The man who sold the world translation. The Man Who Sold The World - David Bowie History of creation and meaning

Some songs begin to take on a life of their own, to the point that the true authors are generally forgotten.

A striking example is the song The Man Who Sold The World, which many attribute to Nirvana. And all thanks to the concert from 1993 as part of the MTV Unplugged show, where Kurt Kobey performed a very high-quality, but still - carpet for this composition.

The original was released as early as 1970, becoming the title track of the album of the same name. The authorship of the song belongs not to someone, but to David Bowie (I think it needs no introduction), and it sounds like this

And in this regard, I would not be surprised if the modern generation associates the classic The Man Who Sold The World with the name of James "Midge" Ure, a Scottish guitarist and singer. Why with him? The fact is that this version was included in the soundtrack of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

What is this song about? Everyone will have their own interpretation. I even stumbled upon the opinion that the words for the composition are chosen solely according to the rhythm, and they do not carry a semantic load at all. It seems to me that such a judgment is erroneous. Let's take a look at the translation:

We passed upon the stairs
We walked up the stairs
We spoke and when
Talking about different events
Although I wasn't there
Even though I wasn't there...
He said I was his friend
He said that I was his friend
Which came as a surprise
What surprised me.
I spoke into his eyes
I answered him straight in the eye
I thought you died alone
That thought he died alone
A long long time ago
It's been a very long time...

Oh no, not me
Oh no, not me!
I never lost control
I never lost my temper.
You're face to face
You are face to face

With the man who sold the world...

I laughed and shook his hand
Laughing, I shook his hand
And made my way back home
And went home.
I searched for form and land
I wanted to find myself
For years and years I roamed
For years I wandered
I gazed a gazeless stare
And looked with unseeing eyes
At all the millions here
For all those millions...
I must have died alone
I must have died alone
A long, long time ago
It's been a very long time...

Who knows?
Who knows?
not me
Not me.
We never lost control
We never lost our temper.
You're face to face
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world
With the man who sold the world...

This is a song about a man who sold the world. What does it mean? In my opinion, this is certainly not some all-powerful politician guilty of instigating wars. The interpretation can be twofold. On the one hand, each person is a separate world. At the same time, having abandoned yourself, you can not hope that you will ever be able to find your place on this planet. And the song is about such a person, it is nothing but an internal dialogue with oneself. Rejecting himself of the past, the protagonist of the song at a certain period of his life returns to his roots (that same meeting on the stairs). And he is surprised to find that he is still alive. But that doesn't change anything, he tries again give up on yourself. He leaves and continues the endless search for happiness, not realizing that if he cannot come to terms with himself, he will not be able to find it. And neither millions of opportunities nor millions of dollars will help here. Please note that at the end the refrain changes: instead of "I", "we" is sung. But this is not a reunion to dream of. That lost part of the personality nevertheless returned, but in a completely different capacity, becoming like the one who rejected it. The world has been sold and there is no going back. How would you interpret this song?

Anoton (Equirhythmic translation) We passed the mountains of walls
And plexuses of veins.
Although he was a friend
I asked for a pass
For those who are forever...

He said in his eyes: - after all, you died a long time ago
One, a long time ago.

Oh no, not me.
Control is our commander.
Face to face
I'm with the one who sold the world.

Laughing, I said goodbye to him.
Went home on the way
And became obsessed again
That native land.
For years I wandered

Checked (measured) the road network -
But I didn't die again

Alone, a long time ago (and still)

What are you, not me!
Control is my commander.
Face to face
You are with the one who sold the world.

Alexander Bulynko (Equirhythmic translation) We climbed the stairs
and something they said to the cobwebs, the walls.
I wasn't there, but a friend
he called me, on merit
given to him in the end.
But I threw it in his face:
- I think - not destined,
After all, you died a long time ago.

Oh no, not me...
I would always manage with myself
You stand facing the person
Who sold the whole world.

They shook hands. I laughed.
A little later, I went home ...
And for a long, long time I wandered
Searched, lost and lost himself,
And stared in wonder
In the millions of faces of those who are nearby,
Who are not meant to live
It's been a long time, a long time, a long time ago.

Oh no, not me...
I would always manage with myself
You stand facing the person
Who sold the whole world.

NiRVaNa (Translation of the meaning) We walked up the stairs,
Talking about different events
Where I wasn't...
He said that I was his friend
Appearing suddenly.
I answered him straight in the eye
What thought he died
It's been a very long time...

Oh no, not me!
I never lost control.
You are face to face
with the man who sold the world...

