May There Always Be Sunshine
Encyclopedia
May There Always Be Sunshine ( Actual Russian Title: Солнечный круг) is a Soviet
Russia
n song, written for children. It was created in 1962. The music was composed by Arkady Ostrovsky
, and the lyrics written by Lev Oshanin. The Russian writer and immensely popular children's poet, Korney Chukovsky
, later wrote that the foundation for the song had been the four lines of the refrain, which were composed in 1928 by a four-year-old boy Kostya Barannikov.
Performed for the first time in 1963 at the Sopot International Song Festival
by Russian singer Tamara Miansarova, it earned her first prize there and immediately became popular throughout the USSR and in other countries, as well. It was sung by members of the Young Pioneers
in Young Pioneer camp
s, Young Pioneer meetings and at schools; it was sung by Little Octobrist
s at schools; it was sung even by pre-school children. This song was widely considered a symbol of peace in the Soviet Union
.
It is one of few Soviet songs that remained popular in Russia
after the USSR and the Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
ceased to exist.
by Tom Botting. The song (or at least the chorus) has been sung in English by Pete Seeger
, and appears on the live album Together in Concert recorded in 1975 with Arlo Guthrie
.
The song was translated into German
by Ilse and Hans Naumilkat and Manfred Streubel (as Immer lebe die Sonne) and was popular among Ernst Thälmann Pioneers
.
Hebrew lyrics were written for the song by composer Gidi Koren
. It was recorded (Hebrew title: אלוהים שמור על אמא) and made popular by his Israeli folk group, The Brothers and the Sisters.
, led by Björn Ulvaeus
. When this version became a hit song in 1964, the new lyrics were translated and performed by the group in Swedish, German, Finnish, Italian, Dutch, and English.
Raffi
sang the original chorus and translations into English, Spanish and French on his album "Let's Play".
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n song, written for children. It was created in 1962. The music was composed by Arkady Ostrovsky
Arkady Ostrovsky
Arkady Il'ich Ostrovsky , was a Soviet Russian composer of light music, the author of the song May There Always Be Sunshine and other Soviet songs of the 1960s, including the lullaby of Good Night, Little Ones, the children's TV program aired for more than 50...
, and the lyrics written by Lev Oshanin. The Russian writer and immensely popular children's poet, Korney Chukovsky
Korney Chukovsky
Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky was one of the most popular children's poets in the Russian language. His poems, Doctor Aybolit , The Giant Roach , The Crocodile , and Wash'em'clean have been favourites with many generations of Russophone children...
, later wrote that the foundation for the song had been the four lines of the refrain, which were composed in 1928 by a four-year-old boy Kostya Barannikov.
Performed for the first time in 1963 at the Sopot International Song Festival
Sopot International Song Festival
The Sopot International Song Festival is an international song contest held in Sopot, Poland. It was the biggest Polish music festival altogether with the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, and one of the biggest annual song contest in Europe...
by Russian singer Tamara Miansarova, it earned her first prize there and immediately became popular throughout the USSR and in other countries, as well. It was sung by members of the Young Pioneers
Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer...
in Young Pioneer camp
Young Pioneer camp
Young Pioneer camp was the name for the vacation or summer camp of Young Pioneers. In the 20th century these camps existed in many socialist countries, particularly in the Soviet Union....
s, Young Pioneer meetings and at schools; it was sung by Little Octobrist
Little Octobrist
Little Octobrists , is a Soviet term that first appeared in 1923-1924, and at that time referred to children born in 1917, the year of the October revolution. Later, the term was used as the name of a youth organization for children between 7 and 9 years of age...
s at schools; it was sung even by pre-school children. This song was widely considered a symbol of peace in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
It is one of few Soviet songs that remained popular in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
after the USSR and the Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer...
ceased to exist.
Lyrics
The song was translated into EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by Tom Botting. The song (or at least the chorus) has been sung in English by Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, and appears on the live album Together in Concert recorded in 1975 with Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Davy Guthrie is an American folk singer. Like his father, Woody Guthrie, Arlo often sings songs of protest against social injustice...
.
The song was translated into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
by Ilse and Hans Naumilkat and Manfred Streubel (as Immer lebe die Sonne) and was popular among Ernst Thälmann Pioneers
Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation
The Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation, consisting of the Young Pioneers and the Thälmann Pioneers, was a youth organisation of schoolchildren aged 6 to 14, in East Germany...
.
Hebrew lyrics were written for the song by composer Gidi Koren
Gideon Koren
Gideon Koren M.D., FACMT, FRCP is a Canadian pediatrician, clinical pharmacologist, and toxicologist. Dr. Koren is also a noted composer of Israeli popular music.-Professional contributions:...
. It was recorded (Hebrew title: אלוהים שמור על אמא) and made popular by his Israeli folk group, The Brothers and the Sisters.
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Cultural references
The tune was used for the song "Gabrielle" by the Hootenanny SingersHootenanny Singers
The Hootenanny Singers were a popular folk group from Sweden, founded in 1961, and continuing into the 1970s. The group included Björn Ulvaeus, who later was a member of ABBA. Other bandmembers were Johan Karlberg, Tony Roth and Hansi Schwarz...
, led by Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
. When this version became a hit song in 1964, the new lyrics were translated and performed by the group in Swedish, German, Finnish, Italian, Dutch, and English.
Raffi
Raffi (musician)
Raffi Cavoukian, CM, OBC , better known by his stage name Raffi, is a Canadian-Armenian singer-songwriter, author, essayist and lecturer...
sang the original chorus and translations into English, Spanish and French on his album "Let's Play".