Al is so underrated as a songsmith Roads to Moscow is one of the only songs that literally chokes me up and has been for 40 years , it never gets old , and that's powerful as so many songs come and go this one is actually timeless.
Al has said he "read about 25 books" before he wrote this . His history is good . After the war , Soviet soldiers who had contact with the West were sent to the gulag . He has also said that the protagonist is Alexander Solzhnitsyn , who was sent to the gulag after the war because he had been captured .
This song screams masterpiece! One of the VERY few songs where I have to pause and listen! The song completely captivates you from beginning to end! Al is a GENIUS!!!
Another great Al reaction from you boys - now listen to me and listen good, if you get the chance to see Al live TAKE IT, not to put too fine a point on it he won't be around forever - and whatever he plays there will still be 50 great ones he doesn't for you to have on the channel (And Nick, if you want a combo of great story AND catchy music head to Running Man next...). Another side of Al you get to see live is just how funny he is, he spins these great serious story songs at you and then has you dying of laughter in between - GO SEE HIM!
Finally AL Stewart. This is one of his best. Please do another quickly. Three I would like to hear On the Border, Lord Grenville, and Nostradamus. Many thanks for this reaction.
People get stories about this by reading. The Soviet Army took an oath to die for the homeland. If you were taken prisoner, then they considered it an act of treason and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers were placed into concentration camps in Siberia after the war. That is what the song is about. One of the heroes that was imprisoned for fighting for their Totalitarian regime. It is so much deeper than the attention span you give it. But I do appreciate you playing it. Kudos for that.
"The Soviet Army took an oath to die for the homeland. If you were taken prisoner, then they considered it an act of treason and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers were placed into concentration camps in Siberia after the war. " Not true. It was Stailin's paranoia that sent them to the camps. He was afraid that retruned prisoners of war had been compromised. It had nothing to do with them consdiered treasonous.
@@PeterRabbit70 Which was what it took to finally get people to wake up. For years the New York Times sang Lenin and Stalin's praises via Walter Duranty's puff pieces in spite of those that were trying to shine the light of truth on the atrocities.
50 year old song. Every time I listen to it, I am overwhelmed. I have seen Al 3 times first in 1978 and the last time June on 2023. He is still great. Go see him.
There is a Russian instrument called a balalaika used in the song. It is not all acoustic guitars. I knew I heard it when the song opened. I googled it and I was correct. It has a beautiful sound. Just thought you would like to know. Love your channel!!!
He was "huge" to us, in his time. For awhile he was, except for Fleetwood Mac, the one person I listened to on repeat for at least a year or more. Brilliance!!!
And occasionally into the early 80s. Took me decades to find this song again, as i didn't know the artist nor the song title. It blew me away even in my preteens.
I worked at a college radio station (KTRU) when this was released and the album was in our heavy rotation. Whenever RTM came on, the phones were jammed with "What was that?" calls.
After watching Ken burns the war then listening to al Stewart's masterpiece brings tears to one's eyes. Both works of art and sheer brilliance . Thank you al stewart for all your wonderful music.
Guys, love your reacts. Quick tip: even if you do not record a react again on "Roads to Moscow", take your time to listen the version from the live album "Indian Summer" of 1981. Also, as good pieces of Al's storytelling ability, take a shot at "On the border", "Nostradamus", "Lord Grenville" and "Running man". Cheers from São Paulo, Brazil.
The story is based on WWII history, many of the men who fought for the Russian army, after fighting for years and assisting Russia in victory and eventually taking Berlin, ended up being sent to Siberia for little or no reason. It was tragic, and this song, as beautiful as it is, is incredibly sad. Al Stewart hits it out of the park again.
There is no doubt that the fate of these Russian soldiers was terrible, but it should not be forgotten that Stalin's machine of fear during the war also very negatively impacted civilians, the military of other countries, and government officials from neighboring countries. Two examples would be the execution of over 20,000 Polish army officers and intellectual leaders known as the Katyn Forest Massacre. The belief among historians is that Stalin ordered these executions in an effort to make Poland more easily controlled by Russia after the war if many of its military leaders and influential thinkers were gone. It should be noted that, initially, Stalin's government claimed the Nazis performed these executions. It was not until many decades later, around the fall of the Soviet Union, when the Russian government acknowledged it was responsible for these deaths. The case of Raoul Wallenberg is particularly tragic. Wallenberg was a Swedish government official in Budapest, Hungary during WWII. Wallenberg used the resources available to him to produce passports to protect Jewish residents and safeguarding Jewish people in buildings that Wallenberg claimed were Swedish property and thus not as easy to access by the Nazis. Historians estimate that Wallenberg helped save the lives of many thousands. When the Russsian army retook the city of Budapest from the Nazis, Wallenberg was arrested and accused of being a spy. To this day, there remains conflicting evidence as to what happened to Wallenberg, but historians generally believe most documents support that he was either killed or died while being held in prison by the Russians. What is clear is that Wallenberg was a hero for saving the lives of so many people, yet he ended up likely dying nonetheless for his bravery and Stalin's rampant paranoia.
Thanks for the replies. Stalin's reign of terror against the people of the Soviet Union began before WWII. For those that may not be aware, prior to the war, Stalin looked to eliminate his self-assesed political competion from the Vladimir Lenin era and further take control by replacing the old guard with politicians loyal to Stalin. "The Great Purges," where many of Stalin's so-called political "enemies" were arrested and put on trial (almost always found guilty or, even worse, agreed to plead guilty after the lives of their families were threatened), ultimately either being executed or sent to The Gulag for horrendous forced labor sentences that many did not survive. Yet, there are also many that may not be familiar with Stalin's war of destruction against the farming population of the USSR, especially in the Ukraine. In an effort to seemingly help Stalin's efforts to build modern industry, there was a belief that the government must have control over the food supply to make sure those building and laboring in factories had enough nourishment to keep working. This led to what is known as Stalin's "collectivization" program, where farmers were eventually forced to join a government controlled massive cooperative. As one might imagine, many farmers were none too pleased by these plans, as while they had been required to provide a percentage of their harvests to the government, anything previously left over was the farmers to keep, trade, or even sell. Many farmers would choose to disobey Stalin's orders to turn over all of their harvests to the government. This intensified the "battle of wills" between the farming population that opposed Stalin and the government. This led to an escalation by the farmers and Stalin's government in response to the farming population's actions. In the most extreme cases, farmers decided to destroy their own crops and slaughter their own animals (keeping in mind that modern refrigeration did not really exist in most rural areas in the USSR at that time), which would turn bad before the animals could be seized by the government. When the food yield being turned in was far less than what was expected and needed, Stalin was told that many farmers were hiding their harvests and killing their own animals. In response, Stalin would had Soviet military troops go into farming towns and villages with the order to forcibly take what food they could find (a process that Stalin referred to as "requisitioning"), even if that meant farmers and their families would starve for lack of food. This led to a horror show where an estimated millions within the farming population would starve to death from famine. Eventually, most of the farmers that did survive would give in and agree to join Stalin's government run farming operation. The "collectivization" program saw what historians believe to be approximately less than 5% of the farming population join at the beginning of the initiative, but that number would swell (according to historians) to well over 90% within 5 years. As Stalin was eliminating what he saw as political threats during the same time, he would go to extraordinary lengths (resulting in the deaths of millions) to gain control over the food supply in the Soviet Union. As mentioned above, everything in the reply happened BEFORE WWII began, so Stalin's approach to dealing with those deemed "traitors," such as Al Stewart references in the song, was well defined prior to Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union.
