We're Leaving
1988 Soviet-Afghan War song by VIA Kaskad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"We're Leaving" (Russian: "Мы Уходим"), alternatively known as "Farewell to the Mountains" (Russian: "Прощай Горы"),[1] is a 1988 song by Soviet officer Igor Morozov and the band VIA Kaskad. It references the Soviet withdraw from Afghanistan,[2] and is the best-known song performed by Kaskad.[3] The song has been described as the anthem of Soviet soldiers who fought in the war.[4]
Creation
The Soviets had been fighting in the Soviet–Afghan War for nine years, "with little to show for their bloody struggle".[2] Officer Igor Morozov wrote a poem titled "We're Leaving"[5] in May 1988.[6]
Song
"We're Leaving" is divided into five stanzas and six refrains. The content of each chorus is different, though all begin with "farewell, mountains, you witnessed" (Прощайте, горы, вам видней).[7]
Content
The first stanza of the song begins by describing the landscape of Afghanistan by the end of the war. The first refrain[4] criticizes "desk-scholars" (Нас кабинетный грамотей), and tells them not to judge what they don't understand.[8] The second stanza says that "it is not right to remember kindly of you [Afghanistan]" (Не пристало добром вспоминать тебя вроде), and remembers it as an "illusory world" (этот призрач-ный). The second refrain raises the question of how Afghanistan will atone for the tears of mothers of sons killed in the war.[4][7]
The third stanza wonders how many people were killed by this uncompleted mission. The third refrain states that the enemy won the war.[7] The fourth stanza mentions three rations of alcohol,[1] as that's "that's how many of us survived in the dashing reconnaissance platoon" (Столько нас уцелело в лихом развевзводе).[4] A third toast is also traditionally raised to the dead.[1] The fourth refrain says that the Soviet soldiers lived amongst the people and gave what they had.[7] The fifth and final stanza states that sociologists could "squeeze [soldier's] biographies in half a dozen lines" (Социологи втиснут, сейчас они в моде), but then asks if the sociologists would be able to handle Afghanistan.[1][4][7]
It is followed by two refrains, the first of which is a repeat of the first refrain that criticizes desk-scholars" (Нас кабинетный грамотей),[8] and the second of which repeats the third refrain. The song concludes with the phrase "we are leaving the East" (Мы уходим с Востока) twice, and then "leaving" (Уходим).[4][7]
Usage
The song was played constantly during the end of the Soviet-Afghan War.[8] The song was allegedly played each morning by the 345th Independent Guards Parachute Assault Regiment, which was guarding Salang Pass during the Soviet withdraw.[5]
The song is also associated with the Chechen Wars.[1]
Reception
Kaskad performed the song at a concert hosted for the 70th anniversary of the October Revolution and founding of the Soviet Armed Forces. "We're Leaving" received a record high number of votes (1,792), and Kaskad was awarded a special prize by the East German Ministry of National Defence.[9]
The song was described as a symbolic epitaph to the soldiers who fought in the Soviet-Afghan War.[4][10] "It was a song of departure with no closure."[4]