Колыбельная (Lullaby)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of a city succumbing to a universal sleep, but it's no gentle slumber. The opening lines establish a pattern of quietude, listing sleeping animals and then jarringly shifting to "killers," "maniacs," and "pickpockets." This immediate juxtaposition sets a tone of unease, suggesting that even the most dangerous elements of society are momentarily pacified, while the mundane details like "sad curtains" and "crumpled asphalt" also succumb to the stillness. The wind "tugging newspapers" and "drunks getting home" are fleeting signs of life before the pervasive quiet takes over. The second verse continues this unsettling catalog, moving from "ducks" and "crows" to "prostitutes" and "drug dealers," further blurring the lines between the innocent and the illicit in this widespread dormancy. The city itself is described as "transparent," a fragile state perhaps, with "dry leaves in sleeves" and faces hidden "like in snow." The "grey autumn" and "rare laughter" contribute to a melancholic atmosphere, where even joy seems muted and scarce. The third verse expands the scope to include "panthers," "muskrats," and "skunks," alongside "hypocrites" and "bureaucrats" with "pens under heads." This reinforces the idea that no one is exempt from this profound sleep. The imagery of a flood, "spilling like streams" and "flooding above the windows," then "filling the bridges" in the "black night," introduces a powerful, almost apocalyptic element. It suggests a cleansing or overwhelming force accompanying this global slumber, culminating in the direct command to the listener: "The whole world is sleeping, fall asleep too."