Leningrad

Album: Storm Front (1989)
Play Video
  • Victor was born
    The spring of '44
    And never saw
    His father anymore
    The child of sacrifice
    Child of war
    Another son who never had
    A father after Leningrad
    Went off to school
    And learned to serve his state
    Follow the rules
    And drank his vodka straight
    The only way to live
    Was drown the hate
    The Russian life was very sad
    And such was life in Leningrad

    I was born in '49
    A cold war kid in the McCarthy times
    Stop 'em at the 38th parallel
    Blast those yellow reds to hell
    Cold war kids were hard to kill
    Under their desks in an air raid drill
    Haven't they heard we won the war
    What do they keep on fighting for?

    Victor was sent
    To some red army town
    Served out his time
    Become a circus clown
    The greatest happiness
    He'd ever found
    Was making Russian children glad
    When children lived in Leningrad.

    The children lived in Levittown
    Hid in the shelters underground
    Til the soviets turned their ships around
    Torn the Cuban missiles down
    And in that bright October sun
    We knew our childhood days were done
    I watched my friends go off to war
    What do they keep on fighting for?

    So my child and I came to this place
    To meet him , eye to eye and face to face
    He made my daughter laugh
    Then we embraced
    We never knew what friends we had
    Until we came to Leningrad. Writer/s: Billy Joel
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.

Gary Louris of The Jayhawks

Gary Louris of The JayhawksSongwriter Interviews

The Jayhawks' song "Big Star" has special meaning to Gary, who explains how longevity and inspiration have trumped adulation.

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?