Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: romance
Song Meaning of “Казачья притча (Сон Стеньки Разина)” by Zhanna Bichevskaya
Kazach’ya Pricha, a folk song by Zhanna Bichevskaya, tells the story of Stenka Razin, a legendary Cossack hero in Russian history who led a struggle for freedom and justice against the tyrannical powers of the Tsar. The song starts off in a lighthearted tone as it speaks of Razin’s robustness and bravery, but gradually shifts to a more melancholic and somber mood as it reflects on his life and his struggle for freedom.
The song speaks of Razin’s unyielding spirit as he braved the Tsar’s forces and faced near-certain death in the struggle for freedom. His heroism is expressed in a number of symbols, from the “Red Sun” of freedom, to his “river of sorrow” that remains no matter the hardships he may face.
The song also conveys a sense of regret and loss as Bichevskaya looks back on Razin’s fate and the long, difficult road that brought him to his ultimate demise. She alludes to these themes of suffering and sacrifice in the lines “There was a storm in the night, the Motherland was crying, / Things were sorrowful, and lonely, and empty,” evoking the loneliness and sorrow of unrequited struggle.