The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The Song of the Sentimental Boxer" (Pesnya pro sentimentalnogo boksyora) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Jab, jab... Another jab...

Another punch - and then

Boris Butkeev (Krasnodar)

Throws an uppercut

He has me pinned in the corner

I barely got away...

Another uppercut - I'm on the floor

And I don't feel so good!

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 crying

I rise, I dive, I dodge -

And the points are coming my way

It's not true that I'm saving my strength

For the final round -

I just can't hit a man in the face

Never could, never would

But Butkeev thought, as he crushed my ribs:

Life is good, oh life is good!

The stands are roaring, the stands are screaming:

"Get him, he's a coward!"

Butkeev comes in close -

And I'm hugging the ropes

But he got through - he's Siberian

They're persistent, those guys -

And I said to him: "Man, take it easy!

You must be tired - take a break!"

But he didn't hear me - he thought, as he breathed,

That life is good, oh life is good!

And he kept hitting - the big brute! -

I can see trouble coming

After all, boxing is not a fight - it's a sport

For the courageous, etc.

He landed a punch - one, two, three -

And... he was the one who lost his strength -

The referee raised the hand

That hadn't thrown a single blow

He lay there, thinking that life is good

Good for some, perhaps, but for others - not so much!

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 "The Song about the Sentimental Boxer" uses an ironic title and a sports setting to explore profound philosophical themes. The protagonist is a boxer who dislikes fighting and sees no point in inflicting pain on another human being.

The lyrics are built on the contrast between the lyrical hero's inner world and the brutal reality of the boxing ring. On the one hand, we witness a dynamic fight, punches, knockdowns, and the roar of the crowd urging the boxer to "finish" his opponent. On the other hand, we hear the boxer's inner monologue, full of reflections on life, good, and evil.

The character of Butkeev, the lyrical hero's opponent, embodies primitiveness, straightforwardness, and an inability to reflect. He fights because he has to, because it's his job, without thinking about the consequences or the feelings of the other person. The phrase "Life is good, and it's good to be alive!", repeated throughout the song, sounds mechanical in his mouth, like a broken record.

The lyrical hero, on the contrary, is sensitive and vulnerable. He does not enjoy violence but rather endures it. In battle, he tries to avoid blows, not inflict them. He even pities his opponent, offering him a chance to rest.

The ending of the song is unexpected. Butkeev, exhausted by his aggression, falls, and the lyrical hero emerges victorious without landing a single blow. This victory symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, humanity over cruelty, reason over animal instincts.

The song makes one think about what true strength is and what is more important - winning at any cost or preserving human dignity.