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Katyusha (Russian: Катюша) is a Russian wartime song composed in 1938 by Matvei Blanter with lyrics from Mikhail Isakovsky during the Second World War. The song depicts a girl longing for her beloved husband who is off on military service.

Katyusha is a tender diminutive from the female name Ekaterina (Catherine): Katya is the nickname and Katyusha, a tender diminutive.
The Russian song also gave name to the BM-8, BM-13, and BM-31 “Katyusha” rocket launchers that were built and fielded by the Red Army in World War II.

Music and lyrics:

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Музыка М. Блантера
Слова М. Исаковского

Расцветали яблони и груши,
Поплыли туманы над рекой.
Выходила на берег Катюша,
На высокий берег на крутой.

Выходила, песню заводила
Про степного, сизого орла,
Про того, которого любила,
Про того, чьи письма берегла.

Ой ты, песня, песенка девичья,
Ты лети за ясным солнцем вслед.
И бойцу на дальнем пограничье
От Катюши передай привет.

Пусть он вспомнит девушку простую,
Пусть услышит, как она поёт,
Пусть он землю бережёт родную,
А любовь Катюша сбережёт.

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Music by M. Blanter
English text by M. Isakovsky

Apple and pear trees were blooming.
O’er the river the fog merrily rolled.
On the steep banks walked Katyusha,
On the high bank she slowly strode.

As she walked she sang a sweet song
Of her silver eagle of the steppe,
Of the one she loved she loved so dearly,
And the one whose letters she had kept

O you song! Little song of a young girl,
Fly over the river and in the sunlight go.
And fly to my hero far from me,
From his Katyusha bring him a sweet hello.

Will he remember this plain young girl,
And her sweet song like a dove,
As he stands guarding his proud nation,
So Katyusha will guard their love.

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