The meaning of the lyrics of the song ""Chansonette about Rosa the Schoolgirl"" (Schansonetka pro Rozu-gimnazistku) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

In lonely languor hidden,

In shade, unseen, unknown,

Beneath a watchful eye, she'd grown

Within the garden's prison.

Mama, with friends, would tarry,

Papa from them had fled,

But Chestnut branches guarded her,

Above her bowed head.

High up or maybe lower,

The Chestnut spread his shade,

A schoolgirl Rose discovered him,

Her secret, gently made.

Narcissus, flower much lauded,

His father, rich and grand,

Had breathed on many Roses,

Before her, in this land.

No brute was he, but polished,

Manners, he'd well rehearsed,

His mother, a grande dame, they said,

His father, money first.

He'd been, in youth, perfumed, alas,

Not fragrance, but a sham,

And still, the schoolgirl Rose began

A passionate romance.

And then, this fiend from hell's own pit,

Narcissus, sly and sly,

"Come to me, leave your garden," bid,

One day, beneath the sky.

When else was such a song bestowed?

Rose, with no time to dress,

Said, "Ah!" then blushed a rosy red,

And packed, in some distress.

He claimed her, every petal, his,

This scoundrel, bold and bright.

Mama was with her friends, amiss,

The Chestnut, bare of light.

Rose sought for happiness, in vain,

And never saw the way,

A Poppy, almost ripe, with pain,

For her, began to sway.

But did she care, this foolish Rose,

How dull and crass his hue?

Her petals fell, her life now closed,

The Rose, no more in view.

And in the Poppy's somber black,

A mournful peace was found.

The Chestnut wept, when spring came back,

With leaves upon the ground.

В томленьи одиноком

В тени - не на виду -

Под неусыпным оком

Цвела она в саду.

Маман - всегда с друзьями,

Папа от них сбежал,

Зато Каштан ветвями

От взглядов укрывал.

Высоко ль или низко

Каштан над головой,-

Но Роза-гимназистка

Увидела - его.

Нарцисс - цветок воспетый,

Отец его - магнат,

И многих Роз до этой

Вдыхал он аромат.

Он вовсе был не хамом -

Изысканных манер.

Мама его - гран-дама,

Папа - миллионер.

Он в детстве был опрыскан -

Не запах, а дурман,-

И Роза-гимназистка

Вступила с ним в роман.

И вот, исчадье ада,

Нарцисс тот, ловелас,

"Иди ко мне из сада!"-

Сказал ей как-то раз.

Когда еще так пелось?!

И Роза, в чем была,

Сказала: "Ах!" - зарделась -

И вещи собрала.

И всеми лепестками

Вмиг завладел нахал.

Маман была с друзьями,

Каштан уже опал.

Искала Роза счастья

И не видала, как

Сох от любви и страсти

Почти что зрелый Мак.

Но думала едва ли,

Как душен пошлый цвет,-

Все лепестки опали -

И Розы больше нет.

И в черном цвете Мака

Был траурный покой.

Каштан ужасно плакал,

Когда расцвел весной.

In this humorous yet poignant "Chansonette about Rosa the Schoolgirl," Vladimir Vysotsky uses allegory to tell a story about first love, temptation, disillusionment, and loss of innocence.

Rosa, growing in the garden under a "watchful eye" (possibly a strict governess or societal norms), symbolizes youth, innocence, and purity. She is "in the shadows" and "not in sight," indicating her isolation from the outside world and lack of experience. The Chestnut tree, sheltering her with its branches, embodies security, protection, and perhaps platonic love.

The appearance of Narcissus, a narcissistic and spoiled "son of a tycoon," disrupts the idyll. He is the embodiment of superficial charm, material wealth, and empty promises. Vysotsky ironically describes his impeccable manners and "aroma," hinting at the artificiality and falseness of his image.

Blinded by Narcissus' beauty and courtship, Rosa succumbs to temptation and abandons everything for him. Her hasty decision, "without a second thought, she blushed and packed her things," speaks to her naivety, impulsiveness, and lack of life experience.

However, Rosa's happiness is short-lived. Narcissus, having gotten what he wanted, quickly loses interest in her. Abandoned and disillusioned, she fades away, and her "petals fall."

The finale introduces the image of a mature Poppy, symbolizing true, deep love that went unnoticed. The tragedy of the situation is emphasized by the "black color" of the Poppy and the grief of the Chestnut, "crying" in spring.

Thus, Vysotsky's chansonette is not just a love story, but an allegory about growing up, the loss of illusions, and the cost of choice. It makes one think about the importance of true values as opposed to superficial gloss and falsehood.