The Songs of My Mother


The Songs of My Mother is a Russian album by the singer Vitas. It was released in 2003, simultaneously with Mama. Both albums were a tribute to his late mother. Songs from these albums featured heavily in the setlist of Vitas' extensive world tour The Songs of My Mother, performed at hundreds of venues in several countries from 2004-2006.
While Mama included several new songs written by Vitas, Songs of My Mother consists entirely of cover versions of popular older songs, described as "the gold reserves of Russian pop music", including the 1980 song, The Bird of Happiness, composed by Aleksandra Pakhmutova and Nikolai Dobronravov, previously recorded by the vocal – instrumental ensemble Zdravstvuy, Pesnya, among others. The song The Bird of Happiness became from 1981 on forward the most successful in both Russia and China. The song Chrysanthemms Have Faded was previously included on Vitas' Smile! album. All the other tracks were newly recorded for Songs of My Mother.
Vitas performed a piano-backed arrangement of Winter on a Russian New Year TV show in 2002.
TrackRussian titleEnglish titleMusicLyrics
01Птица cчастьяThe Bird of HappinessAlexandra PakhmutovaN. Dobronravov
02Любите пока любитсяLove While You CanAlexander MorozovM. Ryabinin
03В краю магнолийIn the District of MagnoliasAlexander MorozovYu Marcinkiewicz
04Всё могут королиKings Can Do EverythingBA Rychkov, E. KrylatovL. Derbenev
05ЗимаWinterE. HanochS. Ostrovoj
06ГадалкаFortune-TellerM. DunaevskiiL. Derbenev
07БукетBouquetA. BarykinRubtsov
08Морская ПесенкаA Sea SongN. BogoslovskiyV. Dykhovichniy, M. Sloboda
09Говорящая куклаThe Speaking DollAlexander MorozovG. Gorbovsky
10Отцвели хризантемыChrysanthemums Have Faded OutN. HaritoV. Shumsky
11Горький мёдBitter HoneyO. IvanovV. Pavlinov
12А цыган идётAnd The Gipsy Is GoingPetrovRudyard Kipling
13ОдессаOdessaA. ZatsepinL. Derbenev


Translated by G. Kruzhkov