"...ended up being sent to Siberia for little or no reason." It was Stalin's paranoia that the POWs were compromised and posed a potential threat to their mother land.
Al is not just a fine singer, musician, arranger, he is one of the finest writers of this era and he has it all, a '' Renaissance man " in music! And yes.... Poetry..... You can't hold down a poet!
I’ve seen Al Stewart 3 or 4 times and for as great as his live performance of his music is, his story telling (between songs) is equally remarkable. I would so love to see him again, but I haven’t seen a Canadian show on his schedule in a very long time.
Man, you guys really showcase Al Stewart on your show. To get a personal invite from him is a mighty cool thing, guys!! I'm wearing myself out running around on your site trying to find "On the Border" !! C'mon now!!!! Don't let me and 10 million other people wander in the wilderness forever!! It's hard to wait for your reaction. A great addition to your Al Stewart reactions so far. Watcha waitin" for?? Keep up the good work and have fun...
Such a sad song! This is one of the greatest ballads ever sung about one of the biggest events in human history, the German invasion of Russia and the Soviet fight for survival that eventually won them victory in Berlin. And told from the point of view of one of the hundreds of thousands of an ordinary soldier in the Soviet army who endured war, capture, slavery, the end of the war and release, only to be thrown into a Siberian Gulag after the war. Many never made it home after having served their country for years throughout the war. A stunning tragedy we have mostly forgotten. (By the way, could you feel the change of tempo as the story changed from loss, to a rallying victory, and then oblivion?)
Couldn’t connect quick enough when I saw Roads to Moscow !!! This is Al at his finest story telling. Being a student of WWII as a kid, when I first heard this song in the 70s, I immediately knew it was the journey of a Russian soldier from the day one of Operation Barbarossa and the attack of Russia by the Nazis. You will definitely go over the lyrics, and grasp that this particular soldier had the misfortune of being part of the Russian army that was overrun by the Germans on all parts of the front. Stalin after the war sent hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers with the same fate of either becoming partisans, or being part of the first wave that was overrun, to the gulags in Siberia after the war. Stalin was responsible for at the low estimate 20+ million Russian deaths, but most historians espouse to double that amount. Great choice , great reaction
Now you are listening to the Al Stewart that I grew up with ! Al at his best. I could go on forever on this one. Always remember this song is based in fact Heinz Guderian was the german general who came upw ith Blitzkrieg ! Soliensk & Viasma were places the existed until the Germans took over & Solzenitzin was locked up by Stalin like many others ! Now dip into Nostradamus ! longer than Roads to Moscow I think !
Welcome back, Ty! Great to see you! This is my favorite Al Stewart song, and thank you for covering it. Don't worry about going to an Al Stewart concert and hearing all his songs. You will still have TONS of material you can cover. (In answer to your question, no, his longest song was Love Chronicles, which clocks in at 18:06.) Another cinematic Al song you might enjoy is "Night Train to Munich" from his 1995 "Between the Wars" album. Uptempo, danceable. . Al's connections? Rick Wakeman played on his 1970 album. Roger Taylor played on Modern Times. He taught "Black Mountain Side" to Jimmy Page, who also played on Al's first single. He roomed with Paul Simon in London. I could go on but you get the idea.
It's a balalaika!! Good to see you Ty. How about honouring the lovely Melanie who has joined the great band on the other side. I recommend Lay Down, Lay Down. RIP Melanie❤
Not only a great song, Al is spitting actual history. You gentleman, weather you know it or not, learned history today. One of my favorites from Al Stewart. If you want a more upbeat, re-listenable song, you need "On the Border" - it's a spicy one.
Great reaction again! I always envision the scenes of this song like a flickering black & white moving picture. A very similar song of his is "On The Border". You'll like that one!
😱 "OMG" Guys, First off I just wanna thank you for rewinding my memory banks once again!! You may find this hard to imagine but it's kinda like how you guys have been doin' this for quite a while and you know how somebody sends in a suggestion for a really great group that y'all loved but had completely forgotten about, well this is kind of the same thing I suppose🤷 Anyway, as I've been playing guitar 🎸 now since I was 15 in 1980, I have bought and lost 🤭 a lot of albums, eight tracks, cassettes, CD's of music that I have loved and learned and played along with so I guess it stands to reason that (given the fact that I'll be "60" this year), as they say, I've forgotten more than I've learned so to speak!!😆 That's one of the biggest reasons I enjoy so much of music have managed to keep a much more "extensive" library than I have over the years so I can always count on them to send in stuff that I've "completely" forgot about! Even things that I learned "note for note, lick for lick" and I soooo love it when that happens!! At one point many years ago I had this song on tape and I loved it for very much the same reasons as you guys just discussed and I did from what I remember manage to fall in on it and learn enough of it to play along with em'! I'm pretty sure I even figured out some of the solo stuff but "man" was that guy "waaay" over my head!!!😂🤣 But I remember really digging that song man so thanks 🙏 again bringing it back to my attention! I'll get back on it and see how much of it I can remember (or have forgotten) 🤭😆🤣 Either way it'll be fun!!! Love you guys ✌️❤️🎸🤟
Great to read all of the comments while listening to the commentary. I remember hearing this song while riding the school bus reading a book about WWII. I was a bit of a WWII geek in middle school. Not until I was an adult with an iTunes account did I find it again. It's been on my playlist favorites ever since.
Thank you for getting back to Al Stewart. It's been too long. I would like to suggest the song "Night Train to Munich" for another completely different sounding song from Al. Or maybe the song "Trains" from his 1984 album "Famous Last Words" or....
Love this song.... Saw Al perform this at the Opry House in Nashville when this came out..... Live was amazing!! He played this song as a video on screen matching the lyrics played behind the band. He painted a MASTERPIECE!
An absolute Masterpiece. I know many are recommending "On The Border" - and it is awesome. But I would also like to suggest "Laughing Into 1939", "The Last Day Of June 1934", (Both about the build up to WWII), "Helen And Cassandra" (The Trojan War, but focusing on the two women) and for a total change of pace "Sampan" a very relaxing song about life on a rubber plantation in the 1920's. The man has been consistently great since the late 1960's. Few artists have had as long a run as a Masterclass songwriter.
