Red October

Years ago, I remember watching the movie The Hunt for Red October, originally a Tom Clancy novel. Sean Connery acted as a Russian nuclear submarine commander who had disappeared with his ship. It wasn't a bad movie, although a bit too wet for my liking. At least the protagonist was not played by Harrison Ford, but by Alec Baldwin, who has a slightly wider range of expressions.

But what struck me was in the soundtrack. The theme included a mournful Russian song, somewhat distorted by foreground noise, yet still a powerful lament. It evoked images of grey seas and men who would never come home. I got my colleague Ludmilla (yes, a Russian girl!) to translate the song for me. She said, "Well, the music is clear but the words are... (she paused) ...very badly sung." And then, she gave me the following English translation.

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Hymn To Red October
(translated by L)

Cold, sad, and heavy is my soul.
How can I know what I shall see?
Goodbye, my beloved shore,
It is hard not to imagine that it is a dream;
Homeland, dear homeland, my birthplace...
Goodbye, my dear place of birth.

Something is calling me…
Something is taking me away by sea…
Something calls to me...
Something takes me away by sea...

A salute to our fathers and grandfathers!
Their journey and their principles are always with us;
Now, nothing can stop our dear homeland’s victory march.

You must swim without fear,
Sow your honour, spread your wings;
Revolutionary hope is our people’s only faith!
Revolutionary hope is the only faith of our people.

A salute to our fathers and grandfathers!
Their journey and their principles are always with us;
Now, nothing can stop our dear homeland’s victory march.

You must swim without fear,
Sow your honour, spread your wings;
Revolutionary hope is our people’s main faith!
Revolutionary hope is the main faith of our people.

In October, in October, we report our victory —
In October, in October, a new world for us!

You must swim without fear,
Sow your honour, spread your wings;
Revolutionary hope is our people’s new faith!
Revolutionary hope is the new faith of our people.

A salute to our fathers and grandfathers!
Their journey and their principles are always with us;
Now, nothing can stop our dear homeland’s victory march.

In October, in October, we report our victory —
In October, in October, a new world!