The meaning of the lyrics of the song "On the point, not through the heart." (V piku, a ne v chervu) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

I remember once I played both "ochko" and "stos"

I don't remember that bitch I played with

At first, I lost two whores from the zone to him

I shouldn't have gone for spades, should've gone for hearts!

First, I shuffled the whole deck from the beginning

And then my nerves couldn't take it

He went all in, and I threw in rubles with the Kremlin

And I went for spades, should've gone for hearts!

He went all in, and I threw in rubles with the Kremlin

Oh, I shouldn't have gone for spades, should've gone for hearts!

My hands were shaking as if I were stealing chickens

As if I was playing for the very first time

He bet those two on the line - I gave it all up

And I went for spades, should've gone for hearts!

He talked a lot about it afterwards

And then my nerves couldn't take it

Well, he bet those two - and I killed him

I shouldn't have gone for spades, should've gone for hearts!

Well, he bet those two - and I killed him

I shouldn't have gone for spades, should've gone for hearts!

Please note: This translation aims for accuracy, but the original text includes slang and potentially offensive language, which is reflected in the translation. The terms "ochko" and "stos" refer to Russian card games.

Помню, я однажды и в "очко", и в "стос" играл

С кем играл – не помню этой стервы

Я ему сперва двух сук из зоны проиграл

Зря пошел я в пику, а не в черву!

Я сперва с начала всю колоду стасовал

А потом не выдержали нервы

Он пошел в листа, а я рубли с Кремлем кидал

И пошел я в пику, а не в черву!

Он пошел в листа, а я рубли с Кремлем кидал

Эх, зря пошел я в пику, а не в черву!

Руки задрожали, будто кур я воровал

Будто сел играть я в самый первый

Он поставил на кон этих двух - я все отдал

И пошел я в пику, а не в черву!

Он потом об этом очень много говорил

И потом не выдержали нервы

Что ж - поставил этих двух - и я его пришил

Зря пошел я в пику, а не в черву!

Что ж - поставил этих двух - и я его пришил

Зря пошел я в пику, а не в черву!

The song "В пику, а не в черву" ("In Spades, Not Hearts") by Vladimir Vysotsky tells a story of a card game that escalated into a tragedy. The lyrical hero, from whose perspective the story is told, recalls how he lost everything at cards and then, in a fit of rage, killed his opponent.

The title of the song and the recurring phrase "Зря пошел я в пику, а не в черву!" ("Wrongly I chose spades, not hearts!") carry a profound meaning. In card games, "пика" ("spades") and "черва" ("hearts") are suits, with "spades" often associated with something negative, sharp, dangerous (for example, the jack of spades). "Hearts", on the contrary, symbolize love and compassion.

Therefore, the phrase "Wrongly I chose spades, not hearts!" goes beyond the scope of the card game and acquires a metaphorical meaning. The hero realizes that he made the wrong choice in life, following the path of aggression and violence ("spades"), instead of choosing the path of love, compassion, and reason ("hearts").

The words "Wrongly I chose..." are imbued with bitter remorse. The hero understands that his impulsive act led to irreparable consequences. He killed a man because of a gambling debt, destroying not only the life of another but also his own.

It is important to note that the song does not justify the hero's actions. Vysotsky does not try to mitigate his guilt or present the murder as something inevitable. On the contrary, he harshly condemns violence and emphasizes the tragedy of the situation that arose because of the inability to control one's emotions and make the right choice.