Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: romance
Song Meaning of “Вниз по Волге-реке” by Oleg Pogudin
The Russian folksong “Вниз по Волге-реке” by Oleg Pogudin is a classic traditional song that tells a story of travels along the Volga River. This melancholic ballad, which is likely to have been passed down through generations through oral tradition, captures the beauty of the river and the simple yet powerful emotions of reflection and homesickness felt by a traveler away from home.
The song talks of many sights the traveler observes as he paddles his boat down the Volga River – the sun and the wind, stark mountain slopes, steppes, meadows, and wide plains. The more he travels, the more his thoughts turn to home, and to people he’s left behind. He yearns for them and for the sense of belonging that only a place of familiarity can offer.
Ultimately, “Вниз по Волге-реке” speaks of the bittersweet nature of travel. The longing for home, for what is comfortable and familiar, brings a sense of both nostalgia and sadness. There is a beauty to be found in leaving behind the mundane life and embarking on a journey of self-discovery, but also in finding a sense of comfort and peace in returning home.