Dark is the Night (Soviet song)
Dark Is the Night (Russian: Тёмная ночь, romanized: Tiomnaya noch, lit. 'Dark Night') is a Soviet song associated with the Great Patriotic War (the Eastern Front of World War II). It was first performed by Mark Bernes in the 1943 war film Two Soldiers.
The song was written by composer Nikita Bogoslovsky and poet Vladimir Agatov, the latter writing the lyrics. The song was initially produced for Two Soldiers. Leonid Utyosov, without the permission of the film crew, recorded the song, thus becoming the first to do so. However, it was Bernes' performance in the film that popularised the song. In the film, Bernes plays a soldier who recalls his wife and baby while singing the song at night.
The Soviet authorities disapproved of the song, stating that it propagated philistinism. However, despite it being ostracized, the song became a symbol of the war years for millions of Soviet people.
| External audio | |
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| You may hear "Dark Night" sung by Sidor Belarsky with the Mischa Borr Orchestra and accordionist John Serry in 1946 Here on library.wisc.edu |
Due to its popularity, the song was recorded for the RCA Victor label (#26-5037) by the vocalist Sidor Belarsky in collaboration with the orchestral accordionist John Serry and the Mischa Borr Orchestra in 1946.
Dark Is the Night has been described as "a gentle lyrical song imbued with a feeling of homesickness and expressing devotion to one's beloved" which helped "reveal the personal side of army life, indiscernable in the roar of warfare". It contrasted sharply with other war songs of its time, which were either marches or patriotic songs.