Back in 1980 Russia welcomed sports enthusiasts from all over the world for the Olympics. Watching the welcoming and uplifting reports from all over Russia now, during the World cup 2018, I have the theme tune of the Olympics ’80 playing in my mind. It’s the same message of friendship and inclusiveness. See, for example, a collection of video at Russia insider in the articles Moscow Is Basically a Giant Street Party Right Now #WorldCup (Video) and How Many People Are Rocking the World Cup From Which Countries? – Russia Breaks Records
The Olympics ’80 song was written by R. Rozhdestvenskij, with music by D. Tuhmanov and is sung by Tõnis Mägi, a pupolar in USSR Estonian singer. He, alas, betrayed the spirit of this song later in 2014, when he initiated boycott of Steven Seagal, who performed in Sevastopol after Crimea’s democratic reunification with Russia.
Still, whatever his present views and actions are, that is no reason to boycott him or write him out of history. And so, the excellent Olympics ’80 anthem, performed by Tõnis Mägi, with my translation of the lyrics to English below the video frame.
The Earth shall be happy and young!
We must do everything so that the Olympic flame is not extinguished forever,
The Sun is starting into the sky, as if for the first time.
Будет Земля счастливой и молодой!
Нужно сделать всё, чтоб вовек олимпийский огонь не погас,
Солнце стартует в небе, как в первый раз.
But Moscow has awakened,
In the midst of festivities, in the middle of the Earth.
Ah, with such wide step they are striding
Along the jubilant streets –
The queens of swimming and the kings of boxing.
Но проснулась Москва,
Посредине праздника, посреди Земли.
Ах, как шагают широко, широко, широко
По восторженным улицам
Королевы плавания, бокса короли.
While the stadium is roaring, as if a wave of earthquake is upon us!
The stadium’s roar will be hundredfold repeated by the furthest corners.
The Sun in the sky is proudly shining as if a medal.
А стадион гремит, как будто подошла волна землетрясения!
Гул стадиона сто раз повторит дальняя даль.
Солнце в небесах горделиво горит будто медаль.
The Earth shall be happy and young!
We must do everything so that the Olympic flame is not extinguished forever,
The Sun is starting into the sky, as if for the first time.
This shining day you and I will remember for long
The Earth shall be happy and young!
Будет Земля счастливой и молодой!
Нужно сделать всё, чтоб вовек олимпийский огонь не погас,
Солнце стартует в небе, как в первый раз.
Этот яркий день мы надолго, надолго запомним с тобой
Будет Земля счастливой и молодой!
The flags are swimming in the sky
As if a multicoloured cloud.
Today will the whole of the humanity
Become better, better, better and kinder.
In sports there are competitors, there are no enemies in sports!
В небе флаги плывут
Словно разноцветная стая облаков.
Сегодня лучше и добрее, добрее, добрей
Станет всё человечество.
В спорте есть соперники, в спорте нет врагов!
There’ll be more warmth on the Earth today, and more happiness!
The stadium’s roar will be hundredfold repeated by the furthest corners.
The Sun in the sky is proudly shining as if a medal.
Сегодня на Земле прибавится тепла и радости прибавится!
Гул стадиона сто раз повторит дальняя даль.
Солнце в небесах горделиво горит будто медаль.
The Earth shall be happy and young!
Будет Земля счастливой и молодой!