"Kontra" Ukrainian mad singers?

[Patrice]

Aaaargh I just found this on internet today ! A song about the Maxim machine-gun I never heard of these mad Makhnovist Ukrainian singers group before today ! 
Did I miss some posts on this forum, or why did not our Ukrainian and Russian friends here tell us about them? So gooood!



Well I still haven't bought the Copplestone's BoB RCW sailors, but now that I have seen this song I know that I must buy the miniatures now. Aaaargh how can you paint such narrow-striped shirts?
...and what does the tambourine-player smoke before his concerts?

[Ataman]

As much as I loathe the man himself, I love their song for Makhno. Their tambourinist is an...interesting fellow to say the least.

[cuprum]

"My horse"

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The site of the musical group "Kontra"
 By the way, "Contra" - so called Red opponents - is derived from the Russian word for "counterrevolutionary."
A striped shirt - a shirt worn under a sailor "telnyashka." Among the anarchists were a lot of sailors.

http://www.kontramahno.ru/

[area23]

The silly moustache of the accordeon player must be an ironic joke?
Apparently many maknovicina at the time dressed up in outrageous combinations too.

[Patrice]

Thanks cuprum 

area23 yes I was surprised too by the accordeon player costume so I did some research and I found that it probably is a reference to a character in an old film "Wedding in Malinovka" (1967). Never heard of it before but apparently very well-known in Ukraine and Russia.


In this film this character is called Popandopulo and is adjutant of an ataman's troop, they are the bad guys (it is a Soviet film and they are enemies of the Reds) and he is a sort of funny clown.

Hey if he existed in 28mm he would do an interesting and unusual NCO figure for an Ukrainian or Anarchist army... 

[cuprum]

The musical group "Kontra" costumes actually reflect "Makhno" and a humorous look musicians.
 During the Civil War were very common, "operetta" (that is silly and funny, but strange clothes), especially in the units of the various chieftains, where there was no any discipline. Often, these costumes were squads of anarchists, much less often - red. The white garments are met too infrequently.

 The film "The Wedding in Malinovka" really quite famous in Russia - a musical comedy on the background of the events of the Civil War in the Ukraine. Not sure I can find it with English subtitles.

 But the arrival at the scene Red Marine Regiment completion - the detachment of sailors-anarchists. From the film "Optimistic Tragedy".

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[Patrice]

the detachment of sailors-anarchists. From the film "Optimistic Tragedy"

Excellent I love these anarchist sailors

Last night there was nothing good on television so I watched "Wedding at Malinovka" on internet (in Russian):
http://new-kino.net/komedii/2103-svadba-v-malinovke-1967.html
(you may have to block other browser windows to open).

For those who want a quick idea of the film go directly to 00:12:30 and watch a few minutes it is probably the best part. No need to understand Russian: the villagers dance then the ataman arrives with some of his troop they pillage the village. In one house the ataman wants to marry a girl, while his adjutant Popandopulo waits outside singing a silly love song The girl runs away and the ataman orders his reluctant adjutant to catch her but she escapes (and laters she finds a troop of nice Red cavalry who will help her).

It is old-fashioned but not worse than all 1960s films and musical comedies. As usual the good guys are too nice and clean, but in these old films I love all the small costume details and background details that look right for the period (a big difference with more modern films which suffer of what I call "Van Hessling fashion").

[area23]

Brilliant! brilliant! Just ordered some Brigade russians to make a battalion of Makhnovicina. the pics and links are very nice!

I read elsewere already about the apparent dada-esque cabaret appearance of the core group of maknovicina.
I think I posted a great prosaic text on this forum some years ago, copied from a site I forgot.

[cuprum]

Here is another excerpt from the film "Alexander Parkhomenko," which shows the scene of arrival, the commander of the Red army (Parkhomenko) for talks with the team armored train consisting of sailors-anarchists.

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[area23]

I really need to build a river steamer like in that video.  

Here's that text:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=12626.45

LAF has really become the best resource of obscure information of the Russian Civil War!

[Jim French]

I notice that the Russians seem to have a liking for the accordion.  Not your everyday marching band instument.

[cuprum]

Yes, Russia's favorite folk instrument of the period - a accordion and balalaika. Guitar - have educated people.

[Uncle Mike]

I have no idea what they are saying but this is rock and roll! 

[cuprum]

Maximka-machine gun

The bullet flew - a whirlwind burned
 The steppe all turned gray from the feather grass
 Somewhere life remained the stanitsa
 We got unlimited freedom

 Oh, give us the freedom of Maximka-machine gun
 We know not a ford, but keep trying, brother, forward
 Left-right to go - not a Cossack
 Our job - saber and a firm hand

The women are crying loudly, holding his horse by the bridle
 But you can not otherwise - I'll go to the steppe
 What would life without commissars and without White
 For life is not in vain
 I am ready to fight

 What would life be not rotten
 To be the face of the wind
 Because of the clouds came the moon - like a sickle
 So will the harvest of the roots
 Ataman, we took an oath, leaving the road

[Uncle Mike]

Thanks for the translation Cuprum! Now I can try to sing along!