Korobeiniki

For the poem by Nikolai Nekrasov, see Korobeiniki (poem).

Simple arrangement of Korobeiniki melody

"Korobeiniki" (Russian: Коробейники, lit. Peddlers) is a nineteenth-century Russian folk song that tells of a meeting between a peddler and a girl, describing their haggling over goods in a veiled metaphor for courtship.

Outside Russia, "Korobeiniki" is widely known as the "Tetris theme song", from its appearance in Nintendo's 1989 version of the game. It is also known as the "Tetris Type-A", since it appeared in the game mode.

History

The song "Korobeiniki" is based on a poem with the same name by Nikolay Nekrasov, written and printed in the Sovremennik magazine in 1861. Due to its increasing tempo and the dance style associated with it, it quickly became a popular Russian folk song.

Korobeiniki were peddlers with trays, selling fabric, haberdashery, books and other small things in pre-revolutionary Russia. Nekrasov's poem is a sad story about the love between a peasant girl, Katya, and a young peddler. They meet each other in a rye field at night where he has promised her a good deal on the goods he carries, before they are sold in the market at day. Only the night knows what happens between them in the rye field, but she is not so simple and does not take any of the goods which he offers her. What is the point, she figures, to have all that without him – her first and only love? She takes only a small turquoise ring, as a memory, and he promises to marry her when he comes back from his commerce trip. He continues his journey and she waits for him with caution. His business goes very well and he makes a lot of money, but on the way back he is killed and robbed by a forest ranger whom he asks for directions. So he never comes back to marry Katya. The song is the beginning of the original poem; it only recounts Katya's first meeting with the young peddler when their relation is getting off to a happy start.

Lyrics

	Russian lyrics	Transliteration	English translation
1	Ой полным полна моя кoробушка Есть и ситец, и парча. Пожалей, душа-зазнобушка, Молодецкого плеча.	Oy polnym polna mоya korobushka Yest' i sitets i parcha. Pozhaley, dusha-zaznobushka, Molodetskogo plecha.	Oh, my crate is so full, I've got chintz and brocade. Take pity, oh sweety, Of this lad's shoulder
2	Выйду, выйду в рожь высокую, Там до ночки погожу, Как завижу черноокую, Все товары разложу.	Vyydu, vyydu v rozh' vysokuyu, Tam do nochki pogozhu, Kak zavizhu chernookuyu, Vse tovary razlozhu.	I will, I will go out into the tall rye, I will wait there till the night comes, Once I see the dark-eyed lass, I will showcase all my goods.
3	Цены сам платил немалые, Не торгуйся, не скупись, Подставляй-ка губки алые, Ближе к молодцу садись.	Tseny sam platil nemalyye, Ne torguysya, ne skupis', Podstavlyay-ka gubki alyye, Blizhe k molodtsu sadis'.	I paid no small price myself, So don't bargain or be stingy, Bring your scarlet lips to me, Sit closer to this fine lad.
4	Вот уж пала ночь туманная, Ждёт удалый молодец... Чу, идёт! – пришла желанная, Продаёт товар купец.	Vot uzh pala noch' tumannaya, Zhdyot udalyy molodets. Chu, idyot! – prishla zhelannaya, Prodayot tovar kupets.	The foggy night has already come, The daring lad is awaiting, Hark, it's her! The desired one has come, The merchant is selling his goods.
5	Катя бережно торгуется, Всё боится передать, Парень с де́вицей целуется, Просит цены набавлять.	Katya berezhno torguyetsya Vsyo boitsya peredat', Paren' s devitsey tseluyetsya, Prosit tseny nabavlyat'.	Katya is haggling with care, She is afraid to pay too much, A lad is kissing his lass, Asking her to raise the price.
6	Знает только ночь глубокая, Как поладили они. Распрямись ты, рожь высокая, Тайну свято сохрани!	Znayet tol'ko noch' glubokaya, Kak poladili oni. Raspryamis' ty, rozh' vysokaya, Taynu svyato sokhrani!	Only the deep night knows, What they agreed upon. Straighten up now, oh tall rye, And keep their secret scrupulously!
7	Ой, легка, легка коробушка, Плеч не режет ремешок! А всего взяла зазнобушка Бирюзовый перстенёк.	Oy legka legka korobushka Plech ne rezhet remeshok A vsego vzyala zaznobushka, biryuzovyy perstenyok.	Oh, my crate is so light; The strap is no longer cutting into my shoulders! And all my lass took Was one turquoise ring.
8	Дал ей ситцу штуку целую, Ленту алую для кос, Поясок – рубашку белую Подпоясать в сенокос...	Dal ey sittsu shtuku tseluyu, Lentu aluyu dlya kos, Poyasok – rubashku beluyu Podpoyasat' v senokos...	I had given her a whole piece of calico, A scarlet ribbon for her braids, A little belt—the white shirt To strap on while haymaking.
9	Все поклала ненаглядная В короб, кроме перстенька: «Не хочу ходить нарядная Без сердечного дружка!»	Vse poklala nenaglyadnaya V korob, krome persten'ka: "Ne hochu hodit' naryadnaya Bez serdechnogo druzhka!"	The sweet one put everything back into the box, but for the ring: "I do not want to go around dressed up Without a fiancé!"
10	То-то, дуры вы, молодочки! Не сама ли принесла Полуштофик сладкой водочки? А подарков не взяла!	To-to, dury vy, molodochki! Ne sama li prinesla Polushtofik sladkoy vodochki? A podarkov ne vzyala!	Oh, you foolish young ones! Did she herself not bring The half-flask of sweet vodka? And she did not take the gifts!
11	Так постой же! Нерушимое Обещаньице даю: Опорожнится коробушка, На Покров домой приду И тебя, душа-зазнобушка, В божью церковь поведу!"	Tak postoy zhe! Nerushimoe Obeshchanʹitse dayu: Oporozhnitsya korobushka, Na Pokrov domoy pridu I tebya, dusha-zaznobushka, V bozhʹyu tserkovʹ povedu!"	So stay right here! An unbreakable promise I give: Once I empty the crate, I'll return home, And you, my Sweetheart, To God's church I will lead!
12	Вплоть до вечера дождливого Молодец бежит бегом И товарища ворчливого Нагоняет под селом.	Vplotʹ do vechera dozhdlivogo Molodets bezhit begom I tovarishcha vorchlivogo Nagonyaet pod selom.	All through the rainy night, The young man runs, And catches up to a grumbling comrade in the village.
13	Старый Тихоныч ругается: "Я уж думал, ты пропал!" Ванька только ухмыляется - Я-де ситцы продавал!	Staryy Tihonych rugaetsya: "Ya uzh dumal, ty propal!" Van'ka tol'ko uhmylyaetsya - Ya-de sittsy prodaval!	Old Tihonych swears: "I really thought you were gone!" Vanka only smirks- I sold the chintz!

