"Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow" («Ой, у лузі червона калина») is a Ukrainian patriotic song first published in 1875 by Volodymyr Antonovyč and Michajlo Drahomanov. Written as a march in a modern treatment by the composer Stepan Čarnećkyj in 1914, in honor and memory of the Sich Riflemen of the World War I, it was later adopted by both the Ukrainian People's Army of the Ukrainian War of Independence and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army during World War II. This song is known to have many versions and covers.
The red viburnum of the song is referenced throughout Ukrainian folklore. The red viburnum has a special national appeal and silhouette of it depicted along the edges of the flag of the President of Ukraine.
Following the 2014 annexation by Russia of the Crimea, and then the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, singing "nationalist anthems" such as this in Crimea became punishable by fines and imprisonment.
Lyrics[]
Ukrainian original[]
Cyrillic script | Latin script |
---|---|
Ой у лузі червона калина похилилася. |
Oj u luzi červona kalyna pochylylasia. |
English translation[]
Oh, in the meadow, the red viburnum leaned.
For some reason, our glorious Ukraine was saddened.
And we will raise that red viburnum,
And we are our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey, cheer!
Do not falter, red viburnum, you have a white color.
Do not lament, glorious Ukraine, you have a good family.
And we will raise that red viburnum,
And we are our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey, cheer!
Our volunteers march in bloody tan,
To liberate the Ukrainian brothers from the Moscow shackles.
And we will liberate our Ukrainian brothers,
And we are our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey cheer!
Oh, in the field of spring wheat golden lan.
The Sich riflemen started with the enemies of the tan.
And we will collect that spring wheat,
And we are our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey, cheer!
As the violent wind blows from the wide steppes,
And it will glorify Sich riflemen throughout Ukraine.
And we will preserve that shooting glory,
And we are our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey, cheer!