Many of us would have watch the movie The Hunt for the Red October based on Tom Clancy’s bestseller of the same name written in 1984. However, we may not know of the score – Hymn of the Red October.

The story tells of Tom Clancy’s fictional character Jack Ryan, a CIA agent, and his encounter with a Russian high ranking Admiral Ramius who was going to defect to the US with the latest nuclear missle submarine built by Russia. The story is set during the Cold War era between the US and Russia.

The book was an international bestseller launching Tom Clancy’s career as a writer in 1984. 6 years later the bestseller was made into a blockbuster movie staring Alec Baldwin and Sean Connery as the lead actors playing Jack Ryan and Admiral Ramius as Commander of the Red October.

At the same time, a powerful music score and lyrics was created – the Hymn of the Red October. The music was composed and lyrics written by Basil Poledouris. Many of us may not know about him as he was a an underrated composer. Listen to the full version sung by the Red Army Choir here. If you need an inspirational moment or to be inspired, this song would do the right choice.

Lyrics for Hymn to the Red October in Russian with English translation

Holodna hmoora.
>> Cold, hard, empty.
Eemruchnoh v’doosheh
>>Light that has left me,
Kak mohg znat ya shtoh tee oomriosh?
>>How could I know that you would die?

Do svidonia, byehreg rodnoy
>>Farewell again, our dear land.
Kak nam troodnag pridstahvit shtoh eto nyeh sohn.
>>So hard for us to imagine that it’s real, and not a dream.
Rodina, dom radnoy,
>>Motherland, native home,
Do svidonia Rodina.
>>Farewell, our Motherland.

Ay. Avepakhod, avepakhod, nass val nahmarskaya zhdyot nyehdazh dyotsyah.
>>Let’s go; the sea is waiting for us.
Nass zah vootmarskaya dah, ee preeboy!
>>The vastness of the sea is calling to us, and the tides!

Salute otsam ee nashem dedum
>>Hail to our fathers and forefathers.
Zahvietum eekh fsigdah vierney.
>>We are faithful to the covenant made with the past.
Tepierre nichtoh, nee astanoivit,
>>Now nothing can stop
Pabiedney shark, radnoy straney.
>>Our Motherland’s victorious march.

Tiy pliyvee, pliyvee bestrashna,
>>Sail on fearlessly,
Gordest say viernykh marieye.
>>Pride of the Northern Seas.
Revoluytziye nadezhdah sgoostk vierif sekh luydeye.
>>Hope of the Revolution, you are the burst of faith of the people.

the last two stanzas repeat a couple of times, then…

V’oktyabreh, v’oktyabreh,
>> In October, in October,
Rahpar tu ium miy nashe pabiediy.
>>We report our victories to you, our Revolution.
V’oktyabreh, v’oktyabreh,
Novie meeir fahli numnashy dehidiy.
>>And to the heritage left by you for us