The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Song of the New Time" (Pesnya o novom vremeni) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Like a rallying cry, heavy footsteps echoed through the night—

It means that soon we too will leave and say goodbye without words.

Horses, horses have marched along untrodden paths,

Carrying their riders to an unknown end.

Our time is different, dashing, but happiness, as of old, seek it!

And we fly after it, elusive, in pursuit.

But in this race we lose our best comrades,

Failing to notice at full gallop that our comrades are gone.

And for a long time we will mistake fires for conflagrations,

The creak of boots will seem ominous to us for a long time,

Children's games will have old names about the war,

And for a long time we will divide people into friends and foes.

And when it thunders, when it burns out and weeps its fill,

And when our horses tire of carrying us,

And when our girls change their greatcoats for dresses—

May we not forget then, may we not forgive and not lose!...

Как призывный набат, прозвучали в ночи тяжело шаги —

Значит скоро и нам уходить и прощаться без слов.

По нехоженым тропам протопали лошади, лошади,

Неизвестно к какому концу унося седоков.

Наше время иное, лихое, но счастье, как встарь, ищи!

И в погоню летим мы за ним, убегающим, вслед.

Только вот в этой скачке теряем мы лучших товарищей,

На скаку не заметив, что рядом товарищей нет.

И ещё будем долго огни принимать за пожары мы,

Будет долго зловещим казаться нам скрип сапогов,

О войне будут детские игры с названьями старыми,

И людей будем долго делить на своих и врагов.

А когда отгрохочет, когда отгорит и отплачется,

И когда наши кони устанут под нами скакать,

И когда наши девушки сменят шинели на платьица, —

Не забыть бы тогда, не простить бы и не потерять!..

In "Song of the New Time," Vladimir Vysotsky explores the theme of historical memory and its impact on people's lives. The poem is imbued with anxiety and sorrow for a bygone era, yet the author looks to the future with hope for a peaceful life.

Images of the past:

"Footsteps" and "horses" are symbols of war, a bygone era that left a deep mark on the people's memory.

"Unknown to what end" - the tragedy and uncertainty of wartime.

"The creak of boots," "games with old names" - echoes of the past that haunt people in the new reality.

"Divide into friends and foes" - an echo of wartime thinking that the author calls to overcome.

Hope for the future:

"Our time is different" - the author acknowledges the onset of a new era.

"Happiness, as of old, seek!" - a call for an active life position, the search for happiness in new conditions.

"Girls will change their greatcoats for dresses" - a symbol of peaceful life, a return to the usual way.

Warning:

"We are losing our best comrades" - a warning about the cost of progress, the losses on the way to a new life.

"Not to forget then, not to forgive and not to lose!" - a call to preserve the memory of the past, learn from history and prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

Vysotsky says that the transition to a peaceful life is not just a change of scenery. It is a long and complex process that requires people to be aware of the past, to preserve the memory of it, and to be ready to build a new life without repeating the mistakes of the past.