A song book cover, 1900

"Korobeiniki" (Russian: Коробе́йники, tr. Korobéyniki, IPA: [kərɐˈbʲejnʲɪkʲɪ], lit. 'The Peddlers') is a nineteenth-century Russian folk song which was first mentioned in 1898 by a composer named Yakov Prigozhy,[1] that tells the story of a meeting between a peddler and a girl, describing their haggling over goods in a metaphor for seduction.

Outside Russia, "Korobeiniki" is widely known as the Tetris theme tune, from its appearance in Nintendo's Game Boy version of the game (titled "A-Type") as arranged by the Japanese composer Hirokazu Tanaka in 1989.

The song "Korobeiniki" is based on a poem of the same name by Nikolay Nekrasov, which was first printed in the Sovremennik magazine in 1861.[2] Its increasing tempo and the dance style led to it quickly becoming a popular Russian folk song.[3]

Melody

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Lyrics sample

Russian lyricsTransliterationEnglish translation
1 Ой полным полна моя коробушка
Есть и ситец, и парча.
Пожалей, душа-зазнобушка,
Молодецкого плеча.		 Oy polnym polna moya korobushka
Yest' i sitets i parcha.
Pozhaley, dusha-zaznobushka,
Molodetskovo plecha.		 Oh, my crate is so full,
I've got calico and brocade.
Take pity, oh sweety,
Of this lad's shoulder
2 Выйду, выйду в рожь высокую,
Там до ночки погожу,
Как завижу черноокую,
Все товары разложу.[4]		 Vyydu, vyydu v rozh' vysokuyu,
Tam do nochki pogozhu,
Kak zavizhu chernookuyu,
Vse tovary razlozhu.		 I will, I will go out into the tall rye,[lower-alpha 1]
I will wait there till the night comes,
Once I see the dark-eyed lass,
I will showcase all my goods.

Critical reception

The official Tetris website wrote that Korobeiniki was "memorable enough on its own as both a poem and folk tune", independent of its adaption into the Tetris theme.[5]

Arrangements of the song

Tetris

After arrangements of "Korobeiniki" first appeared in Spectrum Holobyte's Apple IIGS and Mac versions of Tetris, the song was re-arranged in 1989 by Hirokazu Tanaka[6] as the "Type A" accompaniment in Nintendo's Game Boy version 1.1. It has since become closely associated with the game in Western popular culture, and the Tetris Company has required its inclusion in every version of the game since 2002.[7] In 2008, UGO listed the song as the 3rd best video game music of all time.[8]

Though The Tetris Company holds a sound trademark on this variation of the song for use in video games,[9] the song has appeared in Dance Maniax 2nd Mix under the title "Happy-hopper".

Doctor Spin's 1992 novelty Eurodance cover version under the name "Tetris" reached No. 6 on the UK singles chart.

A version of the song is used for the Nintendo Wii's video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl, in a part of the game related to Tetris.

Other adaptations and versions

  • Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra has recorded and performed versions of the song under the title "Peddlers" (sometimes ベドラーズ "Pedorāzu") since their eponymous debut EP in 1989.[10] Most recently it can be found on their "Ska Me Forever" (2014) album.[11]
  • The string quartet Bond included a version on their 2000 debut album Born called Korobushka which they often perform at their live concerts.
  • American rock band Ozma released a rock version on their 2001 album The Doubble Donkey Disc, used in 2013 on the movie Kick Ass 2.
  • An Italian house remix of the song called "Cammino Contento" was featured in the 2005 compilation album by Gigi D'Agostino, Disco Tanz.
  • A remix of Korobeiniki plays during High Rank of Tire & Ice level in Crash Tag Team Racing.

Arranged by Yoko Shimomura.[12] The song is retained in later versions of Smash Bros. as well.[13][14]

