"Song of the Plains" (), also known as "Meadowlands", "Cavalry of the Steppes" or "O Fields, My Fields", is a

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

song. In Russian, ''póle'' (поле) means '

plain In geography, a plain, commonly known as flatland, is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and ...

', and ''pólyushko'' (полюшко) is a

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

and

hypocoristic A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek ; sometimes also ''hypocoristic''), or pet name, is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as '' Izzy'' for Isabel or '' Bob'' for Robert, or it ...

form of ''póle''.

Soviet arrangements

The music was composed by

Lev Knipper Lev Konstantinovich Knipper (Russian: Лев Константинович Книппер; – 30 July 1974) was a Soviet and Russian composer and Joint State Political Directorate, OGPU/NKVD agent. Life and career Lev Knipper was born in Tifli ...

, with lyrics by

Viktor Gusev Viktor Mikhaylovich Gusev (; 30 January 1909 – 23 January 1944) wrote lyrics to accompany several patriotic Soviet military tunes, including 'Polyushko Pole' and 'March of the Artillerymen'. He wrote the play '' Spring in Moscow'', which was th ...

in 1933. The song was part of the

symphony A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...

with

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

(lyrics by Gusev) "A Poem about a

Komsomol The All-Union Leninist Young Communist League, usually known as Komsomol, was a political youth organization in the Soviet Union. It is sometimes described as the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), although it w ...

Soldier" (Поэма о бойце-комсомольце) composed in 1934. The original lyrics are sung from the perspective of a

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

recruit, who proudly leaves his home to keep watch against his homeland's enemies. The song was covered many times by many artists in the Soviet Union, including a well-known rock version recorded by Poyushchiye Gitary, released c. 1967. The song has been regularly performed and recorded by the

Alexandrov Ensemble The Alexandrov Ensemble (), commonly known as the Red Army Choir in the West, is an official army choir of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Russian armed forces. Founded during the History of the Soviet Union, Soviet era, the ense ...

, best known as the Red Army Choir, and it is listed in the

Alexandrov Ensemble discography This is a list of recordings made by the Alexandrov Ensemble (under various titles) since 1928. Within each section (CDs, LPs, 78s etc.) they are in alphabetical order of record labels. DVDs Facets Multi-Media, Facets: ''Leningrad Cowboys'' - ...

Full version at London 1945 Youth Congress

At the opening of the London 1945 Youth Congress, the full version of ''Polyushko-polye'' was performed by a choir of 6,000 members. The music for this performance was composed by musician L. A. Stokovsky, based on the original music of L. Knipper.

Other arrangements

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for h ...

recorded the song in 1942 under the title "Song of the Plains", sung both in English and Russian. It was released on his Columbia Recordings album '' Songs of Free Men'' (1943). The Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson recorded a version of the song in 1967 under the title "Stepp, min stepp" (steppe, my steppe) on the album '' Jazz på ryska'' (Jazz in Russian). The American rock band

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...

had an instrumental version of the song, titled "Meadowlands", on their album ''

Volunteers (Jefferson Airplane album) ''Volunteers'' is the fifth studio album by American psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane, released in 1969 on RCA Records. The album was controversial because of its revolutionary and anti-war lyrics, along with the use of profanity. This ...

'' (1969). An arrangement by

Phillip Bimstein Phillip Kent Bimstein (born 1947 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American alternative classical music composer and politician. History After majoring in music theory and composition at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, in the 1980s Bimstein led the ...

titled "Meadowlands", recorded by his band Phil 'N' the Blanks and released on the 1982 album ''Lands and Peoples''. An instrumental version of the song was recorded by

James Last James Last (, ; born Hans Last; 17 April 1929 – 9 June 2015) was a German composer and big band leader of the James Last Orchestra. Initially a jazz bassist, his trademark "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and ...

and appears in his James Last - In Russia album. Outside Russia, several arrangements of the tune are known under the title "The Cossack Patrol", particularly a version by

Ivan Rebroff Ivan Rebroff (born Hans Rolf Rippert; 31 July 193127 February 2008) was a German vocalist, allegedly of Russian ancestry, who rose to prominence for his distinct and extensive vocal range of four octaves, ranging "from a low F to a high F, one ...

Cultural influence

Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. He received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, BAFTA Fellowship in 2013 and was knig ...

notably performed the song with the choir of the

Russian Pacific Fleet The Pacific Fleet () is the Russian Navy fleet in the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1731 as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the fleet was known as the Okhotsk Military Flotilla (1731–1856) and Siberian Military Flotilla (1856–1918), for ...

in the television series ''

Full Circle with Michael Palin ''Full Circle with Michael Palin'' is a 10-part 1997 documentary television series, first broadcast on BBC One from 31 August to 9 November 1997. Presented by Michael Palin, ''Full Circle'' was the third of a series of programmes in which Palin ...

''. The song is the third one heard at the beginning of ''

Cast Away ''Cast Away'' is a 2000 American survival drama film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, and Nick Searcy. Hanks plays a FedEx troubleshooter who is stranded on a desert island after his plane cras ...

