The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Urban Romance" (Gorodskoy romans) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

I was once walking in the capital - and

I accidentally bumped into two passers-by

And, having ended up in the police station for this,

I saw her - and I was done for.

I don't know what she was doing there,

Maybe she came to get a passport.

Young, beautiful, pure,

And I decided to find her.

I followed her - and memorized the entrance.

What to say to her? - I'm just a hooligan.

I had a drink - and invited my beloved

To a restaurant by the train station.

Well, passers-by were smiling at her,

I just wanted to scream "Help!"

I punched one man in the face

Because he winked at her.

I spread caviar on her bread rolls,

Money just flowed like a river.

I ordered such songs for her,

And at the end I ordered "Cranes".

I made promises to her until the morning,

Repeating something to her again and again.

"I haven't robbed anyone for five days,

My love at first sight!"

I said that my life was wasted,

I blew my nose and cried into my scarf.

And she said to me: "I believe you,

And I will give myself to you for a reasonable price."

I hit her, the white bird,

My hot blood boiled.

I understood what she was doing at the police station,

My love at first sight.

Я однажды гулял по столице - и

Двух прохожих случайно зашиб

И, попавши за это в милицию

Я увидел её - и погиб

Я не знаю, что там она делала

Видно, паспорт пришла получать

Молодая, красивая, белая

И решил я её разыскать

Шёл за ней - и запомнил парадное

Что сказать ей? - ведь я ж хулиган

Выпил я - и позвал ненаглядную

В привокзальный один ресторан

Ну а ей улыбались прохожие

Мне хоть просто кричи "Караул!"

Одному человеку по роже я

Дал за то, что он ей подморгнул

Я икрою ей булки намазывал

Деньги просто рекою текли

Я ж такие ей песни заказывал

А в конце заказал "Журавли"

Обещанья я ей до утра давал

Повторял что-то вновь ей и вновь

"Я ж пять дней никого не обкрадывал

Моя с первого взгляда любовь!"

Говорил я, что жизнь потеряна

Я сморкался и плакал в кашне

А она мне сказала: "Я верю вам

И отдамся по сходной цене"

Я ударил её, птицу белую

Закипела горячая кровь

Понял я, что в милиции делала

Моя с первого взгляда любовь

Vladimir Vysotsky's "City Romance" presents a tragicomic story of love at first sight, tinged with irony and social satire. The lyrical hero, a hooligan and a thief, meets his "love" at the police station. Blinded by her beauty, he goes to great lengths to win her attention.

The hero follows the girl, finds out where she lives, and invites her to a restaurant. He throws money around, orders expensive food and drinks, even sings her songs. All his actions are dictated by the desire to impress and achieve reciprocity. He swears his love to her, exaggerating his feelings and repenting of his past. However, behind all this ostentation lies emptiness and insincerity.

The culmination comes when the girl, instead of appreciating his "grand gestures", offers herself "at a reasonable price." This phrase destroys the hero's illusions, exposing the prosaic reality: he mistook cynical calculation for love.

The final chord of the song is the hero's disappointment and anger. He realizes that he was mistaken in the girl and that she was probably at the police station for a reason. His "love at first sight" turns into a bitter realization that he has become a victim of deception.