A beautiful song from Ukrainian Galicia

In 1914, when World War I broke out, much of what is now Ukraine belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

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Within the Austro-Hungarian Army, a unit was formed, the Ukrainian Sich Rifle Legion, made up of soldiers from Ukrainian Galicia. At the end of the war, the Western Ukrainian People's Republic was proclaimed in the western part of present-day Ukraine. The Sich Rifle Legion became the Army of Galicia, being renamed the Army of Ukrainian Galicia in 1919.

In 1914, composer Stepan Charnetskii wrote "Oh, red viburnum in the meadow", a Ukrainian patriotic song in honor of the Sich Riflemen. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, this song has regained popularity in Ukraine as a song of resistance against Russia. The song is about red viburnum, a very typical Ukrainian plant that produces small white flowers. Ukrainian singer Eileen has released a beautiful a cappella version of this song in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces against the Russian invasion:

Here are the lyrics of the song in Ukrainian:

"Ой, у лузі червона калина похилилася
Чогось наша славна Україна зажурилася
А ми тую червону калину підіймемо
А ми нашу славну Україну, гей, гей, розвеселимо!

Виступають наші добровольці у кривавий тан
Визволяти рідну Україну з московських кайдан
А ми тії московські кайдани розірвемо
А ми нашу славну Україну, гей, гей, розвеселимо!

Гей, у полі ярої пшенички золотистий лан
Розпочали стрільці українські з ворогами тан
А ми тую ярую пшеничку ізберемо
А ми нашу славну Україну, гей, гей, розвеселимо!

Як повіє буйнесенький вітер з широких степів
Та й прославить по всій Україні Січових Стрільців
А ми тую стрілецькую славу збережемо
А ми нашу славну Україну, гей, гей, розвеселимо!"

You can read the English translation here:

"Oh, in the meadow a red viburnum bent down,
for some reason, our glorious Ukraine is in mourning.
And we will raise that red viburnum,
and cheer for our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey! (repeat)

Our volunteers are moving towards a bloody dance
to free their Motherland, Ukraine, from the shackles of Moscow.
And we will break those shackles of Moscow,
and we will cheer for our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey! (repeat)

Hey, there's a golden field of spring wheat.
Ukrainian riflemen began the dance with their enemies.
And we will harvest that spring wheat,
and cheer for our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey! (repeat)

Like a boisterous wind blows from the wide steppes,
and will glorify the Sich riflemen throughout Ukraine.
And we will save that glory of the Ukrainian Sich riflemen,
and we will cheer up our glorious Ukraine, hey, hey! (repeat)"