Yak tebe ne lyubyty, Kyieve miy!

Yak tebe ne lyubyty, Kyieve miy! (Ukrainian: Як тебе не любити, Києве мій! English: How can I not love you, my Kiev?) is a lyrical song of Kyiv composer Ihor Shamo and lyrics by poet Dmytro Lutsenko. At first the song was performed in 1962 in duet by Yuriy Gulyayev and Kostiantyn Ohnyevyi who at that time performed at Kyiv Opera Theatre.

Commemorative coin with a face of Dmytro Lutsenko and name of his poem

Memorial plaque of Ihor Shamo in Kiev with his notes to the song

After over half a century later, in 2014 the song became official anthem of Kyiv city.[1]

Rough translation

Green sea is playing Quite day is fading away So dear have become for me the slopping banks of Dnieper Where branches are swaying of amorous dreams... How one cannot not love you, Kyiv, my dear! Into eyes Cannas are gazing My heart I will pour into them Let them tell to my beloved one How I faithfully love I will dream and live now On wings of my hopes... How one cannot not love you, Kyiv, my dear! Falling my weary city in peaceful and gentle sleep There lights as a necklace Have bloomed over Dnieper Velvet of late afternoons Is as euphoria surf How one cannot not love you, Kyiv, my dear!

Грає море зелене, Тихий день догора. Дорогими для мене Стали схили Дніпра, Де колишуться віти Закоханих мрій... Як тебе не любити, Києве мій!

References

1. The Kyiv council approved the Kiev's anthem (Київрада затвердила гімн Києва). Ukrayinska Pravda. 13 November 2014

External links

• Notes to Yak tebe ne lyubyty, Kyieve miy! at pisni.org.ua
• Kyieve miy (video)
• Kyieve miy at nashe.com.ua