Tetris arrangements and modern cover versions

See also: Tetris – music

<phonos file="Korobeiniki.mid">"Korobeiniki"</phonos> as featured in Tetris in MIDI format.

After arrangements of "Korobeiniki" first appeared in Spectrum Holobyte's Apple IIgs and Mac versions of Tetris, the song was re-arranged in 1989 by Hirokazu Tanaka as the "Type A" accompaniment in Nintendo's Game Boy version. It has since become closely associated with the game in Western popular culture. In 2008, UGO listed the song as the 3rd best videogame music of all time.

Though Tetris Holding LLC holds a sound trademark on the song for use in video games, the song has appeared in Dance Maniax 2nd Mix under the title "Happy-hopper".

Other versions include:

• Doctor Spin's 1992 novelty Eurodance cover (under the name "Tetris") reached #6 on the UK singles chart.
• The string quartet Bond included a version on their 2000 debut album Born called Korobushka which they often perform at their live concerts.
• American rock band Ozma released a rock version on their 2001 album The Doubble Donkey Disc, used in 2013 on the movie Kick Ass 2.
• An Italian house remix of the song was featured in the 2005 compilation album by Gigi D'Agostino, Disco Tanz.
• It was also performed and recorded by the California-based vocal ensemble Chanticleer on their 1997 album "Wondrous Love" under the name "Oy, Polná, Polná, Koróbuskaha".
• The American instrumental power metal band Powerglove recorded their own version of the song, simply entitled "Tetris", on their debut EP Total Pwnage (2005).
• In 2009, a crust-folk band from Portland, Oregon called the Dapper Cadavers covered the song, titling it "Korobushka" on their EP, The Fall of the Dapper Cadavers.
• A trance cover arranged by Ryu* is featured on the Exit Trance release Exit Trance Presents FamiTrance EX (EXIT TRANCE PRESENTS ファミトランス EX, EXIT TRANCE PRESENTS Famitoransu EX, 2009) under the title "Korobushka". The song was later included on his album Ageha as "Korobushka (Ryu*Remix)".
• The PlayStation Portable title Ape Escape Academy (Ape Academy in Europe) also features this song in one of the 'Camp-Side Fire' mini-games (essentially a short rhythm game-like sequence), also under the title 'Korobushka'.
• Canadian Speed-Folk band The Kubasonics released a variation of the song under the name "Tetris Fantasy" on their 2005 album "Big Beat Music with The Kubasonics"
• Canadian fingerstyle guitarist Ewan Dobson performs an acoustic guitar version of the song on his first album.
• The Timbers Army sings this melody with altered lyrics during Portland Timbers games, usually accompanied by a simple dance with a large visual effect.

External links

• "Korobeiniki" by the Red Army Choir of the Soviet Union. Soloist: V. Shtefouts (Vasily_Ivanovich_Shtefutsa)
• Barynya performance
• Sheet music
• Sheet music by Michael Gluck
• [1] by Dmitri Hvorostovsky