Re: Dark Eyes

[Robert A. Rothstein <rar...>]

David Chevan wrote:

> Can anyone on the group tell me a little about the song Dark Eyes 
> (Oitchi Tchornya)?  Is it strictly a Russian folk song or is there any 
> kind of Jewish element to it?
>  
> Thanks,
> David


The original text of "Ochi chernye" was written by the Ukrainian and 
Russian poet Evgenii Pavlovich Grebenka (using the better-known Russian 
form of his name), 1812-1848, who published a poem called "Chernye ochi" 
in 1843.  By the 1850s it had made its way into songbooks. The melody 
was taken from a waltz by the German composer Florian Herman (or 
Hermann). The song underwent folklorization, i.e., multiple variants 
exist and most of those who know the song don't know about its author or 
composer.  One of the variants, for example, includes the following lines:

   Podoidi ko mne,          Come over here;
   Ty mne nravish'sia.       You appeal to me.
   Potselui menia,             Kiss me;
   Ne otravish'sia...          It won't poison you...

The only obvious Jewish connection is that the song has been performed 
by many Jewish singers, including Chaim Kotylansky, author of 
_Folks-gezangen loytn nusekh fun Chaim Kotylansky_ (Los Angeles, 1944).  
In 1924 the New York music publisher Joseph P. Katz published sheet 
music of "Ochi chernye" with the annotation "As Sung With Great Success 
by Ch. Kotylansky" on the cover.

Bob Rothstein