User:Gaèlic/Zhit

Life has become better (Russian: Жить стало лучше, romanized: Zhit’ stalo luchshe, IPA: [ˈʐɨtʲ ˈstalə ˈlut͡ɕʂɨ]) is a widespread version of a phrase uttered by former Soviet Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin at the First All-Union Meeting of the Stakhanovites on November 17, 1935. The full quote from Stalin was when translated into English:

Life has become better, comrades. Life has become more cheerful. And when life becomes more cheerful, work becomes more effective. (...)

If we lived badly, unattractive, unhappy, then there would be no Stakhanov movement in our country.

Song

In approximately 1936 the words were fixed to the chorus of a song of the same name, with music by Alexander Alexandrov and words by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach. The opening bars of the song share a notable resemblance to those of the State Anthem of the Soviet Union, as the song had the same composer.

Lyrics

Russian	Transliteration (BGN/PCGN)	English
Звонки как птицы, одна за другой, Песни летят над советской страной,	Zvonki kak ptitsy, odnu za drugoy, Pesni letyat nad Sovyetskoy stranoy,	Bells chimes like birds, one after the other, Songs fly over the Soviet land,
ПРИПЕВ (2x): Весел напев городов и полей — Жить стало лучше, жить стало веселей!	PRIPYEV (2x): Vesel napev gorodov i poley — Zhit’ stalo luchshe, zhit’ stalo veseley!	CHORUS (2x): Beautiful is the melody of towns and fields — Life has become better, life has become more cheerful!
Дружно страна и растёт и поёт, С песнею новое счастье куёт.	Druzhno strana i rastët i poyët, S pesneyu novoe schast’ye kuyët.	In friendship the country both grows and sings, With songs it forges general happiness.
ПРИПЕВ (2x): Глянешь на солнце — и солнце светлей! Жить стало лучше, жить стало веселей!	PRIPYEV (2x): Glyanesh’ na solntse — i solntse svetley! Zhit’ stalo luchshe, zhit’ stalo veseley!	CHORUS (2x): Look at the sun — and the sun is brighter! Life has become better, life has become more cheerful!
Знай, Ворошилов, мы все начеку, Пяди земли не уступим врагу	Znay, Voroshilov, my vse nacheku, Pyadi zemli ne ustupim vragu	See, Voroshilov, we are all prepared, Not an inch will we yield to the enemy
ПРИПЕВ (2x): Силушка есть у отцов и детей! Жить стало лучше, жить стало веселей!	PRIPYEV (2x): Silushka yest’ u ottsov i detey! Zhit’ stalo luchshe, zhit’ stalo veseley!	CHORUS (2x): Fathers and sons both have the strength! Life has become better, life has become more cheerful!
Хочется всей необъятной страной Сталину крикнуть “Спасибо, Родной!”	Khochetsya vsey neob”yatnoy stranoy Stalinu kriknut’ “Spasibo, Rodnoy!”	The whole limitless country wishes To shout to Stalin “Thank you, beloved!”
ПРИПЕВ (2x): Долгие годы живи, не болей — Жить стало лучше, жить стало веселей!	PRIPYEV (2x): Dolgiye gody zhivi, ne boley — Zhit’ stalo luchshe, zhit’ stalo veseley!	CHORUS (2x): May you live many years, in good health — Life has become better, life has become more cheerful!
Звонки как птицы, одна за другой, Песни летят над советской страной,	Zvonki kak ptitsy, odnu za drugoy, Pesni letyat nad Sovyetskoy stranoy,	Bells chimes like birds, one after the other, Songs fly over the Soviet land,
ПРИПЕВ (2x): Весел напев городов и полей — Жить стало лучше, жить стало веселей!	PRIPYEV (2x): Vesel napev gorodov i poley — Zhit’ stalo luchshe, zhit’ stalo veseley!	CHORUS (2x): Beautiful is the melody of towns and fields — Life has become better, life has become more cheerful!

References

Category:Russian words and phrases Category:Soviet phraseology Category:Propaganda in the Soviet Union Category:1935 in the Soviet Union Category:Joseph Stalin Category:Soviet songs Category:Russian patriotic songs