State Anthem of the Soviet Union

The sheet music of the National anthem of Russia, which uses the same melody as that of the Soviet Union.

The State Anthem of the Soviet Union Russian: Госуда́рственный гимн Сове́тского Сою́за, Russian pronunciation: [ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj ˈɡʲimn sɐˈvʲetskəvə sɐˈjuzə]) was the national anthem of the Soviet Union from 1944 until 1991. It replaced the old one, which was a Russian translation of The Internationale.^[1]^[2] Currently it is the State Anthem of the Russian Federation.^[3] The exuberant key of C major fits the mood of the anthem.

History

The music was created around 1938 by Alexander Alexandrov, a great Russian composer who earlier started the Alexandrov Ensemble. The original lyrics were by Sergey Mikhalkov and Gabriel El-Registan and were first written in 1943. They mentioned Joseph Stalin by his name as well as the Great Patriotic War. When Stalin died in 1953, the lyrics were no longer appropriate and so the music was performed without them. For the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution in 1977, the lyrics were brought back, but changed so that they do not mention Stalin or the war.^[1]^[2]

This song was in use until the Soviet Union broke down in 1991. Until then, most of the republics of the Soviet Union also had their anthem, but the Russian SSR did not until 1990. After Russia became independent, the Russian SSR anthem, which used a melody by Mikhail Glinka and had no official words, became the Russian national anthem. But in 2000, the newly elected president, Vladimir Putin, decided to bring back the melody of the Soviet anthem. He had new words written to it by Sergey Mikhalkov, the same person who wrote the original Soviet anthem.^[1]^[2]

Below are the Russian and the English versions of the lyrics; both can be sung to the music. Like "The Internationale", there are also other versions of the Soviet anthem in different languages.

