The song “Do Russian People Stand For War” was written in 1961 by poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko with the participation of the famous Soviet singer Mark Bernes, who was its first performer. The song expresses protest against war and calls for peace. The song gained great popularity and was translated into several languages. This recording features the song performed by the Alexandrov Ensemble in English.

Lyrics in English:

Say, do the Russians want a war?..

Say, do the Russians want a war? —
Go ask our land, then ask once more,
That silence ling’ring in the air
Above the birch and poplar fair,
Beneath those trees lie soldier lads,
Whose sons will answer for their dads
To add to what you learnt before.
Say — Do the Russians want a war?

Those soldiers died on every hand,
Not only for their native land.
But so the world at night could sleep
And never have to wake and weep.
New York and Paris spend their nights
Asleep beneath the leaves and lights.
The answer’s in their dreams, be sure.
Say — Do the Russians want a war?

Sure, we know how to fight a war,
But we don’t want to see once more
The soldiers falling all around,
Their countryside a battleground.
Ask those who give the soldiers life,
Go ask my mother, ask my wife.
Then you will have to ask no more.
Say, do the Russians want a war?

Original lyrics in Russian:

Хотят ли русские войны?.. – текст песни

Хотят ли русские войны?
Спросите вы у тишины
над ширью пашен и полей
и у берез и тополей.
Спросите вы у тех солдат,
что под березами лежат,
и пусть вам скажут их сыны,
хотят ли русские войны.

Не только за свою страну
солдаты гибли в ту войну,
а чтобы люди всей земли
спокойно видеть сны могли.¹
Под шелест листьев и афиш
ты спишь, Нью-Йорк, ты спишь, Париж.
Пусть вам ответят ваши сны,
хотят ли русские войны.

Да, мы умеем воевать,
но не хотим, чтобы опять
солдаты падали в бою
на землю грустную свою.
Спросите вы у матерей,
спросите у жены моей,
и вы тогда понять должны,
хотят ли русские войны.