  • A trance cover arranged by Ryu* is featured on the Exit Trance release Exit Trance Presents FamiTrance EX (EXIT TRANCE PRESENTS ファミトランス EX, EXIT TRANCE PRESENTS Famitoransu EX, 2009) under the title "Korobushka". The song was later included on his album Ageha as "Korobushka (Ryu*Remix)".
  • The PlayStation Portable title Ape Escape Academy (Ape Academy in Europe) also features this song in one of the 'Camp-Side Fire' mini-games (essentially a short rhythm game-like sequence), also under the title 'Korobushka'.
  • In 2006, Jablay, sung by Titi Kamal for original soundtrack of Mendadak Dangdut samples and slightly modifies Korobeiniki on chorus part.[15]
  • Canadian fingerstyle guitarist Ewan Dobson performs an acoustic guitar version of the song on his first album.[16]
  • The Timbers Army sings this melody with altered lyrics during Portland Timbers games, usually accompanied by a simple dance with a large visual effect.[17][18][19]
  • The German Techno Band Scooter used the melody for it in their song "Whistling Dave" from the 2007 album Jumping All Over the World.
  • A version by the duo Pig With The Face Of A Boy, known as "A Complete History of the Soviet Union as Told by a Humble Worker, Arranged to the Melody of Tetris", details a simplified telling of the tale of the Soviet Union, along with the two ending verses to the tune of the Game Over screen in Tetris.[20]
  • British folk-punk band The Mechanisms sample the song's melody on the third-to-last song of their first album Once Upon A Time (In Space), "No Happy Ending".[21]
  • A version of this song was arranged for the game The End Is Nigh titled ??? – Korobeiniki (Russian Folk 1861) by video game composer team Ridiculon (Matthias Bossi and Jon Evans).
  • The music was rearranged by Vitali Klatschkov and Diana May for a promotional session by Ortel Mobile in 2021.[22]
  • German band dArtagnan both used the music for their song Trink mein Freund and released a folk rock version of Korobeiniki (in Russian) in their 2022 album Felsenfest.[23][24]
  • South Korean girl group aespa sampled the melody in their song "Hold On Tight" which is featured in the original soundtrack of the Apple Original film Tetris.[25]

Notes

  1. ↑ "into the tall rye" is a sexual innuendo akin to Comin' Thro' the Rye by Robert Burns

References

  1. ↑ "Сл. Н. Некиасова" [Words by N. Nekrasov] (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  2. ↑ Cornwell, Neil (1998), "Reference Guide to Russian Literature", p. 574
  3. ↑ Lane, Christy & Langhout, Susan (1998), "Multicultural Folk Dance Guide", pp. 19–22
  4. ↑ "Николай Некрасов: Коробейники". Nekrasov.niv.ru. Archived from the original on 2017-05-08. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  5. ↑ "The History of the Tetris Theme Music". Tetris. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  6. ↑ Square Enix Music Online, Hirokazu Tanaka: Brief Profile
  7. ↑ Johnson, Bobbie (June 1, 2009). "How Tetris conquered the world, block by block". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015.
  8. ↑ Rosenberg, Adam (2008-01-11). "Tetris – 'Korobeiniki', as inspired by the original Russian folk song – Best Video Game Music of All Time". UGO.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  9. ↑ Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval, Latest Status Info. Accessed 2009-03-13.
  10. ↑ "Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra – Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (1989, Vinyl)". Discogs. 1989.
  11. ↑ "Ska Me Forever". Amazon.
  12. ↑ Tetris: Type A – Super Smash Bros. Brawl. GilvaSunner. 2011-01-13. Archived from the original on 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2021-08-11 – via YouTube.
  13. ↑ "List of SSB4 Music (Nintendo series)". 7 December 2021.
  14. ↑ "List of SSBU Music (Other series)". 12 December 2021.
  15. ↑ Jablai. Various Artists. 2019-04-10. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2021-08-11 – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ "Amazon.com Ewan Dobson Track Listing". Amazon.
  17. ↑ Williams, Meagan (August 25, 2011). "Timbers Army Tetris dance". Portland Pulp. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Portland Timbers release free custom, web-based video game, 'Set Piece'". Portland Timbers News. June 15, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Tetris / Korobushka Chant: PT Songs". FanChants. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  20. ↑ Complete History of the Soviet Union, Arranged to the Melody of Tetris. pigwiththefaceofaboy. 2010-07-13. Archived from the original on 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2021-08-11 – via YouTube.
  21. ↑ The Mechanisms – Once Upon a Time [in Space] – 14 No Happy Ending. The Mechanisms. 2012-08-04. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2021-08-11 – via YouTube.
  22. ↑ "Vorhang auf für die nächste mitreißende Ortel Connect Session".
  23. ↑ dArtagnan - Trink mein Freund (Offizielles Video), retrieved 2022-07-23
  24. ↑ Korobeiniki, retrieved 2022-12-30
  25. ↑ aespa 'Hold On Tight' (Tetris Motion Picture Soundtrack) Visualizer, retrieved 2023-03-31
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