The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Fighter Pilot's Song" (Pesnya letchika-istrebitelya) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Eight of them - two of us. The odds before the fight

Are not in our favor, but we will fight!

Sergei! Hold on, it doesn't look good for us,

But we have to even the odds.

I will not leave this heavenly square.

Numbers don't matter to me now, -

Today my friend is watching my back,

Which means the chances are even.

A Messerschmitt got on my tail, but now it's smoking,

The engines howling in agony.

They don't even need crosses on their graves,

The crosses on their wings will suffice!

- I am "First," I am "First," - they are below you,

I cut them off.

Put out the fire! Go into the clouds! I will cover you!

There are no miracles in battle!

Sergei! You're on fire! Have faith, my friend,

Now trust in the strength of your straps!

No! It's too late - a Messerschmitt came at me too.

Farewell! I will take him head-on.

I know - others will settle the score with them.

And gliding through the clouds,

Our souls will soar, like two airplanes, -

Because they can't live without each other.

The Archangel will say: "Heaven will be tough!"

But as soon as the gates click open,

We will ask God: "Enroll us with our friend

In some angelic regiment!"

And I will ask God, the Spirit, and the Son,

To fulfill my will:

May my friend always watch my back,

As in this last battle.

We will ask God for wings and arrows,

Because they need an ace angel,

And if they have many fighters,

Let them enlist us as guardians.

Guarding is an honorable thing too,

Carrying luck on our wings

To those like Sergei and I were in life,

Both in the air and on the ground.

Их восемь - нас двое. Расклад перед боем

Не наш, но мы будем играть!

Сережа! Держись, нам не светит с тобою,

Но козыри надо равнять.

Я этот набесный квадрат не покину.

Мне цифры сейчас не важны, -

Сегодня мой друг защищает мне спину,

А значит, и шансы равны.

Мне в хвост вышел "мессер", но вот задымил он,

Надсадно завыли винты.

Им даже не надо крестов на могилы,

Сойдут и на крыльях кресты!

- Я - "Первый", я - "Первый", - они под тобою,

Я вышел им наперерез.

Сбей пламя! Уйди в облака! Я прикрою!

В бою не бывает чудес!

Сергей! Ты горишь! Уповай, человече,

Теперь на надежность строп!

Нет! Поздно - и мне вышел мессер навстречу.

Прощай! Я приму его в лоб.

Я знаю - другие сведут с ними счеты.

А по облакам скользя,

Взлетят наши души, как два самолета, -

Ведь им друг без друга нельзя.

Архангел нам скажет: "В раю будет туго!"

Но только ворота - щелк,

Мы бога попросим: "Впишите нас с другом

В какой-нибудь ангельский полк!"

И я попрошу Бога, Духа и Сына,

Чтоб выполнил волю мою:

Пусть вечно мой друг защищает мне спину,

Как в этом последнем бою.

Мы крылья и стрелы попросим у бога,

Ведь нужен им ангел-ас,

А если у них истребителей много,

Пусть пишут в хранители нас.

Хранить - это дело почетное тоже,

Удачу нести на крыле

Таким, как при жизни мы были с Сережей,

И в воздухе и на земле.

Vladimir Vysotsky's song "Fighter Pilot's Song" tells the story of the courage, brotherhood, and self-sacrifice of Soviet pilots during the Great Patriotic War.

From the first lines, a dramatic scene of an air battle unfolds before us. The hero-narrator and his friend Sergei, despite being outnumbered by the enemy ("There are eight of them - two of us"), engage in an unequal battle. They realize that they have almost no chance of survival ("The layout before the battle / Is not in our favor, but we will play!", "Sergei! Hold on, there's no hope for us"), but loyalty to duty, brotherhood, and love for their Motherland turn out to be stronger than the fear of death.

The song sounds the idea of mutual assistance, the willingness to sacrifice oneself for a comrade: "Today my friend is protecting my back, / Which means our chances are equal". The hero, risking his own life, covers his friend from enemy fire ("I'm "First", I'm "First" - they are below you, / I cut across their path. / Shoot down the flames! Go into the clouds! I'll cover you!").

The culmination of the song is the death of both pilots. However, death does not separate the friends, their souls, "like two airplanes", soar "across the clouds". This image reflects the idea of an unbreakable bond, an eternal friendship that extends beyond earthly existence.

In the final lines of the song, the heroes appeal to God with a request to stay together in Heaven and protect each other: "May my friend forever protect my back, / As he did in this last battle". They are ready to become guardian angels, to bring good luck "to those like Sergei and I were in life," because loyalty to duty, mutual assistance, and brotherhood remain their main values even after death.