their popularity. They sing because they want to and they sing what they want, never compromise and never give up. And it also helps that Yuri Shevchuk is a very good poet (in Russia, the quality of song lyrics is very important) who writes his songs himself and that he has an exceptional voice (very low and sexy :D).
There are many great protest songs in DDT's repertoire, but my all-time favourite is the song that by the legend Yuri Shevchuk wrote after the death of his young wife, Elmira. The song's title is "Ravens in the sky" and it is very much in tradition of Russian folk songs, very haunting and beautiful.
Lyrics:
Ravens in the sky, monks under the sky
And I am in between, a girl in an embroidered shirt
Lying in the vast space , light and comely,
And the Sun is older (than me) and the wind is younger.
For me, the secret of their lasting popularity is in the fact that the group (and especially, the leader, Yuri Shevchuk) have never been paying too much attention to their popularity. They sing because they want to and they sing what they want, never compromise and never give up. And it also helps that Yuri Shevchuk is a very good poet (in Russia, the quality of song lyrics is very important) who writes his songs himself and that he has an exceptional voice (very low and sexy :D).
There are many great protest songs in DDT's repertoire, but my all-time favourite is the song that by the legend Yuri Shevchuk wrote after the death of his young wife, Elmira. The song's title is "Ravens in the sky" and it is very much in tradition of Russian folk songs, very haunting and beautiful.
Lyrics:
Ravens in the sky, monks under the sky
And I am in between, a girl in an embroidered shirt
Lying in the vast space , light and comely,
And the Sun is older (than me) and the wind is younger.
