The song of the group "Black Coffee" - "Leaves"

The end of the seventies and the beginning of the eighties of the last century - the heyday of not only stagnation in our country, but also rock music. Of course, these two factors are inextricably linked, because the driving force behind this trend in music, especially those years, was social protest. Russian rock has always been distinguished by the dominant role of texts, it is precisely in its meaning listeners of records and bobbin records penetrate. During this period a "gold reserve" of groups and performers of this genre appeared, which became the foundation, support and standard of rock music first in the USSR, and then in Russia: "Time Machine", "Bravo", "Brigade C", "Alice "," Cinema "," DDT "," Aquarium "," Chaif "," Nautilus Pompilius "and many others. Representatives of the more "heavy" direction of heavy metal are the group "Aria", "Cruise", "Corrosion of metal" and, of course, "Black Coffee" ("Cheka").

Each artist has songs that he always recognizes, what is called a "business card". There are such songs from the group "Black Coffee" - "Leaves", "Wooden churches of Russia", "Vladimir Rus", "Black Coffee". In this article, we want to focus on the composition "Leaves", which is especially liked by listeners, but first a few words about the group itself.

The history of the group "Black Coffee" originates in 1979, when its permanent director, songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Dmitry Varshavsky wrote the first song on the words of Andrei Voznesensky "Country". Dmitry studied then in the Gnesin School of Electric Guitar Class.

The first recording of the band was made by a professional sound engineer (Yuri Bogdanov) in 1981, it was the song "The Flight of a Bird".

In 1982, a classical composition was formed - Fedor Vasiliev (bass guitar) and Andrei Shatunovsky (drums). In 1984, the first solo album of the group was held, and the magnetic album CHK 84 was recorded. Then the "chekists" begin to actively tour the country.

In 1985, the Ministry of Culture compiled a "black list", which included the most prominent representatives of the rock movement, including the group "Black Coffee". "Amateur rock groups" from this list were forbidden to perform concerts in Moscow and other major cities (Leningrad, Kiev, etc.), as well as put their songs on discotheques.

This prohibition caused some inconvenience for the members of the list, but was not something deadly for their creative self-realization, because the country was big, and in addition to Moscow, there were still a lot of cities in which full halls and stadiums were crowded to listen to favorite songs Performers. In addition, they could work in recording studios.

In 1987, the musicians recorded a new album - "Cross the threshold." In it one of the most beloved songs of the band "Black Coffee" - "Leaves" appears. Also included in the album are compositions "Black Coffee", "Vladimirskaya Rus", "My House" and others. Almost all of it became a hit, but was especially fond of listeners of the ballad of the group "Black Coffee" - "Leaves".

The lyrics of the song were written by the young then poet Alexander Shaganov, music by Dmitry Varshavsky. This is a typical rock ballad that begins with a quiet voice singing to the guitar bust, gradually gaining volume and strength of sound, and at the end of the first verse there are already connecting drums and other instruments, connecting with the famous Warsaw vocal on high notes and a virtuoso guitar solly Solo part). It was the high professionalism of the musicians that played an important role in the acquisition of a steady glory by the group "Black Coffee". The song "Leaves" is an excellent example of their style. Despite the fact that this is a classic rock "slow", the meaning of the text is not lyrical, but metaphorical. The sheet breaks away from its "brethren", peacefully hanging on a branch, and flies down, enjoying the moments of freedom that this flight gives him. And then he "lay lying under his feet and in the dust." Would he have flown if he had known that this would happen? "If you could know the leaves ..." In the last verse, performed with a special expression, it is said that every person, as well as this leaf, is free, even if it lasts one hour, and for this hour it is not a pity to give a life. "Black Coffee" "Leaves" performed at all concerts at the request of their fans. Perform it until now.

Since the early nineties, "chekists" spend a lot of time in the US, where they successfully perform in clubs, are working on recording new songs. In the two thousandth, Varshavsky and his comrades return to Russia and continue to work here. Participates in the recording of the rock opera "Word and deed", reissues its old albums on MP3-disks, including "Cross the threshold". Favorite songs were heard from new carriers, but it was still "Black Coffee". "Leaves", "Vladimir Rus" and other songs were included in it as well as in the vinyl album, but they were supplemented with compositions "Bright Metal" and "Banner of the World", which then, in 1987, did not miss censorship.