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  • Piknik (Russia)

    Злая кровь → English translation

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Злая кровь

Время не ждёт,
Кто первым идёт,
Кто с краю.
Себя бережёт,
Кто снова с судьбой
Играет.
 
Будь со мной рядом, не подведи,
Капля яда не повредит.
 
А я иду, а я иду,
И злая кровь во мне играет,
И злая кровь во мне играет.
А я иду, а я иду,
Куда иду и сам не знаю,
Куда иду и сам не знаю.
 
Сказка жестока,
Как будто под током
Бродим.
Среди миражей
И черных химер-уродин.
 
Будь со мной рядом, не подведи,
Капля яда не повредит.
 
А я иду, а я иду,
И злая кровь во мне играет,
И злая кровь во мне играет.
А я иду, опять иду,
Куда иду и сам не знаю,
Куда иду и сам не знаю.
 
Дети строги,
А жесты старух
Игривы.
Под маскою лет
Опять улыбаются
Криво.
 
Будь со мной рядом, не подведи,
Капля яда не повредит.
 
А я иду, а я иду,
И злая кровь во мне играет,
И злая кровь во мне играет.
А я иду, а я иду,
Куда иду и сам не знаю,
Куда иду и сам не знаю.
 
Translation

Wicked Blood

Time doesn't wait,
When someone goes first
Or follows
Protecting himself,
Yet someone with fate
Plays follies.
 
Stay close to me and don't let me down,
[A] drop of poison won't hurt; don't frown.
 
And still I go, and still I go,
And wicked blood in my veins's boiling,
And wicked blood in my veins's boiling.
And still I go, and still I go,
I do not know myself where I go,
I do not know myself where I go.
 
Fairy tale's cruel,
As if on live wire
We walk
Among phantom shapes
And black specters, grim
And ugly.
 
Stay close to me and don't let me down,
[A] drop of poison won't hurt; don't frown.
 
And still I go, and still I go,
And wicked blood in my veins's boiling,
And wicked blood in my veins's boiling.
And still I go, again I go,
I do not know myself where I go,
I do not know myself where I go.
 
Children are stern,
But gestures of crones
Are playful.
From under masks
Of years they give smiles, again
Crooked.
 
Stay close to me and don't let me down,
[A] drop of poison won't hurt; don't frown.
 
And still I go, and still I go,
And wicked blood in my veins's boiling,
And wicked blood in my veins's boiling.
And still I go, again I go,
I do not know myself where I go,
I do not know myself where I go.
 
Comments
St. SolSt. Sol
   Sun, 15/10/2017 - 02:45

Кто первым идёт,
Кто с краю. == This is rather uncommon phrasing, meaning "some(one) goes first (presumably: advancing in the center of formation, ready to take the primary enemy hit), and some(one) advances on the side (where it is less dangerous). I used "follows" to convey that meaning.

Себя бережёт,
Кто снова с судьбой
Играет. == I believe punctuation is incorrect in the official Picnic lyrics. IMHO, it should be:
Кто с краю - Себя бережёт, == Some(one) who goes/advances on the side - saves himself,
Кто снова с судьбой Играет. == [Yet] Some(one) plays with fate (i.e., the one who leads/goes first in the center)
Then the lines and my translation both make sense.

"don't frown" == Yes, it is there for rhyme and meter (not in the original).

злая кровь во мне играет ~ evil/wicked blood swirls [in my veins]. "кровь играет" is an idiom, meaning "blood rushes/boils from excitement" (of any kind).

"crooked smile" in Russian can also mean any of these things you mentioned, here it is not specific.

Regards.

St. SolSt. Sol
   Sun, 15/10/2017 - 03:13

Yes in general (3 possible choices), but it is not just about soldiers, but rather pondering about human behavior and choices we make in life. I used soldiers/formation only to explain the meaning. Ed's lyrics are almost always very deep (and vague) and allow for multiple interpretations. Some have suggested that this might be Ed's farewell album and it turned out great. Check out other songs from it (posted by me).

St. SolSt. Sol
   Sun, 15/10/2017 - 04:18

After listening to the song again, it appears the first verse is performed (differing from the official lyrics) as follows:

Время не ждёт:
Тот первым идёт, тот с краю:
Себя бережёт,
То снова с судьбой играет.

Then the translation becomes:

Time doesn't wait:
When someone goes first or follows
Protecting himself,
And then again plays with his fate.