Al draws a picture of this story as if a film is being made. He did extensive background work and even got some of the story from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
I know you’re gonna do it, and I’ll be patiently waiting for “On The Border”. It’ll be epic and you will make many people happy. No rush, though. Take your time. Tomorrow would work for me.
I had the opportunity to see Al Live here in Montreal in the mid 70's and when he did Roads to Moscow ,a black white movie was playing on a giant screen . The images matching the intensity of the lyrics. I can still see it in my mind.
Al is so vivid in his songs. An historical songwriter with incredible melodies. First time l heard that one. Thanks guy's. More Al please great reaction.
One of the most emotional stories that AL tells......very, very deep The descriptive words and exceptional music paint that desperate picture. It's heartbreaking in the poetry
When you hear the complex layering of the music, and the depth of instrumentation in this studio version, it's hard to imagine it being successfully replicated live. But he and his group of super talented musicians, pull it off in SPECTACULAR fashion! On your own time, give a quick listed to this song played live at the Roxy in 1981. It is truly AMAZING.
Wonderful acoustics, wonderful playing of guitars, wonderful lyrics, it’s like watching a movie, really, or reading a book about a fascinating story, the music itself is original, I still had to come up with something like that, write it, it will be included in my personal playlist, I love Al Stewart, he has so much good songs.
It's been too long guys and I'm not getting any younger! While the rest serve up rice and salad, Al brings the lyrical meat. He plops you smack dab in the middle of the German/Russian conflict and makes you endure the horrors of war, enlightening you while he does it. The music is a perfect compliment, as you trudge the mud and snow to battle. A superb journey!
This is going to be great .. If you're doing Al , let's pick 'the News from Spain' on a later date .. It's absolutely gorgeous and not that well known . There once was a poll among Al fans and this song was in the top 3..
I saw him play this with PW, just the two of them on stage, single spotlight on both of them, with black and white photos of WWII shown on a massive screen behind them, it was the most chilling experience...
Guys, this song was huge. It was played on rock stations. I saw him in concert at the tower theater on 69th street in Upper Darby PA. Fantastic concert. I had a seat seven rows away from the stage.
One of the best History Lessons in 8 minutes. If you know the story about how Stalin treated the Soviet POW Russians when they were returned home, you can understand the plight of the protagonist in the song. EDIT: (Additional info) Stalin was very paranoid and didn't trust the Russian POWs that were returned to Russia from the German POW camps. He thought that they were compromised by the Germans and didn't trust their return to society so he put them into prison camps in their own country (Russia).
@airmark02 It was the Allies and Russia that defeated the Nazis. The Russian winter was largely responsible for slowing down the German Eastern offensive into Russia. Russia put up a defense early but were out manned and out supplied (armaments). In addition, the Yugoslav, Albanian, and French partisans and the Polish Resistance were starting to take back their small areas in their respective countries in Central and Western Europe . The Russian partisans were also wreaking havoc with Germany's advance. The Battle of Normandy was the final nail in the coffin of Hitler's stronghold in Western Europe. Then there is North Africa where in 1943, the Allies ((including Germany exiles) captured 250,000 Italian and German soldiers. Hitler was already sending German troops in to support Mussolini's dwindling armies. This affected Hitler's military. If it wasn't for the Allies, Hitler would have had the manpower to reach Moscow and farther East. This is in no way a rebuke of Russia's defenses. They made the best of what they had and were able to slow down the German offensive. If Stalin thought he was really going to be able to stop Hitler with Russian defenses on his own, he would not have joined the Allies in June 1941in trying to defeat Hitler. He (Stalin) knew he did not have the forces to stop Hitler on his own then and could buy time if the Allies could take the heat off him to give his factories time to catch up to Germany's troop, aircraft, and ground artillery numbers. The Battle of Stalingrad was Russia's great hour as by then Stalin had enough men and weaponry to stymie and push Hitler back away from the Front. It was also Hitler's poor decision to try to conduct a multi-front offensive. He even wrote about the foolishness of doing such in Mein Kampf. Why he didn't heed his own words is still the subject of historians. Unfortunately, France's contributions in World War 2 are also diminished by some people even today.
I was not sure if i have heard this... But when i listen to 70's station and let it play all day - this song has come up. Never really listened to the lyrics. You can always pick out his voice. He is a great storyteller and musician! The intro is kinda Pink Floydish (when you played the first few seconds over). Midevel Times comes to mind. It is fun to watch your excitement for him! You come into each one like you will love it. His songs are so different musically. And yet you love them! Imagine going to see him in person. He probably talks and adds on to his songs. He also seems like he is funny too.
I saw Al numerous times and he said this was about how a Russian soldier, due to having at some point been captured (and having escaped) was taken by Stalin (as were many other Russian soldiers) and put into a Russian concentration camp to die as his reward for having fought against the Germans. And supposedly this happened to many Russian soldiers and is historically accurate.
Good job putting together the pieces, guys. For those that may be unaware, the song is referring to "Operation Barbarossa," the Nazi invasion of Russia during WWII. Early on, the Nazis were able to gain large pieces of land controlled by and then in Russia itself in a very short period of time (which could be viewed as the first section of the song with the extremely intense guitar part). Eventually, weather conditions, poor political/military leadership by the Nazis, and the sheer will to survive by Russian soldiers and civilians ultimately led to the Russian army breaking through the Nazi forces (which could be viewed as the second section of the song with the choral arrangement as there could be "light at the end of the tunnel" for Russia). Eventually, through absolutely brutal fighting that included the Russian army discovering the Nazi death camps, the Russian army invaded Germany from the east (while countries like the U.S. and England attacked from the north, south and west). In the end, the Russian army and other allied forces were able to capture Berlin (Germany's capital) for victory. However, as another viewers have already posted, Joseph Stalin (Russia's dictator) greatly feared anyone that he thought might pose a threat to his rule. Thus, many Russian soldiers that had been taken prisoner or, in some cases, just saw how life might be like in democratic, capitalist countries outside of Russia were sent to "Gulags" (governmemt sponsored prison camps throughout Russia). The third section of the song, which takes on a much more somber type tone, could be in reference to this end of fighting and what happened to many Russian soldiers. It can be seen as a brilliant piece of music because it tells the entire story in 1 song, which is really 3 songs (each part of the conflict).
Just for more historical context about the sheer will to survive by the Russian people, the Nazi army surrounded the city of Stalingrad for over 5 months. The Nazi army surrounded the city of Moscow for over 3 months. The Nazi army surrounded the city of Leningrad for NINE HUNDRED DAYS (September 1941-January 1944). To give you some comparison in American history, during the American Civil War, the Union's (states supporting the federal government) surrounding of the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi lasted FORTY SEVEN DAYS before the Confederacy (states trying to break free from the federal government) surrendered. Additional points: The Nazis had become so entrenched in not allowing the Russians to break through at Stalingrad that the Russian military command gave the order to its officers to tell their soldiers to "advance or die," because if a Russian soldier attempted to turn to flee the battle, his commanding officer was ordered to immediately shoot him. When the Russians finally did break through at Stalingrad, the German military commander felt his best choice was to surrender (leading to the capture or death of approximately 250,000 soldiers), which truly devastated the Nazis chances. It's estimated that there were approximately 4.5 million casualties (wounded and killed) during "Operation Barbarossa" with the much higher percentage being Russian soldiers.