1977 lyrics

Official Russian lyrics

Cyrillic script	Latin script	IPA transcription
Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь. Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз! Славься, Отечество наше свободное, Дружбы народов надёжный оплот! Знамя советское, знамя народное Пусть от победы к победе ведёт! Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы, И Ленин великий нам путь озарил: Нас вырастил Сталин – на верность народу, На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил! Славься, Отечество наше свободное, Счастья народов надёжный оплот! Знамя советское, знамя народное Пусть от победы к победе ведёт! Мы армию нашу растили в сраженьях. Захватчиков подлых с дороги сметём! Мы в битвах решаем судьбу поколений, Мы к славе Отчизну свою поведём! Славься, Отечество наше свободное, Славы народов надёжный оплот! Знамя советское, знамя народное Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!^[4]	Sojuz nerušimyj respublik svobodnyh Splotila naveki velikaja Rusj! Da zdravstvujet sozdannyj volej narodov Jedinyj, mogučij Sovetskij Sojuz! Slavjsä, Otečestvo naše svobodnoje, Družby narodov nadöžnyj oplot, Znamä sovetskoje, znamä narodnoje Pustj ot pobedy k pobede vedöt! Skvozj grozy sijalo nam solnce svobody, I Lenin velikij nam putj ozaril: Nas vyrastil Stalin — na vernostj narodu, Na trud i na podvigi nas vdohnovil! Slavjsä, Otečestvo naše svobodnoje, Sčastjä narodov nadöžnyj oplot, Znamä sovetskoje, znamä narodnoje Pustj ot pobedy k pobede vedöt! My armiju našu rastili v sraženjäh, Zahvatčikov podlyh s dorogi smetöm! My v bitvah rešajem sudjbu pokolenij, My k slave Otčiznu svoju povedöm! Slavjsä, Otečestvo naše svobodnoje, Slavy narodov nadöžnyj oplot, Znamä sovetskoje, znamä narodnoje Pustj ot pobedy k pobede vedöt!	[sɐˈjʉs nʲɪrʊˈʂɨmɨj rʲɪsˈpublʲɪk svɐˈbodnɨx] [splɐˈtʲilə nɐˈvʲekʲɪ vʲɪˈlʲikəjə ˈrusʲ] [ˈda ˈzdrastvʊjɪt ˈsozdənːɨj ˈvolʲɪj nɐˈrodəf] [jɪˈdʲinɨj mɐˈgutɕɪj sɐˈvʲetskʲɪj sɐˈjʉs] [ˈslafʲsʲə ɐˈtʲetɕɪstvə ˈnaʂɨ svɐˈbodnəjə] [ˈdruʐbɨ nɐˈrodəf nɐˈdʲɵʐnɨj ɐpˈlot] [ˈznamʲə sɐˈvʲetskəjə ˈznamʲə nɐˈrodnəjə] [ˈpusʲtʲ ɐt pɐˈbʲedɨ k‿pɐˈbʲedʲɪ vʲɪˈdʲɵt] [ˈskvosʲ ˈgrozɨ sʲɪjæˈlə ˈnam ˈsontsɨ svɐˈbodɨ] [ˈi ˈlʲenʲɪn vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnam ˈputʲ ɐzɐˈrʲil] [ˈnas ˈvɨrəsʲtʲɪl ˈstalʲɪn nə ˈvʲernəsʲtʲ ˈnɐrodʊ] [nə ˈtrut ˈi nə ˈpodvʲɪɡʲɪ ˈnas vdəxnɐˈvʲil] [ˈslafʲsʲə ɐˈtʲetɕɪstvə ˈnaʂɨ svɐˈbodnəjə] [ˈɕːæsʲtʲjə nɐˈrodəf nɐˈdʲɵʐnɨj ɐpˈlot] [ˈznamʲə sɐˈvʲetskəjə ˈznamʲə nɐˈrodnəjə] [ˈpusʲtʲ ɐt pɐˈbʲedɨ k‿pɐˈbʲedʲɪ vʲɪˈdʲɵt] [ˈmɨ ˈarmʲɪjʉ ˈnaʂʊ rɐsʲˈtʲilʲɪ f‿srɐˈʐɛnʲjəx] [zɐxˈvatɕːɪkəf ˈpodlɨx z‿ˈdɐˈroɡʲɪ smʲɪˈtʲɵm] [ˈmɨ v‿ˈbʲitvəx rʲɪˈʂajɪm sʊdʲˈbu pəkɐˈlʲenʲɪj] [ˈmɨ k‿ˈslavʲɪ ɐˈtɕːiznʊ svɐˈju pəvʲɪˈdʲɵm] [ˈslafʲsʲə ɐˈtʲetɕɪstvə ˈnaʂɨ svɐˈbodnəjə] [ˈslavɨ nɐˈrodəf nɐˈdʲɵʐnɨj ɐpˈlot] [ˈznamʲə sɐˈvʲetskəjə ˈznamʲə nɐˈrodnəjə] [ˈpusʲtʲ ɐt pɐˈbʲedɨ k‿pɐˈbʲedʲɪ vʲɪˈdʲɵt]

Official English translation

The official version of lyrics endorsed by CPSU:^[5]

Unbreakable Union of freeborn Republics,

Great Russia has welded forever to stand.

Created in struggle by will of the people,

United and mighty, our Soviet land!

Chorus:

Sing to the Motherland, home of the free,

Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong.

O Party of Lenin, the strength of the people,

To Communism's triumph lead us on!

Through tempests, the sunrays of freedom have cheered us,

Along the new path where great Lenin did lead.

To a righteous cause he raised the peoples,

Inspired them to labor and valorous deed.

Chorus

In the victory of Communism's deathless ideal,

We see the future of our dear land.

And to her fluttering scarlet banner,

Selflessly true we always shall stand!

Chorus

Original 1944 version

The 1944 text had three different refrains following three different stanzas; in each refrain, the second line was consequently modified with references to friendship, then happiness and finally the glory. In 1977, these refrains were replaced by a uniform refrain following all stanzas.

English translation of 1944 version

The Russian [Soviet] republics, in freedom united,
Have mustered their power, their glory, their pride,
And thus they created the great Soviet Union,
The will of the nations that spread far and wide!

Great shall your glory be, Motherland proud and free,
Bulwark of friendship for nation and man!
Flag of the Soviet, lead us to victory,
Flag of the people since freedom began!