'', an American movie starring

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

, right after

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

's "

Heartbreak Hotel "Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. It was written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, with credit being g ...

" and "

All Shook Up "All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley, published by Elvis Presley Music, and composed by Otis Blackwell. The single topped the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top 100 on April 13, 1957, staying there for nine weeks. It also topped the ''Billboa ...

". The song is used throughout the movie "

REDS Reds may refer to: General * Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism * ''Reds'' (film), a 1981 American film starring and directed by Warren Beatty * Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists duri ...

" (1981), the epic historical drama about American journalist John Reed who chronicled the October Revolution in Russia in 1917. The opening credits of the 1966 Cold War comedy film ''

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming ''The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed and produced by Norman Jewison for United Artists. The satirical story depicts the chaos following the grounding of the Soviet submarine ''СпруT'' ...

'' uses this song. The song plays during a scene taking place at the Greek Parliament for Kremlin, in the Nikos Perakis film '' Loufa & Parallagi'' (1984). The

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

Girls und Panzer , abbreviated as ''GuP'' or ''Garupan'' , is a Japanese franchise created by Actas. It depicts a competition between girls' high schools practicing tank warfare as a sport. The series was directed by Tsutomu Miz ...

'' uses "Polyushko-polye" along with "

Katyusha Katyusha () is a diminutive of the Russian name Ekaterina or Yekaterina, the Russian form of Katherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in c ...

" as the theme songs for the fictional "Pravda Girls High School". High school teacher Pedersen's pupils sing the song in the class room, and the melody is used throughout the film ''

Comrade Pedersen ''Comrade Pedersen'' () is a 2006 Norwegian drama film directed by Hans Petter Moland, starring Kristoffer Joner and Ane Dahl Torp. It is set in the late 1960s and 1970s and tells the story of a high-school teacher who tries to settle down in a s ...

''. The melody is the basis for Ervin and Andrea Litkei’s song "Hold Me Forever", which is featured in the credits for season 4, episode 6 of ''

What We Do in the Shadows ''What We Do in the Shadows'' is a 2014 New Zealand mockumentary comedy horror film written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi and the first installment in the ''What We Do in the Shadows'' franchise. The film also stars Cleme ...

''.

Blackmore's Night Blackmore's Night is a British-American neo-medieval folk rock band formed in 1997, consisting mainly of Ritchie Blackmore (acoustic guitar, hurdy gurdy, mandola, mandolin, nyckelharpa, and electric guitar) and Candice Night (lead vocals, lyr ...

adapted the melody for "Gone with the Wind", which appears on their 1999 album ''

Under a Violet Moon ''Under a Violet Moon'' is the second studio album by the group Blackmore's Night, released May 25, 1999. ''Under a Violet Moon'' won the New Age Voice award for the best vocal album of the year. Track listing Personnel ;Blackmore's Night *Ri ...

''. It is used in the opening scene of the TV series ''

Kleo ''Kleo'' is a German action -thriller comedy television series co-created by Hanno Hackfort, Richard Kropf, and Bob Konrad for Netflix, premiering in 2022. It follows the revenge journey of a former East German Stasi assassin, Kleo Straub ( Jella ...

'', and a remix version by

Modeselektor Modeselektor is a German electronic music duo consisting of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary. History The group members met in 1992 in Berlin with group member Szary performing live acid house music at illegal underground parties, under th ...

appears in the closing credits of the season 1 final episode.

Chabad-Lubavitch Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

chasidim created a

nigun A nigun (, 'tune' or 'melody'; pl. nigunim) or niggun (pl. niggunim) is a form of Ashkenazi Jewish vocal music sung in group settings. ''Nigunim'' are melodic tunes, often using repetitive non-lexical vocables such as "bim-bim-bam", "lai-lai- ...

using the tune and sing it to the words "Der Rebbe Zal Zayn Gezunt" (may the

Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

be healthy). German

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

band

Powerwolf Powerwolf (often stylized in all caps) is a German power metal band founded in 2004 in Saarbrücken by members of Red Aim. The band consists of vocalist Karsten Brill as "Attila Dorn", lead guitarist Benjamin Buss as "Matthew Greywolf", bassist/ ...

used the melody of "Polyushko-polye" for the song "Werewolves of Armenia" in their 2009 album ''

Bible of the Beast ''Bible of the Beast'' is the third studio album by German power metal band Powerwolf. The album was released on 24 April 2009. It was recorded at the Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. Powerwolf revealed the details of their third album on 25 ...

''. In the American Television show,

Airwolf ''Airwolf'' is an American action military drama television series. It centers on a high-technology attack helicopter, code-named '' Airwolf'', and its crew. They undertake various exotic missions, many involving espionage, with a Cold War the ...

, season 1 episode 5,the song is featured in song and on the cello. The song appears in the 2021 Russian

thriller drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular su ...

Captain Volkonogov Escaped, where a choir of

NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...

members sing and dance to the song.

Notes

External links

* * {{Authority control Russian songs Soviet songs 1933 songs