Wiki breaks it down pretty well... "Each verse of the song covers a different phase of the campaign, starting with the invasion by German troops that commenced on 22 June 1941. First comes the attack, the catastrophic destruction of Soviet Air Force aircraft at their aerodromes by the Luftwaffe, and the initial efforts by Soviet soldiers to escape the advancing Nazi horde. The next portion of the song relates the Russian retreat through Ukraine during the summer and fall of 1941, including the fall of Smolensk, culminating in the approach of the Nazi armies to Moscow during Operation Typhoon. Stewart next describes the onset of winter, with snow and mud proving insurmountable obstacles for the Germans in the Battle of Moscow, following which they were forced to retreat. The German soldiers are portrayed as walking "in the footsteps of Napoleon", referencing the French Emperor's ill-fated invasion of Russia in 1812. Next, the song turns to the activities of the Soviet partisans, who waged their own war against the Germans behind German lines. It then references the great Battle of Stalingrad, the turning point of the Second World War for Germany, which led to the destruction of the German Sixth Army and ultimately sealed the fate of the Nazis in the conflict. Two broken Tiger tanks are depicted, flames flickering from their open hatches to signify the destruction of the German armored forces at Kursk and other places during 1943 and 44, and the increasing hopelessness of their military situation. The song moves on to the Soviet invasion of Germany itself, during which the Germans are able to offer little effective resistance. It speaks of "old men and children" being sent to stop them, but who are unable to do so. Then comes the Battle of Berlin, following which the Germans realize that their "dream" of world domination is over-together with Hitler's reign of terror. Finally, the song turns to its protagonist, who is eagerly anticipating his return to Russia after four years of fighting. When he crosses the border, however, he is detained by the MGB when they learn that he had been captured by the Germans earlier in the war-even though he was released after only one day. He is separated from his companions and sent to the Gulag, where the song ends as he contemplates the "forever" expanse of the "steely Russian skies" above his camp."
There is a quite old (50 years) and comprehensive (26 part) documentary series originally aired by the BBC called "The World At War." I recall it being shown on PBS in America during the late 1970s/early 1980s when I was a small kid. It should be available for free online by searching "the world at war internet archive" on Google. Several of the episodes directly relate to topics in the song reviewed here.
From operation barbarossa to te fall of berlin in one beautiful song. Told from the point of view of a soviet soldier,who gets captured by the germans then sent to a gulag .
I went to college in Al's home town, which is no doubt one of the reasons I've been listening to him since 1968. Roads to Moscow is my favorite song, off my favorite album, and I could listen to it endlessly. I'd be hard pressed to name my top TWENTY Al songs-I'd leave out too many favorites. Ah, what the heck. In order of release: In Brooklyn, Love Chronicles, Manuscript, My Enemies Have Sweet Voices, I’m Falling, The Last Day of June 1934, Soho (Needless to Say), Roads To Moscow, Apple Cider Re-Constitution, Midas Shadow, Year of the Cat, Almost Lucy, Song on the Radio, Merlin’s Time, Accident on 3rd Street, Laughing into 1939, Trains, Gina In The King’s Road, Somewhere in England 1915, The Coldest Winter (live). Shucks, I should have said top 25. There's only one song in that list from my 2nd favorite album (Between the Wars).
Al Stewart should be known as a 20th century Historical Balladeer with this song, Lord Granville and On the Border. Each a masterpiece!
Al is so underrated as a songsmith Roads to Moscow is one of the only songs that literally chokes me up and has been for 40 years , it never gets old , and that's powerful as so many songs come and go this one is actually timeless.
Yes. 45 years later, I listen to his tunes for the many hundredth times, and I am still blown away like it's the first time. 🥰
Yes this a masterpiece and holds up as a testament to ww2 itself.
This isn't just a song it's a history lesson. Love This song.
Al has said he "read about 25 books" before he wrote this . His history is good . After the war , Soviet soldiers who had contact with the West were sent to the gulag . He has also said that the protagonist is Alexander Solzhnitsyn , who was sent to the gulag after the war because he had been captured .
This song screams masterpiece! One of the VERY few songs where I have to pause and listen! The song completely captivates you from beginning to end! Al is a GENIUS!!!
Tyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!! :-) GO TO THE CONCERT. Go, for those of us on the other side of the world who will never get that chance!
First saw him at uni in 1974 last saw him in Eastbourne last year the man in my opinion is a genius, almost chronicles my life
Another great Al reaction from you boys - now listen to me and listen good, if you get the chance to see Al live TAKE IT, not to put too fine a point on it he won't be around forever - and whatever he plays there will still be 50 great ones he doesn't for you to have on the channel (And Nick, if you want a combo of great story AND catchy music head to Running Man next...). Another side of Al you get to see live is just how funny he is, he spins these great serious story songs at you and then has you dying of laughter in between - GO SEE HIM!
Finally AL Stewart. This is one of his best. Please do another quickly. Three I would like to hear On the Border, Lord Grenville, and Nostradamus. Many thanks for this reaction.
Flying Sorcery, too
Somewhere in England 1915. ❤
As mentioned, ‘On the Border’ is one of the most incredible songs you’ll ever hear from Al.
Two in a row while Ty is in town. Thanks!
People get stories about this by reading. The Soviet Army took an oath to die for the homeland. If you were taken prisoner, then they considered it an act of treason and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers were placed into concentration camps in Siberia after the war. That is what the song is about. One of the heroes that was imprisoned for fighting for their Totalitarian regime. It is so much deeper than the attention span you give it. But I do appreciate you playing it. Kudos for that.
"The Soviet Army took an oath to die for the homeland. If you were taken prisoner, then they considered it an act of treason and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers were placed into concentration camps in Siberia after the war. "
Not true. It was Stailin's paranoia that sent them to the camps. He was afraid that retruned prisoners of war had been compromised.
It had nothing to do with them consdiered treasonous.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn spent years in those camps, then wrote with authority about it. "The Gulag Archipelago", and others.
@@PeterRabbit70 Which was what it took to finally get people to wake up.
For years the New York Times sang Lenin and Stalin's praises via Walter Duranty's puff pieces in spite of those that were trying to shine the light of truth on the atrocities.
50 year old song. Every time I listen to it, I am overwhelmed. I have seen Al 3 times first in 1978 and the last time June on 2023. He is still great. Go see him.
There is a Russian instrument called a balalaika used in the song. It is not all acoustic guitars. I knew I heard it when the song opened. I googled it and I was correct. It has a beautiful sound. Just thought you would like to know. Love your channel!!!
