national anthem of the soviet union

National Anthem of the USSR (Hymn, Гимн Советского Союза) replaced the Internationale as the national anthem on March 15, 1944. The lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov (born 1913) in collaboration with Gabriel El-Registan and the music was composed by Alexander Alexandrov (1883-1946). It was believed that Soviet soldiers would respond more to an anthem that was dedicated only to the Soviet Union rather than to a worldwide movement. The song was originally written as the Anthem of the Bolshevik Party with lyrics by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach in 1939. Stalin was originally mentioned in the lyrics; however, after his death in 1953, the lyrics referring to Stalin were unacceptable. From then on until 1977, the lyrics were not sung to the anthem. In 1977, the lyrics were reused with Stalin's name omitted, and other changes were made (see below). The official name of the 1977 version was "The State Anthem of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" (Russian: Госуда́рственный гимн Сою́за Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик). After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia adopted a new national anthem. In 2000, the old Soviet national anthem was readopted with Mikhalkov writing new lyrics to represent Russia's new non-communist nature. See National Anthem of Russia Below is the Russian and the English versions of the lyrics; both can be sung to the music. For the official versions in other languages of the USSR see other language versions.

1977 version

Russian lyrics

Союз нерушимый республик свободных

Сплотила навеки Великая Русь.

Да здравствует созданный волей народов

Единый, могучий Советский Союз!

ПРИПЕВ:

Славься, Отечество наше свободное,

Дружбы народов надёжный оплот!

Партия Ленина — сила народная

Нас к торжеству коммунизма ведёт!

Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы,

И Ленин великий нам путь озарил:

На правое дело он поднял народы,

На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил!

ПРИПЕВ

В победе бессмертных идей коммунизма

Мы видим грядущее нашей страны,

И Красному знамени славной Отчизны

Мы будем всегда беззаветно верны!

ПРИПЕВ

Transliteration from Russian

Soyuz nerushimiy respublik svobodnykh

Splotila naveki velikaya Rus'!

Da zdravstvuet sozdanniy voley narodov

Yediniy, moguchiy Sovetskiy Soyuz!

CHORUS:

Slavsya Otechestvo nashe svobodnoye,

Druzhbi narodov nadyozhniy oplot,

Partiya Lenina — sila narodnaya

Nas k torzhestvu kommunizma vedyot!

Skvoz' grozy siyalo nam solntse svobodi,

I Lenin velikiy nam put' ozaril,

Na pravoe delo on podnyal narodi,

Na trud i na podvigi nas vdokhnovil!

CHORUS

V pobede bessmertnikh idey kommunizma

My vidim gryadushchee nashey strany,

I krasnomu znameni slavnoy otchizny

My budem vsegda bezzavetno verni!

CHORUS

Transliteration from Russian

(standart ISO 9) 1.

Soûz nerušimyj respublik svobodnyh

Splotila naveki velikaâ Rus’!

Da zdravstvuet sozdannyj volej narodov

Edinyj, mogučij Sovetskij Soûz!

CHORUS:

Slav’sâ, Otečestvo naše svobodnoe,

Družby narodov nadëžnyj oplot,

Partiâ Lenina — sila narodnaâ

Nas k toržestvu kommunizma vedët!

Skvoz’ grozy siâlo nam solnce svobody,

I Lenin velikij nam put’ ozaril,

Na pravoe delo on podnâl narody,

Na trud i na podvigi nas vdohnovil!

CHORUS

V pobede bessmertnyh idej kommunizma

My vidim grâduŝee našej strany,

I krasnomu znameni slavnoj Otčizny

My budem vsegda bezzavetno verni!

CHORUS

IPA transcription

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CHORUS:

CHORUS

English lyrics

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 up the peoples,

Inspired them to labour and valourous deed.

CHORUS

In the vict'ry 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

1943 version

The 1943 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.

Russian lyrics & transliteration

Russian	Transliteration from Russian
The first stanza remained unchanged:
Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь. Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз!	Soyuz nerushimiy respublik svobodnykh Splotila naveki velikaya Rus'! Da zdravstvuet sozdanniy voley narodov Yediniy, moguchiy Sovetskiy Soyuz!
Припев: Славься, Отечество наше свободное, Дружбы народов надёжный оплот! Знамя советское, знамя народное Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!	CHORUS: Slavsya Otechestvo nashe svobodnoye, Druzhbi narodov nadyozhniy oplot, Znamya sovetskoe, znamya narodnoye Pust' ot pobedy k pobede vedyot!
The third line of the second stanza used to mention Stalin's name. That line was changed in 1977:
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!	Skvoz' grozy siyalo nam solntse svobodi, I Lenin velikiy nam put' ozaril, Nas vyrastil Stalin -- na vernost' narodi, Na trud i na podvigi nas vdokhnovil!
Припев: Славься, Отечество наше свободное, Счастья народов надёжный оплот! Знамя советское, знамя народное Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!	CHORUS: Slavsya Otechestvo nashe svobodnoye, Schast'ya narodov nadyozhniy oplot, Znamya sovetskoe, znamya narodnoye Pust' ot pobedy k pobede vedyot!
Finally, the third stanza was completely replaced in the 1977 version. Here is how the 1943 wartime version used to be:
Мы армию нашу растили в сраженьях. Захватчиков подлых с дороги сметём! Мы в битвах решаем судьбу поколений, Мы к славе Отчизну свою поведём!	My armiyu nashu rastili v srazhen'yach, Zachvatchikov podlych s dorogi smetem! My v bitvach reshaem sud'bu pokolenij, My k slave Otchiznu svoyu povedem!
Припев: Славься, Отечество наше свободное, Славы народов надёжный оплот! Знамя советское, знамя народное Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!	CHORUS: Slavsya Otechestvo nashe svobodnoye, Slavy narodov nadyozhniy oplot, Znamya sovetskoe, znamya narodnoye Pust' ot pobedy k pobede vedyot!