Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Там Там (Tam Tam) by Jakone from Russian to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Viva lavi kogda ti ryadom ti na tusovkakh poka ya na tyagakh
Viva la vida when you're around, you're out partying while I'm taking drags
Ya ne tsenyu tebya, otsenil vzglyadom tvoim podrugam dva balla s natyagom
I don't value you; one look and I gave your girlfriends a two, and that's generous
Tebe dam pyat’, i dam pyat’ ballov khot’ i razbalovana
You I'll give a five, yeah, a full five, even though you're spoiled
Khot’ dostala menya, dostan’ to eto kol’tso, kol’e, kal’yan, masallan
You've worn me out, but go get it: the ring, the necklace, the hookah, the Macallan
Ti na svoi poezd opozdala, to yest’ prospala, to yest’ ostalas’
You missed your train, I mean you overslept, I mean you got left behind
Ya borolsya na vse pyat’ ballov
I fought my hardest, I earned a five
Ti ne sdala i uzhe ne stala, gorazdo vse chem ti pitalas’
You didn't pass, and you never became anything; all you fed on was
Chuvstva tekh kto v nikh nuzhdalis’
The feelings of those who needed them
Vo mne sila, chestnost’ i strast’, tebe tol’ko seks, kakaya zhalost’
I've got strength, honesty and passion, all you want is sex, what a shame
A ya na spal’nikh viselkakh vokrug domov torchus’
And I'm out getting high around the blocks on the edge of town
Khochu tvoei lyubvi, a ti lish’ seks bez chuvstv
I want your love, but all you give is sex with no feelings
Ti spish’ nadeyus’ ya tebe prisnyus’
You're asleep, I hope you dream of me
Ya khochu k tvoim gubam, no tam bivaet tol’ko snyus
I want to kiss your lips, but all that's there is snus
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Tebya pressuyut, da takie, ya tusuyus’ do utra
They're leaning on you hard, and I party till morning
Vokrug menya volki, bandyugi, mi v chernie volgi na nomerakh
Wolves and thugs all around me, we ride black Volgas with connected plates
Poka ya v poiske novikh tem ti visish’ chetkikh nomerakh
While I'm hunting for new hustles, you hang out in classy hotel rooms
Poka ya kral dlya tebya buket kakoi to chert tebya obnimal
While I was stealing you a bouquet, some creep had his arms around you
A ya na spal’nikh viselkakh vokrug domov torchus’
And I'm out getting high around the blocks on the edge of town
Khochu tvoei lyubvi, a ti lish’ seks bez chuvstv
I want your love, but all you give is sex with no feelings
Ti spish’ nadeyus’ ya tebe prisnyus’
You're asleep, I hope you dream of me
Ya khochu k tvoim gubam, no tam bivaet tol’ko snyus
I want to kiss your lips, but all that's there is snus
Potom za mnoi priedet tvoi znakomii drug
Then a friend of yours will come to pick me up
On rasskazal chto ti zasnul sredi moikh podrug
He told me you fell asleep surrounded by my girlfriends
O-o pokazivayu demki pro tebya
Oh-oh, I play people the demos I made about you
A ti snova gde-to s kem-to poka ya
And you're off somewhere with someone again, while I
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
Poka ya v getto protirayu kedi
While I'm in the ghetto wearing out my sneakers
Ti tam tam tam tam s kem-to losk down v serdtse
You're there, there, there, there, with someone who's got your heart on lockdown
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Did you like this lyrics translation?
Picture this: he's out in the ghetto wearing out his sneakers, and she's somewhere else entirely. The hook says it all: "Пока я в гетто протираю кеды" (while I'm wearing out my sneakers in the ghetto), "Ты там там там там с кем-то" (you're there, there, there with someone). That repeated там там (there, there) is the whole song in one word: she's always over there, never here.
The verses are a grumpy little report card. He gives her friends "два балла с натягом" (two points, and that's generous), and her "пять баллов" (five points), even though she's "разбалована" (spoiled). In Russian schools, 5 is the top mark and 2 means you failed, so he's literally grading the girls. Then she wants "кольцо, колье, кальян, Macallan" (a ring, a necklace, a hookah, Macallan). Macallan is a pricey Scotch whisky, and the run of к sounds is a fun bit of wordplay.
The chorus gets blunt: "Хочу твоей любви, а ты лишь секс без чувств" (I want your love, and you just want sex without feelings). And my favourite sad-funny line: "Я хочу к твоим губам, но там бывает только снюс" (I want to get to your lips, but there's only snus there). Снюс is a tobacco pouch tucked under the lip, so her mouth is busy with nicotine, not him.
Useful slang to grab: тусовки are parties, на тягах is him taking drags while she's out partying, and спальные районы are the sleepy residential blocks on the edge of town where he's stuck hanging around.
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