Дженни

by Robert Burns and Samuil Marshak

The same recently mentioned Holden Caulfield famously misinterpreted Comin’ Thro’ the Rye and imagined some mysterious catcher. I guess he didn’t read the alternate version of the poem.

One of many musical interpretations of Marshak’s Дженни is in the 1978 Soviet TV show Бенефис Людмилы Гурченко performed by Alexander Schirvindt and, naturally, Lyudmila Gurchenko. I remember watching this show for the first time with a mixture of embarrassment and, um, more embarrassment. Watching it now... well, it’s embarrassing all right. But it had its moments. Весёлый сапожник with Armen Dzhigarkhanyan was a runaway success and it is still fun to watch and listen to. Дженни was not as catchy but, in my humble opinion, more interesting musically.

Robert Burns Comin’ Thro’ the Rye	Роберт Бёрнс, перевод С.Я. Маршака Дженни
O, Jenny’s a’ weet, poor body, Jenny’s seldom dry: She draigl’t a’ her petticoatie, Comin thro’ the rye! Comin thro’ the rye, poor body, Comin thro’ the rye, She draigl’t a’ her petticoatie, Comin thro’ the rye! Gin a body meet a body Comin thro’ the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry? Gin a body meet a body Comin thro’ the glen Gin a body kiss a body, Need the warl’ ken? Gin a body meet a body Comin thro’ the grain; Gin a body kiss a body, The thing’s a body’s ain. Ilka lassie has her laddie, Nane, they say, ha’e I Yet all the lads they smile on me, When comin’ thro’ the rye.	Пробираясь до калитки Полем вдоль межи, Дженни вымокла до нитки Вечером во ржи. Очень холодно девчонке, Бьёт девчонку дрожь: Замочила все юбчонки, Идя через рожь. Если кто-то звал кого-то Сквозь густую рожь И кого-то обнял кто-то, Что с него возьмёшь? И какая нам забота, Если у межи Целовался с кем-то кто-то Вечером во ржи.

Бенефис Людмилы Гурченко. «Дженни» (53:15—58:40)