The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The Song of a Sentimental Boxer" (Pesnya o sentimentalnom boksere) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Jab, jab... Another jab...

Another punch, and then

Boris Butkeev (Krasnodar)

Throws an uppercut.

Now he's got me in the corner

Now I barely escaped...

Another uppercut – I'm on the floor

And I'm not feeling great!

And Butkeev thought, as he crushed my jaw:

Life is good, oh life is good!

At the count of seven I'm still down –

My fans are all in tears

I rise, I dive, I move around –

And the points are mine, it appears!

It's not true that towards the end

I start to save my strength –

To hit a man in the face, my friend,

Is something I can't do, at any length.

But Butkeev thought, as he cracked my ribs:

Life is good, oh life is good!

The crowd is roaring, the crowd is loud:

"Get him, he's a coward, through and through!"

Butkeev comes in, fighting proud –

And I'm clinging to the ropes, it's true.

But he broke through – he's from Siberia

They're persistent, that's for sure –

And I said to him: "Hey buddy, are ya

Tired yet? Why not rest a little more?"

But he didn't hear – he thought, with each breath

That life is good, oh life is good!

And still he punches – the brute, he's strong! –

I see that trouble's near

Boxing's not a brawl, it's a sport that belongs

To the brave, and... oh dear!

He struck again – one, two, three –

And... suddenly lost all his might –

The referee lifted my hand, you see,

The hand with which I didn't fight.

He lay there, thinking that life is grand

Good for some, but for others – just sand!

Удар, удар... Еще удар...

Опять удар – и вот

Борис Буткеев (Краснодар)

Проводит апперкот

Вот он прижал меня в углу

Вот я едва ушел...

Вот апперкот – я на полу

И мне нехорошо!

И думал Буткеев, мне челюсть кроша:

И жить хорошо, и жизнь хороша!

При счете семь я все лежу –

Рыдают землячки

Встаю, ныряю, ухожу –

И мне идут очки

Неправда, будто бы к концу

Я силы берегу, –

Бить человека по лицу

Я с детства не могу

Но думал Буткеев, мне ребра круша:

И жить хорошо, и жизнь хороша!

В трибунах свист, в трибунах вой:

"Ату его, он трус!"

Буткеев лезет в ближний бой –

А я к канатам жмусь

Но он пролез – он сибиряк

Настырные они, –

И я сказал ему: "Чудак!

Устал ведь – отдохни!"

Но он не услышал – он думал, дыша

Что жить хорошо и жизнь хороша!

А он всё бьет – здоровый, черт! –

Я вижу – быть беде

Ведь бокс не драка – это спорт

Отважных и т. д

Вот он ударил – раз, два, три –

И... сам лишился сил, –

Мне руку поднял рефери

Которой я не бил

Лежал он и думал, что жизнь хороша

Кому хороша, а кому – ни шиша!

Vladimir Vysotsky's "Song of a Sentimental Boxer" narrates a boxing match from the perspective of the lyrical hero, a boxer facing a strong opponent, Boris Butkeev. The lyrics are filled with irony and sarcasm, allowing the author to explore not only the drama of the sport but also profound philosophical themes.

From the very first lines, imitating the sounds of the fight, "Blow, blow... Another blow...", an atmosphere of tension and dynamism is created. We witness the hero suffering defeats: he is "pinned in the corner," knocked down by an uppercut. However, at this moment, Butkeev's inner world, his thoughts, are strikingly interwoven: "Life is good, and it's good to be alive!". This phrase, repeated throughout the song, becomes a refrain, emphasizing the contrast between the brutality of the fight and Butkeev's naive optimism.

The lyrical hero does not strive for victory at any cost. He demonstrates compassion and peacefulness atypical for a boxer: "I haven't been able to hit a man in the face since I was a child." This phrase reveals his emotional sensitivity, which contrasts with his opponent's straightforwardness and aggression.

As the plot unfolds, we see how the hero, despite his unwillingness to fight, displays resilience and even cunning. He uses evasion tactics, wearing down his opponent. The cries of the crowd, "Get him, he's a coward!", only intensify the antithesis between external perception and the hero's true nature.

The climax comes when Butkeev, exhausted by his own fury, is defeated. The final lines, "He lay there thinking that life was good, Good for some, but for others – not so much!", shatter Butkeev's illusions, forcing us to reflect on the relativity of concepts like "victory" and "happiness."

Thus, "Song of a Sentimental Boxer" is not just a description of a boxing match but a metaphor for the struggle of life, where true strength lies not in physical superiority but in humanity and the ability to preserve one's moral principles.