終戦記念日(День Победы)
世界が平和に向けて大きな一歩を踏み出した年、1989年のビリージョエルの名曲です。ユダヤ系の血を引くビリージョエルならではの思いが詰まった、切ない歌詞が印象的な一曲。この曲が発売された年、ゴルバチョフ書記長とブッシュ大統領がマルタ島で会談、冷戦の終結を宣言した。ロシアが制定する終戦記念日(対ドイツ戦、戦勝記念日)から数えて約40年後の出来事である。「Leningrad」(レニングラード)Viktor was born in the spring of '44And never saw his father anymoreA child of sacrifice, a child of warAnother son who never had a father after LeningradWent off to school and learned to serve the stateFollowed the rules and drank his vodka straightThe only way to live was drown the hateA Russian life was very sadAnd such was life in LeningradI was born in '49A cold war kid in McCarthy timeStop 'em at the 38th ParallelBlast those yellow reds to hellAnd cold war kids were hard to killUnder their desk in an air raid drillHaven't they heard we won the warWhat do they keep on fighting for?Viktor was sent to some Red Army townServed out his time, became a circus clownThe greatest happiness he'd ever foundWas making Russian children gladAnd children lived in LeningradBut children lived in LevittownAnd hid in the shelters undergroundUntil the Soviets turned their ships aroundAnd tore the Cuban missiles downAnd in that bright October sunWe knew our childhood days were doneAnd I watched my friends go off to warWhat do they keep on fighting for?And so my child, when I came to this placeTo meet him eye to eye and face to faceHe made my daughter laugh, then we embracedWe never knew what friends we hadUntil we came to Leningrad.