Hey, falcons (, ), properly titled Żal za Ukrainą (Longing (home) for Ukraine) or Na zielonej Ukrainie (In green Ukraine) is a Polish and Ukrainian folk song.

History The song's authorship is not completely certain. Some historians attribute the writing of the song to the Ukrainian-Polish poet-songwriter Tomasz Padura (1801–1871)ПОЛЬСЬКО-УКРАЇНСЬКА ПІСНЯ «HEJ, SOKOŁY!» ЯК ІНТЕРКУЛЬТУРНЕ КОМУНІКАТИВНЕ ЯВИЩЕ (however, according to the latest Ukrainian research, there are no lyrics of the song in any of Padura's song collectionsЗвідки прилетіли «соколи»? Рефлексії над генезою популярної пісні, uamoderna.com). Others believe it was written by the Polish classical composer Maciej Kamieński (1734–1825).Żal (muz. Maciej Kamieński), Cyfrowa Biblioteka Polskiej PiosenkiMaciej Kamieński, Żal za Ukrainą: piosnka przypisana Wandzie Pudłowskiej, ed. Kiev: B. Koreywo, 1875 The original Polish-language version was translated (sometimes with modified lyrics) into several languages.

According to Olga Kharchyshyn, "Hej Sokoły" is based on the 19th century Polish folk song "Żal za Ukrainą", but with a new refrain and opening verses. It first appeared in the current form in the latter half of the 20th century and was subsequently translated from the Polish language into Ukrainian.

Popularity The tune was popular among Polish soldiers during the Polish-Soviet War, and was also sung by the Polish Home Army guerrillas during World War II. Polish folk singer named Maryla Rodowicz performed a cover of the song. The song is widely known in the countries: Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Belarus, and to a lesser extent in Russia and the eastern Czech Republic.

It is sometimes presented as a Polish folk song and/or Ukrainian folk song.Гей, Соколи The lyrics vary only slightly between the two languages.

Lyrics The lyrics exist in several versions about a Ukrainian girl to whom her betrothed (a cossackHej sokoły - piosenka ludowa; tekst piosenki or an uhlan) says goodbye for the last time.

First verse Polish English translation Ukrainian Ukrainian transliteration Hej, tam gdzieś z nad czarnej wody Hey, there, somewhere near black waters, Гей, десь там, де чорні води, Hei, des tam de chorni vody, Wsiada na koń kozak młody. A young cossack mounts his horse. Сів на коня козак молодий. Siv na konia kozak molodyi. Czule żegna się z dziewczyną, Sadly he parts with his girl, Плаче молода дівчина, Plache moloda divchyna, Jeszcze czulej z Ukrainą. But even more sadly with Ukraine. Їде козак з України. Ide kozak z Ukrainy. Hej, hej, hej sokoły! Hey, hey, hey falcons! Гей! Гей! Гей, соколи! Hei! Hei! Hei, sokoly! Omijajcie góry, lasy, doły. Fly past the mountains, forests and valleys. Оминайте гори, ліси, доли. Omynaite hory, lisy, doly. Dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń dzwoneczku, Ring, ring, ring little bell. Дзвін, дзвін, дзвін, дзвіночку, Dzvin, Dzvin, Dzvin, dzvinochku, Mój stepowy skowroneczku My little steppe skylark Степовий жайвороночку Stepovyi zhaivoronochku

Other verses Polish English translation Ukrainian Ukrainian transliteration Wiele dziewcząt jest na świecie, There are many girls in the world, У світі є багато дівчат, U sviti ye bahato divchat, Lecz najwięcej w Ukrainie. But the most in Ukraine. Але найбільше в Україні. Ale naibilshe v Ukraini. Tam me serce pozostało, There, I left my heart Там моє серце залишилося, Tam moie sertse zalyshylosia, Przy kochanej mej dziewczynie. With my beloved girl. При моїй коханій дівчині. Pry moii kohanii divchyni. Hej, hej, hej sokoły! Hey, hey, hey falcons! Гей! Гей! Гей, соколи! Hei! Hei! Hei, sokoly! Omijajcie góry, lasy, doły. Fly past the mountains, forests and valleys. Оминайте гори, ліси, доли. Omynaite hory, lisy, doly. Dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń dzwoneczku, Ring, ring, ring little bell. Дзвін, дзвін, дзвін, дзвіночку, Dzvin, dzvin, dzvin, dzvinochku, Mój stepowy skowroneczku My little steppe skylark Степовий жайвороночку Stepovyi zhajvoronochku Hej, hej, hej sokoły! Hey, hey, hey falcons! Гей! Гей! Гей, соколи! Hei! Hei! Hei, sokoly! Omijajcie góry, lasy, doły. Fly past the mountains, forests and valleys. Оминайте гори, ліси, доли. Omynaite hory, lisy, doly. Dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń dzwoneczku, Ring, ring, ring little bell. Дзвін, дзвін, дзвін, дзвіночку, Dzvin, dzvin, dzvin, dzvinochku, Mój stepowy - dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń. My steppe - ring, ring ring. Мій степовий дзвін, дзвін, дзвін. Mii stepovyi dzvin, dzvin, dzvin. Ona biedna tam została, She poor one remained there, Плаче, плаче, дівчинонька, Plache, plache, divchynonka, Jaskółeczka moja mała, My little swallow, Люба моя ластівонька, Liuba moia lastivonka, A ja tutaj w obcej stronie And I'm here in this foreign land [lit. 'on the foreign side'] А я у чужому краю, A ya u chuzhomu kraiu, Dniem i nocą tęsknię do niej. I miss her day and night. Серце спокою не має. Sertse spokoiu ne maie. Żal, żal, za dziewczyną, Sorrow, sorrow, for that girl, Жаль, жаль, за милою, Zhal, zhal za myloiu, Za zieloną Ukrainą, And for green Ukraine; За рідною стороною. Za ridnoiu storonoiu. Żal, żal, serce płacze, Sorrow, sorrow, heart is stricken, Жаль, жаль серце плаче, Zhal, zhal sertse plache, Już jej więcej nie zobaczę. I'll never see her again. Більше її не побачу. Bilshe ii ne pobachu. Wina, wina, wina dajcie! Wine, wine, give me wine! Меду, вина наливайте Medu, vyna nalyvaite A jak umrę pochowajcie And when I die bury me Як загину поховайте Yak zahynu pokhovaite Na zielonej Ukrainie In green Ukraine, На далекій Україні Na dalekii Ukraini Przy kochanej mej dziewczynie By my dear girl. Коло милої дівчини. Kolo myloi divchyny.

Usage during the Russian invasion of Ukraine A number of social media videos put out by Ukrainian forces to celebrate victories in the Russian invasion of Ukraine feature the song as the backing track. On 16 April 2022, the General staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine put out a video with a version of the song recorded by Pikkardiyska Tertsiya as a show of gratitude towards the military aid from Poland.

On 23 March 2023, the Slovak Armed Forces uploaded a video on YouTube showing the transfer of four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, featuring a version of the song recorded by the Military Music Band of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic.

Notes

References

External links English translation Czech text of the song – (c) Martin Adámek, Náchod