Патриот [Patriot] [English translation]

I am dying to tell you about our favourite political system1,

It seems to me that every of you will agree with me,

People say that everything is excellent in the West,

But if someone tells me so, I'll pulverize them!

All our Soviet goods such as cars2 and trousers are cool,

Despite they cost too much, they are ours, guys!

Don't you hoarse at me so furiously and don't frown your brows,

I know the best the best currency in the World is our Tambov ruble.

We sing the glory of our favourite and dear Party

For the fact that its members so perfectly rule our country,

For our bread, water, freedom, and happy labour,

Soviet missiles will grind all capitalists into dust!

Well, what good have they got? It's nothing but disgrace!

They make tape recorders and VCRs, but why do we need it all?3

Playing the accordion, we'll sing songs about our favourite homeland

Where an honest worker doesn't just live, but enjoys as if in Paradise!

Cease to listen your capitalistic rock, join to CPSU!

And increase high patriotic feelings inside yourself,

In the Soviet country, we all live very happily,

Oh, I feel sorry for the workers rotting abroad!

We sing the glory of our favourite and dear Party

For the fact that its members so perfectly rule our country,

For our bread, water, freedom, and happy labour,

Soviet missiles will grind all capitalists into dust!

My country is wide and has a large number of everything,

And who told that there aren't anything in the stores?4 Open your eyes

And have a look, on the shelves, there are fresh mellow bread

And mineral water. Have you gone completely blind?!

Thanks to our Party, we must bow down to the ground for its sake,

For its honour, we all will stand together like a wall,

With a corn on our hands, we will earn rubles on factories

And give them to the fund of Peace and to the fund of our dear Party!

We sing the glory of our favourite and dear Party

For the fact that its members so perfectly rule our country,

For our bread, water, freedom, and happy labour,

Soviet missiles will grind all capitalists into dust!

1. This song ridicules the Soviet system and propaganda. It was composed in 1989, when criticizing of the CPSU was allowed and Anti-Soviet sentiments were growing because people had been already tired of deficit, low standards of living, authoritarianism, political slogans that everything was bad in the capitalist countries and the Communist party would build 'bright communistic future', restrictions on travel abroad. Discontent of Soviet people had been agravated because of Soviet-Afghan war going on from December 25, 1979 to February 15, 1989 where the communists sent to fight 18-19 years old young men without their consent and because of the attempt to hide the the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Life was getting worse than in the 1970s - beginning of 1980s, the USSR was going to collapse.2. In the USSR, it was difficult to buy a car. Not everyone was able to afford one. People that had enough money for it had to be put on a waiting list for cars and wait for 5-10 years. There were cases when people bribed officials to avoid long waiting for their automobiles. In addition, Soviet cars were inferior to European ones.3. Tape recorders and VCRs made by famous companies such as Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, JVC, Philips etc had great value in the USSR and were being sold underground and considered a luxury item. Also they might be brought to the Soviet Union by people that were allowed to go abroad. One foreign VCR could cost as much as a car! Soviet ones cost less, but they also were an unaffordable scarce good. In the end of 1980s imported electronic devices officially appeared on sale, but, because of economic problems, a small number of people could afford them.4. In 1987-1989, deficit in the USSR got much worse than in the previous years, Soviet shops were completely empty. The Communist party had to introduce a system of coupons for food and another goods.

• Artist:Sektor Gaza