Don't you worry my child, it's just horses playing out there.
Oh my love, my sweetheart, it's just horses playing out there.

Oh, my mother, I see the guests coming into our yard!
Or, dear mother, they are coming into the house!

Don't you worry my child, I will save you, I will protect you.
Oh my love, my sweetheart, I will save you, I will protect you.

Oh, my mother, they are taking the icons off the walls,

Or my, dear mother, they are blessing me!

Or my child, my dear child I bless you too.

"Matushka" is a song about arranged marrige.

Originated in the early 18th century, "Matushka"

was performed by Gypsies as a wedding song.

It was one of the favorite songs of the great

Russian poet of the 19th century - Alexander

Pushkin. This version of the song was dedicated by

unknown gypsy singer to him and mentions his name.

It is also one of the favorite Tatiana's songs.

Off we go in clouds of dust
On the road of the shinning moon
And the songs of future and past
Take us home together soon

Time is rushing along like a creek
Taking us to the peaceful land
And we meet our loved ones and friends
Who are waiting with open hands

Chorus:

Off we go in clouds of dust
On the road of the shinning moon
And the songs of future and past
Bring us all together soon

to honor the memory of her grandmother,

Tatiana Lebedkina (1912-1997) who raised Tatiana in a

small village in the vast Northen Kazakh steppe

(Russian prairie). Tatiana's grandmother introduced her

to traditional Russian music.

Why are you crying, my love -
He asked her noticing the tears on her cheeks.
'Maybe you don't love me anymore?

Oh my darling I love you very much
And I cry because I don't want to part with you,
Because I feel that I can't live without you.

The cattails whispered, the trees wagged their branches
And the night was gloomy and dark.
But two lovers walked together until morning.

familiar to almost every Russian. It, probably,

originated in the rural Russia around 17-18th

century.

I just saw in my dream
That my black horse
Suddenly became too playful, too restless
With me sitting in the saddle

And then the harsh wind gusted from the east
And blew my hat off

But our commander was smart, oh, very smart
He figured it all out
"Sorry, son you are going to die in this upcoming battle" -
He said

Oh, It's not evening, it's not evening yet
I just had a little nap
I just had a little nap
And here is what I saw in my dream

It is a revealation of upcoming fate.

Cossaks lived in the southern region of Russia and

patrolled it's borders.

Their lives were often on the line when they had to

face all kinds of enimies invading Russia from the south.

Cossack songs often tell about military service

that was an indispensable part of their lives.

Why you flying, oh, black raven?
Why you aiming at my head?
Do you see your future prey here?
No, black raven, I'm not dead.

Better fly back to my homeland
Go to see my dear mom
Tell her, oh my darling raven
That you've seen her dying son

Better fly back to my country
Go to see my darling wife
Tell her, oh my dear raven
That I'm parting with my life

I've got all my final blessings
From a forged arrowhead
Go ahead and take my heart now
Yes, black raven, now I'm dead

from the 17th century. Raised in Russian Orthodox

tradition, soldiers were not afraid of dying but rather

felt that it was important to die dicently and to part

spiritually with life thinking of their loved ones.

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