In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Ai ai ai ai ai, woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Ai ai ai ai ai, woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Ai ai ai ai ai, a-woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Sitting in a Russian bath-house on Avenue B
No matter how much we sweat, we just can't agree
Ai, razminku yershikom provodim my
Nobody learn no nothing from no history
Tall little Sally plays with magic pebbles
Dasha sells equipment to the Chechnya rebels
Ya vyhozhu iz anala v astral
Tam mnogo chego slyshal no ne zapisal
Nesmotrya na Se.Sheh.Ah ne poterayl azarta
Buhayu strogo kazhdoe vosmoye marta
Sitting in the bath-house on Avenue B
And never agree
Sally, all empires fall, even trends they fade away
Even complete strangers (asshole) can lead you astray
But god damn it, this round is on me
Nobody learns no nothing from no history
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Tall little Sally, my darling
Your panic's so charming
Your shopping techniques are amazing
Celebrity erudition disarming
Tall little Sally, my darling
Your panic's so charming
Tall little Sally, my darling
Yura, viruchai! (Yura viruchil!)
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Sitting in a Russian bath house on the Avenue B
No matter how much we sweat, we just can't agree
Ai ai ai ai ai, a-woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Ai ai ai ai ai, woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Ai ai ai ai ai, a-woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
Sitting in a Russian bath-house on Avenue B
No matter how much we sweat, we just can't agree
Ai, razminku yershikom provodim my
Nobody learn no nothing from no history
Tall little Sally plays with magic pebbles
Dasha sells equipment to the Chechnya rebels
Ya vyhozhu iz anala v astral
Tam mnogo chego slyshal no ne zapisal
Nesmotrya na Se.Sheh.Ah ne poterayl azarta
Buhayu strogo kazhdoe vosmoye marta
Sitting in the bath-house on Avenue B
And never agree
Sally, all empires fall, even trends they fade away
Even complete strangers (asshole) can lead you astray
But god damn it, this round is on me
Nobody learns no nothing from no history
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Tall little Sally, my darling
Your panic's so charming
Your shopping techniques are amazing
Celebrity erudition disarming
Tall little Sally, my darling
Your panic's so charming
Tall little Sally, my darling
Yura, viruchai! (Yura viruchil!)
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Ai, woo woo woo
Oh, not me, not you
Sitting in a Russian bath house on the Avenue B
No matter how much we sweat, we just can't agree
Ai ai ai ai ai, a-woo woo woo
Ai ai ai ai ai, not me, not you
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Actually, Hutz sings not in Ukrainian, but in Russian. Not everyone knows that about half of people in Ukraine are native Russian speakers.
Most of the Russian lyrics in GB's songs do not carry much meaning, but are just Hutz's "stream of consciousness" with references to the FSU cultural context in which Hutz grew up in.
Here is my attempt at translation:
Sitting in a Russian bath-house on Avenue B, No matter how much we sweat we just can't agree. Ai, Razminku yershikom provodim my, [Translation: We are getting warmed up with yersh (50/50 beer/vodka cocktail - cocktail.uk.com/db/viewCocktail.asp)] Nobody learn no nothing from no history.
Oh Sally with the magic pebbles, Now she sells equipment to the Chechen rebels. Ya vyhozhu iz anala v astral Tam mnogo chego slyshal no ne zapisal. [Translation: I am getting from anal to astral plane/I heard a lot there but did not put it down] Nesmotrya na Se.SHeh.Ah ne poterayl azarta Buhayu strogo kazhdoe vosmoye marta [Translation: Despite USA I have not lost my drive, I am getting drunk every 8th of March (International Women's Day, big holiday in FSU, kind of like Valentains + Mothers day combined)] Sitting in the bath-house on Avenue B, And never agree.
....... Oh little Sally my darling. Yura vyruchai [Yura (Yuri Lemeshev), help me! - this is kind of a one gypsy band musician asking another to join with solo IMHO] Yura vyruchal... [Yura was helping] ....... Ah-uh-uh-uh [just singing without words] Not me, not you!