The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Dark Eyes. Old House" (Ochi chyornyie. Staryiy dom) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

What a house grew still,

Plunged into the dark,

On seven dashing,

Piercing winds,

With all its windows

Turned towards the ravine,

And its gates — towards the high road?

Oh, I'm tired, so tired — and I unharnessed the horses.

Hey, anyone alive, come out, help me!

No one — only a shadow flickered in the entryway,

And a vulture descended and narrowed its circles.

You enter this house

As if it were a tavern,

And the people —

Every third one — an enemy.

They'll twist your face,

Uninvited guest!

The icons in the corner —

Even they are crooked.

And a hazy, strange conversation began,

Someone wailed a song and tormented a guitar,

And a possessed fellow — a fool and a thief —

Secretly showed me a knife from under the tablecloth.

"Who will answer me —

What kind of house is this,

Why in the darkness,

Like a plague barrack?

The lamps have gone out,

The air has escaped...

Have you forgotten how

To live here?

Your doors are wide open, but your souls are locked.

Who is the master here? — I would offer him wine."

And in response: "It seems you've been on the road for a long time —

And have forgotten people — we always live like this!

We eat grass,

A lifetime — on sorrel,

Our souls have soured,

Turned feral,

And on top of that, we

Indulged in too much wine —

Ruined the house,

Fought, and hung ourselves."

"I gave my horses a rest — escaped from the wolves.

Show me the land where it's bright with lamps.

Show me the place I've been searching for —

Where they sing, not moan, where the floor is level."

"About such houses

We haven't heard,

To live long in darkness

We've grown accustomed.

We are resigned —

To evil and whispers,

Under icons

In black soot."

And from the stench, where icons hang askew,

I, risking my neck, drove away, whip abandoned,

Wherever the horses carried me and my eyes looked,

And where they will meet me, and where people live....

How much has passed, how much has flowed away!

Life tossed me around — didn't break me.

Perhaps, I sang about you clumsily,

Black eyes, white tablecloth?!

Что за дом притих,

Погружен во мрак,

На семи лихих

Продувных ветрах,

Всеми окнами

Обратясь в овраг,

А воротами — на проезжий тракт?

Ох, устал я, устал, — а лошадок распряг.

Эй, живой кто-нибудь, выходи, помоги!

Никого, — только тень промелькнула в сенях,

Да стервятник спустился и сузил круги.

В дом заходишь как

Все равно в кабак,

А народишко —

Каждый третий — враг.

Своротят скулу,

Гость непрошеный!

Образа в углу —

И те перекошены.

И затеялся смутный, чудной разговор,

Кто-то песню стонал и гитару терзал,

И припадочный малый — придурок и вор —

Мне тайком из-под скатерти нож показал.

«Кто ответит мне —

Что за дом такой,

Почему во тьме,

Как барак чумной?

Свет лампад погас,

Воздух вылился...

Али жить у вас

Разучилися?

Двери настежь у вас, а душа взаперти.

Кто хозяином здесь? — напоил бы вином».

А в ответ мне: «Видать, был ты долго в пути —

И людей позабыл, — мы всегда так живем!

Траву кушаем,

Век — на щавеле,

Скисли душами,

Опрыщавели,

Да еще вином

Много тешились, —

Разоряли дом,

Дрались, вешались».

«Я коней заморил, — от волков ускакал.

Укажите мне край, где светло от лампад.

Укажите мне место, какое искал, —

Где поют, а не стонут, где пол не покат».

«О таких домах

Не слыхали мы,

Долго жить впотьмах

Привыкали мы.

Испокону мы —

В зле да шепоте,

Под иконами

В черной копоти».

И из смрада, где косо висят образа,

Я, башку очертя гнал, забросивши кнут,

Куда кони несли да глядели глаза,

И где встретят меня, и где люди живут....

Сколько кануло, сколько схлынуло!

Жизнь кидала меня — не докинула.

Может, спел про вас неумело я,

Очи черные, скатерть белая?!

In Vladimir Vysotsky's song "Dark Eyes" ("Ochi chyornye"), the "house" is not just a physical building, but a metaphor for the state of the Russian soul, its way of life, and worldview. The author himself called this song a "semi-stylization".

The house, plunged in darkness, blown by winds, with windows looking "into a ravine", symbolizes decline, hopelessness, lack of purpose, and striving for the better. The image of a vulture circling above the house reinforces the feeling of hopelessness and impending doom.

The interior of the house and its inhabitants cause fear and rejection in the lyrical hero. The atmosphere of suspicion, hostility ("every third person is an enemy"), distorted faces of icons – all this speaks of a deep spiritual crisis reigning in this house.

The song is imbued with longing for lost harmony, for light and warmth. The lyrical hero is looking for a place "where they sing, not moan", where people live in peace and harmony.

The ending of the song remains open. The hero runs from darkness and stench, but will he find what he is looking for? The image of "dark eyes" and "white tablecloth" can be interpreted as the contradictory nature of the Russian soul, capable of great love and hate, self-destruction, and striving for the light.