The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The most direct translation of "Песня командировочного" would be "Business Trip Song." However, depending on the context and the overall tone of the song, other translations might be more fitting, such as: " (Pesnya komandirovochnogo) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Just one small fee

Brought in from the sea;

One single letter of credit -

Twenty-two rubles in it.

And still two weeks to go,

With eight years' work, you know, -

But I will prove in fact,

What an ascetic can enact!

The floor lady just the other day

Threatened to take me away, -

I enter the guesthouse with grace

Noiselessly - on my hands and face.

And still two weeks to go,

With eight years' work, you know, -

But I will prove in fact,

What an ascetic can enact!

In the canteen number two

Kefir is all they ever brew;

And my head is full of thought,

All about the life that's bought.

And still two weeks to go,

With eight years' work, you know, -

But I will prove in fact,

What an ascetic can enact!

Invited a girl to a café, -

Alas, no romance at play, -

I ate - and I made a dash,

As if for the toilet, in a flash.

And still two weeks to go,

With eight years' work, you know, -

But I will prove in fact,

What an ascetic can enact!

The beaches all are full

Of captivating wives to pull, -

But I'm ashamed to drop my pants:

Been here since winter, no romance.

And still two weeks to go,

With eight years' work, you know, -

But I will prove in fact,

What an ascetic can enact!

Oh, cursed Mount Athos' soil! -

Fell in love, like a moth to the coil, -

Taking my very last fund -

All twenty-two rubles, I'm stunned.

She's charming, she's slim, -

All the money's for her whim,

She'll probably spend it all today,

But I'm already on my way.

And still two weeks to go,

With eight years' work, you know, -

But I will prove in fact,

What a... skeleton can enact!

Всего один мотив

Доносит с корабля;

Один аккредитив -

На двадцать два рубля.

А жить еще две недели,

Работы - на восемь лет, -

Но я докажу на деле,

На что способен аскет!

Дежурная по этажу

Грозилась мне на днях, -

В гостиницу вхожу

Бесшумно - на руках.

А жить еще две недели,

Работы - на восемь лет, -

Но я докажу на деле,

На что способен аскет!

В столовой номер два

Всегда стоит кефир;

И мыслей полна голова,

И все - про загробный мир.

А жить еще две недели,

Работы - на восемь лет, -

Но я докажу на деле,

На что способен аскет!

Одну в кафе позвал, -

Увы, романа нет, -

Поел - и побежал,

Как будто в туалет.

А жить еще две недели,

Работы - на восемь лет, -

Но я докажу на деле,

На что способен аскет!

А пляжи все полны

Пленительнейших вдов, -

Но стыдно снять штаны:

Ведь я здесь с холодов.

А жить еще две недели,

Работы - на восемь лет, -

Но я докажу на деле,

На что способен аскет!

О проклятый Афон! -

Влюбился, словно тля, -

Беру последний фонд -

Все двадцать два рубля.

Пленительна, стройна, -

Все деньги на проезд,

Наверное, она

Сегодня их проест.

А жить еще две недели,

Работы - на восемь лет, -

Но я докажу на деле,

На что способен... скелет!

Vladimir Vysotsky's song "The Business Trip Song" humorously and bitterly depicts the life of a Soviet specialist stuck on a long business trip.

The meaning of the song:

The song is built on the contrast between the meager, monotonous life of a business traveler and his desire to live these days brightly and richly. The hero of the song is limited in means ("one letter of credit for twenty-two rubles"), but is determined to make the most of the situation ("But I will prove in deed what an ascetic is capable of!").

Images and themes:

Loneliness and alienation: The hero is cut off from home, his usual surroundings, forced to huddle in a hotel and eat in a faceless dining room.

Bureaucracy and absurdity: The phrase "Work for eight years" hints at the inefficiency of a system that sends a specialist on a long business trip with minimal funding.

Lust for life and optimism: Despite the difficulties, the hero does not lose his presence of mind, tries to find entertainment and even start a romance.

Irony and self-irony: Vysotsky uses humor to emphasize the absurdity of the situation and create a memorable image of a "hero by necessity".

Love and disappointment: A meeting with a "charming" stranger turns into another disappointment – all the money is spent, and there are still long days of business trip ahead.

The final of the song:

The ending of the song is pessimistic. The hero, who spent his last money on a fleeting hobby, is left alone with the harsh reality. The word "skeleton" in the last line emphasizes the hopelessness of his situation and calls into question his "asceticism."