Monday, June 4, 2012

Mr. Trololo has died

The internet is a fascinating thing sometimes.  There never seems to be much rhyme or reason as to what will become a sensation.  Maybe that's what makes it so magical.

This video was posted in 2009 and as of this writing has more than 12 million views.  The man who performs the song, a Russian named Eduard Khil, has passed away from complications of a stroke he suffered earlier this year at the age of 77.

The story behind the song is that it was written during the time the cold war was still going on and communism ruled Russia.  Censors in that country didn't allow the actual lyrics to be used on Russian television with the song, which is known in the U.S. as the "Trololo song".  The actual title (which you see in Russian at the beginning of the video below) roughly translates to "I Am So Happy That I'm Finally Coming Home".  It was originally supposed to be the story of a cowboy riding his horse home in Kentucky.  After the communist TV censors got hold of it, the only way the song was allowed to be performed was with the non-words.

Sometimes some things are better left unsaid.




If you really want to sing along, this version has the words on the screen.


And, late last year, 37 years after its original release: