Swan Steel

Right alongside Tsoi in the pantheon of classic Russian rock figures is Boris Grebenshchikov, whose band Akvarium (or, Aquarium) has been active since 1972 and have a gigantic catalogue of albums. He is so well-known, and his last name such a mouthful, that he is typically referred to simply as БГ ("beh-geh"). His earlier songs often involve mystical, mythological, or religious imagery; dreamlike, imagined realms; even invented words. This song, one of their best, features an inscrutable something-or-other called "swan-steel," or, better, "swan-like steel" (the word лебединая is a feminine adjective formed from the noun лебедь, swan) — beyond being oxymoronic, it's hard to make sense of this phrase, but perhaps it speaks to taking something heavy and dark (ash, ice, pain, persecution, night) and living to see it transfigured into something light and joyous (honey, home, wings, day). While Grebenshchikov did write some songs with obvious political allusions, most might be called introspective, escapist, or fantastical in nature, full of strange creatures and kingdoms. Today's song is a real highlight of Soviet-era rock; it doesn't hurt that it has arguably the most kick-ass guitar solo in the history of Russian rock.

The image above is from the cover art of the album this song is from — Равноденствие (Equinox) — one of many wonderful early albums by Akvarium.

Swan Steel.

Take ash in your palm,
take ice in your palm,
This could be an opportunity;
this could be a home;
But here is your pain:
let it become a wing;
Swan steel in the clouds
still awaits.

I've always been alone;
such is the right of the arrow,
But no one remains alone,
even if he were able to.
Let the color of our eyes
be as fragile as March ice,
We will become like sleep,
and then dreams will be bright.

So, take clover in your palm,
take honey in your palm;
May the hunt flying in pursuit
melt away like a shadow.
We've lived through the night;
let's see what day looks like.
Swan steel in the clouds -
ahead!

Лебединая сталь

Возьми в ладонь пепел,
возьми в ладонь лëд.
Это может быть случай,
это может быть дом,
Но вот твоя боль,
так пускай она станет крылом,
Лебединая сталь в облаках
ещë ждëт.

Я всегда был один —
в этом право стрелы,
Но никто не бывает один,
даже если б он смог,
Пускай наш цвет глаз ненадëжен,
как мартовский лëд,
Но мы станем как сон и тогда
сны станут светлы.

Так возьми в ладонь клевер,
возьми в ладонь мëд,
Пусть охота, летящая вслед,
растает, как тень.
Мы прожили ночь, 
так посмотрим, как выглядит день,
Лебединая сталь в облаках —
вперëд!

Vocab notes:

брать n/sA (беру, берёшь) / взять (возьму, возьмёшь): to take • ладонь, и: palm (of hand) • пепел: ash • лёд, льда: ice • случай: chance, opportunity, instance • боль, и: pain • пускай = пусть: let, may… • становиться Иshift / стать Нstem чем: to become (also, to assume a standing position) • крыло, pl. крылья: wing • лебединый: adj. from лебедь, я: swan • сталь, и: steel • облако, pl. облака: cloud • ждать n/sA: to wait • один: one; alone • право: right • стрела: arrow • бывать АЙ: to be (frequently, regularly; this is the iterative of быть: to be) • даже: even • мочь Г / смочь Г: to be able, “can” • цвет, pl. цвета: color • глаз, pl. глаза (gen. pl. глаз): eye • ненадёжный: undependable • мартовский: adj. of март: March • сон: sleep; dream • тогда: then, at that time • светлый: bright, radiant • клевер: clover • охота: hunt (as in, a pack of hunters, dogs, etc.; elsewhere, this can also mean “desire”) • летящий: “which is underway by flight” (or by “racing”) — present active (determinate) verbal adjective from летать АЙ - лететь Еend / полететь Еend: to fly • вслед: in pursuit, after • таять А / растаять А: to melt (intransitive) • тень, и: shadow, shade • проживать АЙ / прожить Вend: to live through • ночь, и: night • смотреть Еshift / посмотреть Е: to look, have a look • выглядеть Е: to look, appear • день, дня: day • вперёд: onward, forward, ahead

Here’s a wonderful cover of the song (with striking video to boot) by another highly recommended band, TequilaJazzz.