So glad somebody else mentioned this! Beautiful and poignant sound.
There is no mention of a balalaika in the credits for the LP.
Glad to see you getting back to Al, but I am again going to recommend "On The Border" for your next reaction from him.
The live version is better than the original.
Yes.
He was "huge" to us, in his time. For awhile he was, except for Fleetwood Mac, the one person I listened to on repeat for at least a year or more. Brilliance!!!
For people from his era, he is in our blood. He's... a real part of... Us!
Just came to say that😊
Believe it or not this was played on FM rock radio in the 70s. That's where I first heard it. ❤
And occasionally into the early 80s. Took me decades to find this song again, as i didn't know the artist nor the song title. It blew me away even in my preteens.
Yes it was. And this is the song that interested me in Al. Such an incredible song!
Progressive rock WIOQ fm in Philly. I was drawn to his unique voice and clarity of story. Still my favorite.
I worked at a college radio station (KTRU) when this was released and the album was in our heavy rotation. Whenever RTM came on, the phones were jammed with "What was that?" calls.
Yeah..i remember hearing it on KLOL 101 in Houston Tx...CRASH was the disc jockey backten.Awesome !, love Al ! 😊
After watching Ken burns the war then listening to al Stewart's masterpiece brings tears to one's eyes. Both works of art and sheer brilliance . Thank you al stewart for all your wonderful music.
Glad to see you back together and doing Al. Fantastic
A true history lesson.
Al read nearly 50 books to write this ballad….
World war 2 took 20 million lives in Russia.
Rootin 4 Putin ..long live mother Russia 👍
Correction, 26 million.
Hes a true sigma
@@airmark02why bro
You get a chance to see Al Stewart you say YES!
Going to see Al this coming May. Will be my 21st time seeing him in concert!
The whole Past Present and Future album is brilliant story telling to music. Looking forward to your take on this one.
Guys, love your reacts. Quick tip: even if you do not record a react again on "Roads to Moscow", take your time to listen the version from the live album "Indian Summer" of 1981. Also, as good pieces of Al's storytelling ability, take a shot at "On the border", "Nostradamus", "Lord Grenville" and "Running man". Cheers from São Paulo, Brazil.
The story is based on WWII history, many of the men who fought for the Russian army, after fighting for years and assisting Russia in victory and eventually taking Berlin, ended up being sent to Siberia for little or no reason. It was tragic, and this song, as beautiful as it is, is incredibly sad. Al Stewart hits it out of the park again.
There is no doubt that the fate of these Russian soldiers was terrible, but it should not be forgotten that Stalin's machine of fear during the war also very negatively impacted civilians, the military of other countries, and government officials from neighboring countries. Two examples would be the execution of over 20,000 Polish army officers and intellectual leaders known as the Katyn Forest Massacre. The belief among historians is that Stalin ordered these executions in an effort to make Poland more easily controlled by Russia after the war if many of its military leaders and influential thinkers were gone. It should be noted that, initially, Stalin's government claimed the Nazis performed these executions. It was not until many decades later, around the fall of the Soviet Union, when the Russian government acknowledged it was responsible for these deaths. The case of Raoul Wallenberg is particularly tragic. Wallenberg was a Swedish government official in Budapest, Hungary during WWII. Wallenberg used the resources available to him to produce passports to protect Jewish residents and safeguarding Jewish people in buildings that Wallenberg claimed were Swedish property and thus not as easy to access by the Nazis. Historians estimate that Wallenberg helped save the lives of many thousands. When the Russsian army retook the city of Budapest from the Nazis, Wallenberg was arrested and accused of being a spy. To this day, there remains conflicting evidence as to what happened to Wallenberg, but historians generally believe most documents support that he was either killed or died while being held in prison by the Russians. What is clear is that Wallenberg was a hero for saving the lives of so many people, yet he ended up likely dying nonetheless for his bravery and Stalin's rampant paranoia.
I love history, and I appreciate the in-depth history of Stalin’s Russia. War is hell, on every side, and in every case.
Specifically, Solzhenitsyn's "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich".
Thanks for the replies. Stalin's reign of terror against the people of the Soviet Union began before WWII. For those that may not be aware, prior to the war, Stalin looked to eliminate his self-assesed political competion from the Vladimir Lenin era and further take control by replacing the old guard with politicians loyal to Stalin. "The Great Purges," where many of Stalin's so-called political "enemies" were arrested and put on trial (almost always found guilty or, even worse, agreed to plead guilty after the lives of their families were threatened), ultimately either being executed or sent to The Gulag for horrendous forced labor sentences that many did not survive. Yet, there are also many that may not be familiar with Stalin's war of destruction against the farming population of the USSR, especially in the Ukraine. In an effort to seemingly help Stalin's efforts to build modern industry, there was a belief that the government must have control over the food supply to make sure those building and laboring in factories had enough nourishment to keep working. This led to what is known as Stalin's "collectivization" program, where farmers were eventually forced to join a government controlled massive cooperative. As one might imagine, many farmers were none too pleased by these plans, as while they had been required to provide a percentage of their harvests to the government, anything previously left over was the farmers to keep, trade, or even sell. Many farmers would choose to disobey Stalin's orders to turn over all of their harvests to the government. This intensified the "battle of wills" between the farming population that opposed Stalin and the government. This led to an escalation by the farmers and Stalin's government in response to the farming population's actions. In the most extreme cases, farmers decided to destroy their own crops and slaughter their own animals (keeping in mind that modern refrigeration did not really exist in most rural areas in the USSR at that time), which would turn bad before the animals could be seized by the government. When the food yield being turned in was far less than what was expected and needed, Stalin was told that many farmers were hiding their harvests and killing their own animals. In response, Stalin would had Soviet military troops go into farming towns and villages with the order to forcibly take what food they could find (a process that Stalin referred to as "requisitioning"), even if that meant farmers and their families would starve for lack of food. This led to a horror show where an estimated millions within the farming population would starve to death from famine. Eventually, most of the farmers that did survive would give in and agree to join Stalin's government run farming operation. The "collectivization" program saw what historians believe to be approximately less than 5% of the farming population join at the beginning of the initiative, but that number would swell (according to historians) to well over 90% within 5 years. As Stalin was eliminating what he saw as political threats during the same time, he would go to extraordinary lengths (resulting in the deaths of millions) to gain control over the food supply in the Soviet Union. As mentioned above, everything in the reply happened BEFORE WWII began, so Stalin's approach to dealing with those deemed "traitors," such as Al Stewart references in the song, was well defined prior to Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union.
"...ended up being sent to Siberia for little or no reason."
It was Stalin's paranoia that the POWs were compromised and posed a potential threat to their mother land.
I couldn't stop playing this album I still play it to this day brilliant album
Two broken Tigers on fire in the night,
Flicker their souls to the wind....
