Why a Simple Song Suddenly Sends Chills Down Your Spine

This song, composed by Anatoliy Svidnytskyi 170 years ago, is finding its place once again in Ukrainian culture, and its performance evokes chills.

Of course, I had heard this song before. Like many others, it is part of our historical heritage. One might wonder what could be special about yet another lyrical-epic ballad that was revived even before 1991? However, the way it is performed today compels deep reflection on the profound emotions it elicits. Some intellectuals refer to this as catharsis, and while that may sound grandiose, I cannot help but agree.

This reminds me of the events of February 2014, when I conducted a survey among prominent Ukrainians about how the Revolution of Dignity changed their worldview. Valeriy Kharchyshyn, the frontman of the band Druha Rika, confessed that he previously did not like our anthem, as the lines about 'the soul and body we will lay down for our freedom' seemed overly pompous to him. But now, after all the trials we have endured, those words have taken on an entirely new meaning.

I decided to delve into Wikipedia to learn more about Svidnytskyi's song. On the cover of the album 'Forgotten Ukrainian Songs,' I discovered that this song had indeed been forgotten, as the lines about the Moscow guard during the communist era could cost one their freedom. The lyrics speak of a Cossack who has been in captivity for two centuries, pleading for fate to rescue him from his plight. Yet, fate itself cannot be freed, as it too is under the Moscow guard.

This prompts one to ponder: the current war is not merely a struggle for Donbas and Luhansk. The enemy seeks to restore the status quo mentioned by Svidnytskyi. They want our fates to once again fall under their control.

While exploring this theme, I stumbled upon another intriguing detail: contemporary recordings of older women singing from the villages of Luka in Kyiv Oblast and Pisky Radkivski in Kharkiv Oblast. The song contains accusations against Bohdan Khmelnytskyi: 'Oh master, Bohdan, foolish son. You have ruined mother, dear Ukraine.' In the village of Luka, they sing: 'You have ruined Poland, sold Ukraine.' This indicates that the song is not only about the past but also about the present.

These women who sing cannot be forgotten, as they carry within them the memory of the Moscow yoke they endured. The oldest of the singers from Pisky was born in 1939. This means that songs about the Moscow yoke have been sung continuously, even during the Soviet era, and probably since Svidnytskyi wrote them. His novel 'Lyuboratski' is considered the first Ukrainian novel, but without a doubt, Svidnytskyi's true masterpiece is the song 'And for Two Hundred Years.'

It is fascinating how a literary text that was not published until 1901 became a folk song. Perhaps the song was adopted by blind kobzars and bandurists, as Svidnytskyi himself traveled across Ukraine, collecting folklore and engaging with many musicians. Kobzars were crucial bearers of Ukrainian culture, and their role in preserving national identity was indispensable.

Now, as Pisky Radkivski has endured six months of occupation, a question arises: whom were they trying to liberate? The people who have sung about the Moscow yoke since childhood? This evokes profound reflections on history and modernity. Ultimately, we know that 'liberation' has always been accompanied by certain illusions. As evidenced by the memories of Red Army soldiers who 'liberated' the Finns in 1939, they themselves questioned the necessity of this 'liberation.'

This text, while it may seem banal, serves as an important reminder that history repeats itself. Just as the known evil wrought upon us by the Russian people becomes evident, its banality is clear. And while this may sound trivial, we must remember the lessons of history that should never be forgotten.