Laughing, I shook his hand
And I wanted to go home
I wanted to find myself
For years I wandered
And looked closely
To all those millions...
I should have died sooner!
A long time ago...

Who knows?
Not me
We never lost control
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world...

Victor(Translation of the meaning) We went up the stairs,
We talked about what happened and when.
Although I haven't been here
He said I'm his friend
Appeared as a surprise.
I spoke to his eyes:
I thought you died alone, a long time ago.

Oh no! Not me:
I never lost control.
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world.

I laughed and shook his hand as I walked home.
I searched for form and matter, wandering year after year.
I stared at millions of faces
We must have died ALONE
(Alternative: We must have died ALONG)
A long time ago.

Who knows? Not me.
We never lost control.
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world.

We passed upon the stairs
We spoke and when
Although I wasn't there
He said I was his friend
Which came as some surprise
I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone
A long, long time ago
Oh no, not me I never lost control
You're face to face

I laughed and shook his hand
And made my way back home
I searched for form and land
For years and years I roamed
I gazed a gazely stare
At all the millions here
We must have died alone
A long, long time ago

You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows? Not me We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows? Not me We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows? Not me We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world

Translation of the song

We walked up the stairs
We talked about when and when
Even though I wasn't there
He said that I am his friend
What came as a surprise
I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone
Very very long time ago
Oh no, not me, I never lost control
You are face to face

I laughed and shook his hand
And returned home
I searched for form and land
For years I wandered
I stared at me
On all the millions here
We must have died alone
Very very long time ago

You are face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows? Not me. We never lost control
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows? Not me. We never lost control
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows? Not me. We never lost control
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world

This translation of the song in Russian is artistic, i.e. the translation is inaccurate. To find out the literal translation of the song, you can hover over the English words.

The man who sold the world We passed upon the stairs he spoke in was and when although I wasn't there he said I was his friend which came as a surprise I spoke into his eyes I thought you died alone a long long time ago Oh no not me we never lost control you "re face to face I laughed and shook his hand and made my way back home I searched for former land for years and years I roamed I gazed a gazley stare with more than millions here I must have died alone a long long time ago Who knows not me I never lost control you "re face to face with the man who sold the world Who knows not me we never lost control you "re face to face with the man who sold the world

The man who sold the world We walked up the stairs Talking about different events Where I wasn't He said that I was his friend Appearing suddenly. I answered him straight in the eye I thought that you died alone For a very long time Oh no not me we never lost control. You are face to face with the man who sold the world Laughing, I shook his hand And I was going to go home. I searched in the old place For years I wandered And looked closely To all those millions I should have died before A long time ago. Who knows not me I never lost control You are face to face With the man who sold the world Who knows not me We never lost control You are face to face With the man who sold the world

Notes

The Man Who Sold the World is David Bowie's title track from his third album, released in the US in November 1970 and in Britain in April 1971. Subsequently, the song has been performed by many artists, the most famous versions being Lulu (1974) and Nirvana (1993).

A live version of the song was recorded by American grunge band Nirvana in 1993 during their MTV concert. A version was released on the band's album MTV Unplugged in New York, released in next year. The band performed the song constantly in performances until the death of their leader Kurt Cobain in 1994. Also, the composition was released as a single and very often scrolled both on rock radio stations and on MTV.

In light of the huge popularity of this cover version of the song, David Bowie lamented that when he performed the song himself at his concerts, he was faced with the fact that the guys who came to me after the concert said: "It's cool that you are performing a Nirvana song" . And I thought, "Fuck you, you little morons!"

A song performed by David Bowie and another version of the translation.

Nirvana Lyrics

We passed upon the stairs,

We spoke and when

Although I wasn't there

He said I was his friend

Which came as a surprise

I spoke into his eyes -- I thought you died alone

A long long time ago

We never lost control

You're face to face

With the man who sold the world

I laughed and shook his hand,

I made my way back home

I searched for form and land,

Years and years I roamed

I gazed a gazely stare,

We walked a million hills -- I must have died alone,

A long long time ago.

Who knows, not me

I never lost control

Youre face, to face,

With the man who sold the world.

Nirvana Lyrics

We walked up the stairs
Talking about different events
Where I wasn't...
He said that I was his friend
Appearing suddenly.
I answered him straight in the eye
What thought he died
It's been a very long time...

Oh no, not me!
I never lost control.
You are face to face
with the man who sold the world...

Laughing, I shook his hand
And I wanted to go home
I wanted to find myself
For years I wandered
And looked closely
To all those millions...
I should have died sooner!
A long time ago...

Who knows?
Not me
We never lost control
You are face to face
With the man who sold the world..