Pure poetry!
followed in the next verse by...
"Lighting the way to Berlin"
Germany built 1300 Tiger Tanks between 1942 and 1944, them being on fire is not a surprise.
F I had written that line
I would die a happy man 🎸
Al is not just a fine singer, musician, arranger, he is one of the finest writers of this era and he has it all, a '' Renaissance man " in music! And yes.... Poetry..... You can't hold down a poet!
I’ve seen Al Stewart 3 or 4 times and for as great as his live performance of his music is, his story telling (between songs) is equally remarkable.
I would so love to see him again, but I haven’t seen a Canadian show on his schedule in a very long time.
I would have loved to hear an album with Al and Mark Knopfler... This Masterpiece is a Top5 song in my list of over 1500 I have in my Spotify...
I'm happy with anything from Al.
Man, you guys really showcase Al Stewart on your show. To get a personal invite from him is a mighty cool thing, guys!! I'm wearing myself out running around on your site trying to find "On the Border" !! C'mon now!!!! Don't let me and 10 million other people wander in the wilderness forever!! It's hard to wait for your reaction. A great addition to your Al Stewart reactions so far. Watcha waitin" for?? Keep up the good work and have fun...
Such a sad song! This is one of the greatest ballads ever sung about one of the biggest events in human history, the German invasion of Russia and the Soviet fight for survival that eventually won them victory in Berlin. And told from the point of view of one of the hundreds of thousands of an ordinary soldier in the Soviet army who endured war, capture, slavery, the end of the war and release, only to be thrown into a Siberian Gulag after the war. Many never made it home after having served their country for years throughout the war. A stunning tragedy we have mostly forgotten.
(By the way, could you feel the change of tempo as the story changed from loss, to a rallying victory, and then oblivion?)
Couldn’t connect quick enough when I saw Roads to Moscow !!!
This is Al at his finest story telling. Being a student of WWII as a kid, when I first heard this song in the 70s, I immediately knew it was the journey of a Russian soldier from the day one of Operation Barbarossa and the attack of Russia by the Nazis.
You will definitely go over the lyrics, and grasp that this particular soldier had the misfortune of being part of the Russian army that was overrun by the Germans on all parts of the front. Stalin after the war sent hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers with the same fate of either becoming partisans, or being part of the first wave that was overrun, to the gulags in Siberia after the war. Stalin was responsible for at the low estimate 20+ million Russian deaths, but most historians espouse to double that amount.
Great choice , great reaction
Saw a small club gig, the audience did the choir parts it was great! That was the "Life Between the Wars" tour! Two guys, great show!
I'm so happy to see him in Los Angeles area soon!
Al's Nostradamus is a must. Epic but not deep like this. On the Border the other must. And more Chris Rea. Great choices guys.
Now you are listening to the Al Stewart that I grew up with ! Al at his best. I could go on forever on this one. Always remember this song is based in fact Heinz Guderian was the german general who came upw ith Blitzkrieg ! Soliensk & Viasma were places the existed until the Germans took over & Solzenitzin was locked up by Stalin like many others ! Now dip into Nostradamus ! longer than Roads to Moscow I think !
Welcome back, Ty! Great to see you! This is my favorite Al Stewart song, and thank you for covering it. Don't worry about going to an Al Stewart concert and hearing all his songs. You will still have TONS of material you can cover. (In answer to your question, no, his longest song was Love Chronicles, which clocks in at 18:06.) Another cinematic Al song you might enjoy is "Night Train to Munich" from his 1995 "Between the Wars" album. Uptempo, danceable.
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Al's connections? Rick Wakeman played on his 1970 album. Roger Taylor played on Modern Times. He taught "Black Mountain Side" to Jimmy Page, who also played on Al's first single. He roomed with Paul Simon in London. I could go on but you get the idea.
It's a balalaika!!
Good to see you Ty.
How about honouring the lovely Melanie who has joined the great band on the other side. I recommend Lay Down, Lay Down. RIP Melanie❤
It's easy to figure out Al Stewart - he's a genius!
Al is a real history buff. He has several songs that have historic references. One the Border would be a great reaction.
Al is a history buff,you will notice it in many of his songs.
Not only a great song, Al is spitting actual history. You gentleman, weather you know it or not, learned history today.
One of my favorites from Al Stewart.
If you want a more upbeat, re-listenable song, you need "On the Border" - it's a spicy one.
''Running Man' will get all 3 of you moving! One of Al's best!
Especially the live version from the album
Al is one of my biggest inspirations, listen to Life In dark Water.... Cheers boys!
Great reaction again! I always envision the scenes of this song like a flickering black & white moving picture. A very similar song of his is "On The Border". You'll like that one!
I am glad that you recognize Al's genius.
Roads to Moscow is actually my favorite.
Try some Moody Blues.....
Legend of a mind
Tuesday afternoon
😱 "OMG" Guys, First off I just wanna thank you for rewinding my memory banks once again!! You may find this hard to imagine but it's kinda like how you guys have been doin' this for quite a while and you know how somebody sends in a suggestion for a really great group that y'all loved but had completely forgotten about, well this is kind of the same thing I suppose🤷 Anyway, as I've been playing guitar 🎸 now since I was 15 in 1980, I have bought and lost 🤭 a lot of albums, eight tracks, cassettes, CD's of music that I have loved and learned and played along with so I guess it stands to reason that (given the fact that I'll be "60" this year), as they say, I've forgotten more than I've learned so to speak!!😆 That's one of the biggest reasons I enjoy so much of music have managed to keep a much more "extensive" library than I have over the years so I can always count on them to send in stuff that I've "completely" forgot about! Even things that I learned "note for note, lick for lick" and I soooo love it when that happens!! At one point many years ago I had this song on tape and I loved it for very much the same reasons as you guys just discussed and I did from what I remember manage to fall in on it and learn enough of it to play along with em'! I'm pretty sure I even figured out some of the solo stuff but "man" was that guy "waaay" over my head!!!😂🤣 But I remember really digging that song man so thanks 🙏 again bringing it back to my attention! I'll get back on it and see how much of it I can remember (or have forgotten) 🤭😆🤣 Either way it'll be fun!!! Love you guys ✌️❤️🎸🤟
There are so many amazing Al Stewart song but this is my fav. It shows just how an amazing lyrists and poet Al is.
Great to read all of the comments while listening to the commentary. I remember hearing this song while riding the school bus reading a book about WWII. I was a bit of a WWII geek in middle school. Not until I was an adult with an iTunes account did I find it again. It's been on my playlist favorites ever since.
It’s Al’s world. We’re just unbelievably privileged to live therein…
The man is an old school minstrel 🎸
What a unexpected masterpiece.
Thank you for getting back to Al Stewart. It's been too long.
I would like to suggest the song "Night Train to Munich" for another completely different sounding song from Al. Or maybe the song "Trains" from his 1984 album "Famous Last Words" or....
