Chervona Ruta (song)
A Ukrainian song inspired by a mythological flower.
It is named after a mythological flower that, if found red by a young girl, was believed to bring happiness in love. The song is widely regarded as a Ukrainian folk song due to its popularity and is often performed at weddings and social gatherings.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Volodymyr Ivasiuk
- Language
- Ukrainian
- Written
- 1968
- Genre
- Pop music, beat music
Facts from the source article.
History
Volodymyr Ivasiuk, a 19-year-old student at the Chernivtsi Medical Institute, wrote the song and its melody. He was inspired by a collection of kolomyikas authored by Volodymyr Hnatiuk, which he found in his father's library. The mention of "chervona ruta" in some kolomyikas puzzled Ivasiuk, as rue flowers are yellow. According to local legend, rue turns red on Kupala Night for a few minutes, and a girl finding it will be happy in love. The term also refers to Rhododendron myrtifolium, an alpine plant in the Carpathian Mountains.
Performances
The first public performance of "Chervona Ruta" took place on September 13, 1970, during a television broadcast from a theatre in Chernivtsi, sung by Ivasiuk and Olena Kuznetsova. In 1971, the Ukrainian pop group Smerichka performed the song, helping its rise in popularity; it won USSR "Song of the Year" at the 1971 Television Song Festival in Moscow. The 1971 film "Chervona Ruta" featured the song sung by Sofia Rotaru and Vasyl Zinkevych. In 1972, Czech singer Pavel Liška included it on his album "Písničky Pro Každý Den" as "Až mi dáš znamení", translated by Ronald Kraus. That same year, the Polish skiffle group No To Co recorded a hard rock arrangement by Jerzy Krzemiński. The only complete English adaptation and recording has been by Stepan Pasicznyk. Other performers include Vasyl Zinkevych, Nazariy Yaremchuk, Yaroslav Evdokimov, and Gogol Bordello.
More in Ukrainian Folk Songs
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced