The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Plainclothes officer." (Pro lichnost v schtatskom) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

You fill out a bunch of forms –

That's not the trouble yet –

But in the delegations

A plainclothes person travels with you –

Just always there

A month before the trip

You even go through a briefing –

How to spend all the days there:

To have less disgrace

And otherworldly connections

To be – no-no-no!

…The person in civilian clothes – a red-haired guy –

Introduced himself to me in Paris:

"We will live with you, I am Nikodim

I used to lift weights, lived in Bobruisk

Dad is Russian, I am Russian

Never even been convicted"

Extremely executive

He observed his secrecy

And tried to help me in everything:

Now, by the nature of his service,

He cherished my friendship

Just day and night

On a tour of Rome

I decided – without Nikodim:

He wrote all night - and then he fell asleep -

But the person in civilian clothes, it turned out

Used to be into boxing

So – I didn't risk it

He had breakfast, lunch with me

He was everywhere – following me –

As if he had nothing to do

Once, for the sake of order

I looked into his notebook –

I was just stunned!

He wrote – such a bitch! –

That in Paris I attacked the mayor

With my fists

That I'm unrestrained with women

And susceptible to influences

Like the West...

So, a person can even

Suspect of espionage!

Just imagine – what then?

This means – I won't see

Neither Rome nor Paris

Ever again!

Перед выездом в загранку

Заполняешь кучу бланков –

Это еще не беда, –

Но в составе делегаций

С вами ездит личность в штатском –

Просто завсегда

А за месяц до вояжа

Инструктаж проходишь даже –

Как там проводить все дни:

Чтоб поменьше безобразий

А потусторонних связей

Чтобы – ни-ни-ни!

... Личность в штатском – парень рыжий –

Мне представился в Париже:

"Будем с вами жить, я – Никодим

Вел нагрузки, жил в Бобруйске

Папа – русский, сам я – русский

Даже не судим"

Исполнительный на редкость

Соблюдал свою секретность

И во всем старался мне помочь:

Он теперь по роду службы

Дорожил моею дружбой

Просто день и ночь

На экскурсию по Риму

Я решил – без Никодиму:

Он всю ночь писал – и вот уснул, –

Но личность в штатском, оказалось

Раньше боксом увлекалась

Так что – не рискнул

Со мной он завтракал, обедал

Он везде – за мною следом, –

Будто у него нет дел

Я однажды для порядку

Заглянул в его тетрадку –

Просто обалдел!

Он писал – такая стерьва! –

Что в Париже я на мэра

С кулаками нападал

Что я к женщинам несдержан

И влияниям подвержен

Будто Запада...

Значит, личность может даже

Заподозрить в шпионаже!.

Вы прикиньте – что тогда?

Это значит – не увижу

Я ни Риму, ни Парижу

Больше никогда!.

Vladimir Vysotsky's song "About a Plainclothesman" tells the story of a man going on a business trip abroad as part of a delegation. From the very beginning of the story, it becomes clear that the hero will be under covert surveillance by a "plainclothesman" – a secret service agent.

Already at the beginning of the song, the author ironically describes the bureaucratic red tape ("a bunch of forms") and the mandatory briefing designed to introduce "cultural" behavior within the framework of the trip ("so that there is less outrage"). On the one hand, this creates an atmosphere of suspicion and absurdity inherent in a totalitarian regime, on the other hand, it evokes sympathy from the listener for the lyrical hero, whose freedom is limited.

Upon arrival in Paris, the hero is introduced to his "guardian" – Nikodem, who, trying to gain trust, emphasizes his closeness to him in every possible way ("Dad is Russian, I am Russian myself"). However, the author has no illusions about the true intentions of Nikodem, who is "extremely executive" and follows his every move.

Even when the hero tries to "throw off the tail", deciding to go on an excursion to Rome without his "companion", it turns out that this is useless. Nikodem, a former boxer, is always on the alert and ready to stop any attempt to escape surveillance.

The culmination of the song is the moment when the lyrical hero, looking into Nikodem's notebook, realizes that he is writing a denunciation against him, accusing him of unworthy behavior, aggression and "the influence of the West". The finale of the song is saturated with bitterness and hopelessness – the hero realizes that any attempt to escape from under the hood of the system is doomed to failure and can lead to tragic consequences ("I will never see Rome or Paris again!").

The song "About a Plainclothesman" is a vivid satire on the totalitarian system, where an atmosphere of fear, suspicion and denunciation reigns. Vysotsky masterfully conveys the experiences of a person who has become a victim of the system, deprived of freedom and the right to privacy.