Love this song.... Saw Al perform this at the Opry House in Nashville when this came out..... Live was amazing!! He played this song as a video on screen matching the lyrics played behind the band. He painted a MASTERPIECE!
Good to see ya Ty! Al ROCKS in AL's WAY.
An absolute Masterpiece. I know many are recommending "On The Border" - and it is awesome. But I would also like to suggest "Laughing Into 1939", "The Last Day Of June 1934", (Both about the build up to WWII), "Helen And Cassandra" (The Trojan War, but focusing on the two women) and for a total change of pace "Sampan" a very relaxing song about life on a rubber plantation in the 1920's. The man has been consistently great since the late 1960's. Few artists have had as long a run as a Masterclass songwriter.
Al draws a picture of this story as if a film is being made. He did extensive background work and even got some of the story from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
This song has always made me feel the hardships of the people who fought in that war. It is so full of misery and despair.😢
I know you’re gonna do it, and I’ll be patiently waiting for “On The Border”. It’ll be epic and you will make many people happy. No rush, though. Take your time. Tomorrow would work for me.
I had the opportunity to see Al Live here in Montreal in the mid 70's and when he did Roads to Moscow ,a black white movie was playing on a giant screen . The images matching the intensity of the lyrics. I can still see it in my mind.
"ON THE BORDER" next lad's,from "YEAR OF THE CAT" album,amazing track and guitar playing!🎉
Al is so vivid in his songs. An historical songwriter with incredible melodies.
First time l heard that one. Thanks guy's. More Al please great reaction.
This amazing song is almost a history lesson.
Yes, finally Al again! Looking forward for more Al content. And this song is fantastic!
One of the most emotional stories that AL tells......very, very deep
The descriptive words and exceptional music paint that desperate picture. It's heartbreaking in the poetry
So many people requesting On The Border, which Al notes, is the only Top 40(#39) song about the Basque independence movement.
When you hear the complex layering of the music, and the depth of instrumentation in this studio version, it's hard to imagine it being successfully replicated live. But he and his group of super talented musicians, pull it off in SPECTACULAR fashion! On your own time, give a quick listed to this song played live at the Roxy in 1981. It is truly AMAZING.
Good to see you, Ty!
I have heard this masterpiece since shortly after that album was released.
Wonderful acoustics, wonderful playing of guitars, wonderful lyrics, it’s like watching a movie, really, or reading a book about a fascinating story, the music itself is original, I still had to come up with something like that, write it, it will be included in my personal playlist, I love Al Stewart, he has so much good songs.
It's been too long guys and I'm not getting any younger!
While the rest serve up rice and salad, Al brings the lyrical meat.
He plops you smack dab in the middle of the German/Russian conflict and makes you endure the horrors of war, enlightening you while he does it.
The music is a perfect compliment, as you trudge the mud and snow to battle.
A superb journey!
This is going to be great .. If you're doing Al , let's pick 'the News from Spain' on a later date .. It's absolutely gorgeous and not that well known . There once was a poll among Al fans and this song was in the top 3..
Ty is the GOAT!
I saw him play this with PW, just the two of them on stage, single spotlight on both of them, with black and white photos of WWII shown on a massive screen behind them, it was the most chilling experience...
My apologies, it wasn't PW it was Laurence Joubert.
Guys, this song was huge. It was played on rock stations. I saw him in concert at the tower theater on 69th street in Upper Darby PA. Fantastic concert. I had a seat seven rows away from the stage.
One of the best History Lessons in 8 minutes. If you know the story about how Stalin treated the Soviet POW Russians when they were returned home, you can understand the plight of the protagonist in the song.
EDIT: (Additional info) Stalin was very paranoid and didn't trust the Russian POWs that were returned to Russia from the German POW camps.
He thought that they were compromised by the Germans and didn't trust their return to society so he put them into prison camps in their own country (Russia).
One of the best storytelling songs ever rivaling Gordon Lightfoot’s Canadian Railroad Trilogy!
Contrary to what i was taught by American educational propaganda about WW2 it was Russia who defeated the Nazi's.
@airmark02 It was the Allies and Russia that defeated the Nazis. The Russian winter was largely responsible for slowing down the German Eastern offensive into Russia. Russia put up a defense early but were out manned and out supplied (armaments).
In addition, the Yugoslav, Albanian, and French partisans and the Polish Resistance were starting to take back their small areas in their respective countries in Central and Western Europe . The Russian partisans were also wreaking havoc with Germany's advance.
The Battle of Normandy was the final nail in the coffin of Hitler's stronghold in Western Europe.
Then there is North Africa where in 1943, the Allies ((including Germany exiles) captured 250,000 Italian and German soldiers. Hitler was already sending German troops in to support Mussolini's dwindling armies. This affected Hitler's military.
If it wasn't for the Allies, Hitler would have had the manpower to reach Moscow and farther East.
This is in no way a rebuke of Russia's defenses. They made the best of what they had and were able to slow down the German offensive. If Stalin thought he was really going to be able to stop Hitler with Russian defenses on his own, he would not have joined the Allies in June 1941in trying to defeat Hitler. He (Stalin) knew he did not have the forces to stop Hitler on his own then and could buy time if the Allies could take the heat off him to give his factories time to catch up to Germany's troop, aircraft, and ground artillery numbers.
The Battle of Stalingrad was Russia's great hour as by then Stalin had enough men and weaponry to stymie and push Hitler back away from the Front.
It was also Hitler's poor decision to try to conduct a multi-front offensive. He even wrote about the foolishness of doing such in Mein Kampf. Why he didn't heed his own words is still the subject of historians.
Unfortunately, France's contributions in World War 2 are also diminished by some people even today.
Should check out "The News From Spain" by Al Stewart. Another great story song.
Ya'll sound so good together when there's three of you ! I really hope that this happens as often as possible , because the trio is supreme !
Al Stewart 😁 Yessss 🤩💥💥💥
I was not sure if i have heard this... But when i listen to 70's station and let it play all day - this song has come up. Never really listened to the lyrics. You can always pick out his voice. He is a great storyteller and musician! The intro is kinda Pink Floydish (when you played the first few seconds over). Midevel Times comes to mind. It is fun to watch your excitement for him! You come into each one like you will love it. His songs are so different musically. And yet you love them! Imagine going to see him in person. He probably talks and adds on to his songs. He also seems like he is funny too.
I saw Al numerous times and he said this was about how a Russian soldier, due to having at some point been captured (and having escaped) was taken by Stalin (as were many other Russian soldiers) and put into a Russian concentration camp to die as his reward for having fought against the Germans. And supposedly this happened to many Russian soldiers and is historically accurate.
The bass guitar is amazing and minimal
When AL says "Two broken tiger's on fire in the,night ", he's talking about the German Tiger Tanks from WW2😢😅😊
Never thought anyone would react to this song. One of my favorites.
Huzzah!