The sunlight of freedom has shone through the tempest,
And Lenin has lighted our path with his flame,
While Stalin has shown us that faith in the people
Inspires us to action, deeds, and fame.

Great shall your glory be, Motherland proud and free,
Bulwark of happiness for nation and man!
Flag of the Soviet, lead us to victory,
Flag of the people since freedom began!

Our army in action has grown in its power,
And soon it will wipe out the enemy horde;
The fate of the future is sealed by our bravery,
And honor and glory shall be our reward!

Great shall your glory be, Motherland proud and free,
Bulwark of glory for nation and man!
Flag of the Soviet, lead us to victory,
Flag of the people since freedom began!^[6]

Anthem of the Bolshevik Party

The Hymn of the Bolshevik Party (Гимн партии большевиков / Gimn partii boljševikov) uses the same melody as the Soviet anthem, but with different lyrics by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach. ^[7] The opening bars of the song is sampled from Life has Become Better (Жить стало лучше / Žitj stalo lučše), one of Alexandrov's previous pieces.^[8] From the 1930s to the 1950s, this served as the unofficial anthem of the Bolshevik Party. In 2016, Communists of Russia—a Russian communist party—declared that this piece is their party anthem.^[9]

Lyrics

Russian (Cyrillic script)	Russian (Latin script)	Literal English translation
Страны небывалой свободные дети, Сегодня мы гордую песню поём О партии самой могучей на свете, О самом большом человеке своём. Припев: Славой Ленина/овеяна, волею Сталина/спаяна, Крепни и здравствуй во веки веков Партия Ленина, партия Сталина Мудрая партия большевиков! Страну от Кремля создала на земле ты Могучую Родину вольных людей. Стоит как утёс государство Советов, Рожденное силой и правдой твоей. Припев Изменников подлых гнилую породу Ты грозно сметаешь с пути своего. Ты гордость народа, ты мудрость народа, Ты сердце народа и совесть его. Припев И Маркса и Энгельса пламенный гений Предвидел коммуны грядущий восход. Дорогу к свободе наметил нам Ленин И Сталин великий по ней нас ведёт. Припев^[10]	Strany nebyvaloj svobodnije deti, Segodnä my gorduju pesnü pojom O partii samoj mogučej na svete, O samom boljšom čeloveke svojom. Pripev: Slavoj Lenina/ovejana, voleju Stalina/spajana, Krepni i zdravstvuj vo veki vekov Partija Lenina, partija Stalina Mudraja partija boljševikov! Pripev Stranu ot Kremlä sozdala na zemle ty Mogučuju Rodinu voljnyh lüdej. Stoit kak utös gosudarstvo Sovetov, Roždennoje siloj i pravdoj tvojej. Pripev Izmennikov podlyh gniluju porodu Ty grozno smetaješj s puti svojevo. Ty gordostj naroda, ty mudrostj naroda, Ty serdce naroda i sovestj jevo. Pripev I Marxa i Engeljsa plamennyj genij Predvidel kommuny gräduśij voshod. Dorogu k svobode nametil nam Lenin I Stalin velikij po nej nas vedöt. Pripev	Free children of a state unprecedented [until now], Today we sing our proud song About the most powerful party in the world, About our greatest man ever. Chorus: Surrounded with Lenin/glory, soldered by Stalin/[our] will, Grow stronger and live for eternity The party of Lenin, the party of Stalin Wise party of Bolsheviks! Thou hast created the state [starting] from the Kremlin, The able Motherland of free people. Our Soviet state stands as rock Born by thy power and truth. Chorus Rotten breeds of lowly treachers Thou wipest from our way with a formidable hand Thou art the pride of the people, the wisdom of people, The heart of the people and their conscience. Chorus The sparking genius of Marx and Engels Envisioned the future rise of the commune. Lenin has outlined us the road to the freedom And great Stalin is leading us through it. Chorus

Official translations

Because the Soviet Union had several minority languages, the anthem was translated into several different languages, including all of the official languages of each SSR and several other minority languages (especially those of Russia), including Avar, Bashkir, Karachay-Balkar, Komi, Tatar and Sakha (Yakut).