This is a fantastic track.
Nick has a constant stink face for 5 minutes! Love it
Saw him in concert and he was MAGIC
Good job putting together the pieces, guys. For those that may be unaware, the song is referring to "Operation Barbarossa," the Nazi invasion of Russia during WWII. Early on, the Nazis were able to gain large pieces of land controlled by and then in Russia itself in a very short period of time (which could be viewed as the first section of the song with the extremely intense guitar part). Eventually, weather conditions, poor political/military leadership by the Nazis, and the sheer will to survive by Russian soldiers and civilians ultimately led to the Russian army breaking through the Nazi forces (which could be viewed as the second section of the song with the choral arrangement as there could be "light at the end of the tunnel" for Russia). Eventually, through absolutely brutal fighting that included the Russian army discovering the Nazi death camps, the Russian army invaded Germany from the east (while countries like the U.S. and England attacked from the north, south and west). In the end, the Russian army and other allied forces were able to capture Berlin (Germany's capital) for victory. However, as another viewers have already posted, Joseph Stalin (Russia's dictator) greatly feared anyone that he thought might pose a threat to his rule. Thus, many Russian soldiers that had been taken prisoner or, in some cases, just saw how life might be like in democratic, capitalist countries outside of Russia were sent to "Gulags" (governmemt sponsored prison camps throughout Russia). The third section of the song, which takes on a much more somber type tone, could be in reference to this end of fighting and what happened to many Russian soldiers. It can be seen as a brilliant piece of music because it tells the entire story in 1 song, which is really 3 songs (each part of the conflict).
Just for more historical context about the sheer will to survive by the Russian people, the Nazi army surrounded the city of Stalingrad for over 5 months. The Nazi army surrounded the city of Moscow for over 3 months. The Nazi army surrounded the city of Leningrad for NINE HUNDRED DAYS (September 1941-January 1944). To give you some comparison in American history, during the American Civil War, the Union's (states supporting the federal government) surrounding of the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi lasted FORTY SEVEN DAYS before the Confederacy (states trying to break free from the federal government) surrendered. Additional points: The Nazis had become so entrenched in not allowing the Russians to break through at Stalingrad that the Russian military command gave the order to its officers to tell their soldiers to "advance or die," because if a Russian soldier attempted to turn to flee the battle, his commanding officer was ordered to immediately shoot him. When the Russians finally did break through at Stalingrad, the German military commander felt his best choice was to surrender (leading to the capture or death of approximately 250,000 soldiers), which truly devastated the Nazis chances. It's estimated that there were approximately 4.5 million casualties (wounded and killed) during "Operation Barbarossa" with the much higher percentage being Russian soldiers.
Wiki breaks it down pretty well...
"Each verse of the song covers a different phase of the campaign, starting with the invasion by German troops that commenced on 22 June 1941. First comes the attack, the catastrophic destruction of Soviet Air Force aircraft at their aerodromes by the Luftwaffe, and the initial efforts by Soviet soldiers to escape the advancing Nazi horde.
The next portion of the song relates the Russian retreat through Ukraine during the summer and fall of 1941, including the fall of Smolensk, culminating in the approach of the Nazi armies to Moscow during Operation Typhoon. Stewart next describes the onset of winter, with snow and mud proving insurmountable obstacles for the Germans in the Battle of Moscow, following which they were forced to retreat.
The German soldiers are portrayed as walking "in the footsteps of Napoleon", referencing the French Emperor's ill-fated invasion of Russia in 1812.
Next, the song turns to the activities of the Soviet partisans, who waged their own war against the Germans behind German lines. It then references the great Battle of Stalingrad, the turning point of the Second World War for Germany, which led to the destruction of the German Sixth Army and ultimately sealed the fate of the Nazis in the conflict. Two broken Tiger tanks are depicted, flames flickering from their open hatches to signify the destruction of the German armored forces at Kursk and other places during 1943 and 44, and the increasing hopelessness of their military situation.
The song moves on to the Soviet invasion of Germany itself, during which the Germans are able to offer little effective resistance. It speaks of "old men and children" being sent to stop them, but who are unable to do so. Then comes the Battle of Berlin, following which the Germans realize that their "dream" of world domination is over-together with Hitler's reign of terror.
Finally, the song turns to its protagonist, who is eagerly anticipating his return to Russia after four years of fighting. When he crosses the border, however, he is detained by the MGB when they learn that he had been captured by the Germans earlier in the war-even though he was released after only one day. He is separated from his companions and sent to the Gulag, where the song ends as he contemplates the "forever" expanse of the "steely Russian skies" above his camp."
There is a quite old (50 years) and comprehensive (26 part) documentary series originally aired by the BBC called "The World At War." I recall it being shown on PBS in America during the late 1970s/early 1980s when I was a small kid. It should be available for free online by searching "the world at war internet archive" on Google. Several of the episodes directly relate to topics in the song reviewed here.
@@Coowallsky Your breakdown was great, thanks.
Go see him before it’s too late. Don’t wait to see these icons. Midnight Rocks is another good one.
Good choice!
I ADORE midnight rocks!
FYI: Al Stewart is said to have read forty books researching it.
If you haven’t already heard it, you may also appreciate his song “Nastrodamus”. It is equally chilling and profound.
You can never go wrong with AL😅😊
From operation barbarossa to te fall of berlin in one beautiful song. Told from the point of view of a soviet soldier,who gets captured by the germans then sent to a gulag .
Definitely one of the coolest acoustic guitar intros ever
Epic song. For another AMAZING one by him check out 'Electric Los Angeles Sunset'.
In the same vein of storytelling, you must sample Gordon Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”.
And Northwest Passage by Stan Rogers!!
AMAZING!! Never heard this. This reminds me of Spanish Train by Chris DeBurgh.
I think the guitarist was Peter White. He doesn't use a finger pick but plays it with a pick on nylon strings.
Very atmospheric song of the time
Wow. Major props to you guys for being clued into this classic. Elevated you IMO.
I went to college in Al's home town, which is no doubt one of the reasons I've been listening to him since 1968. Roads to Moscow is my favorite song, off my favorite album, and I could listen to it endlessly. I'd be hard pressed to name my top TWENTY Al songs-I'd leave out too many favorites. Ah, what the heck. In order of release: In Brooklyn, Love Chronicles, Manuscript, My Enemies Have Sweet Voices, I’m Falling, The Last Day of June 1934,
Soho (Needless to Say), Roads To Moscow, Apple Cider Re-Constitution, Midas Shadow, Year of the Cat, Almost Lucy, Song on the Radio, Merlin’s Time, Accident on 3rd Street, Laughing into 1939, Trains, Gina In The King’s Road, Somewhere in England 1915, The Coldest Winter (live). Shucks, I should have said top 25. There's only one song in that list from my 2nd favorite album (Between the Wars).
I saw Al last year, highly recommend. Also he has a great new wave song called Mondo Sinistro