“The boy wants Tambov”, “Call me with you”, “My heart will go on”: what hits did Russia listen to in 1997?

Alla Pugacheva – “Call me with you”

Immediately after its release in 1997, the lyric song of Alla Pugacheva “Call me with you” became a popular hit. In particular, the clip starring Elena Korikova made a stunning impression on the audience: in her heroine, they guessed the author of the composition Tatyana Snezhina, who died in a car accident in 1995. Prima donna admitted that she chose her song because she felt a “mystical connection”. Also, during the recording, the singer did not leave the feeling that she was not singing with her own voice.

Murat Nasyrov – “The boy wants Tambov”

Thanks to the Brazilian band Carrapicho, the cheerful single “The Boy Wants to Tambov” appeared. Their song “Tic, Tic Tac” topped the charts in Europe and Latin America. Since most Russians are not familiar with the original, Murat Nasyrov wrote a new song based on it, keeping the original motive. The famous choir was also invented for the sake of harmony with the line “Bate forte o tambor” – that’s why the singer chose Tambov among all cities.

Natalie – “The wind blew from the sea”

Listeners immediately fell in love with the carefree and catchy motive of Natalie’s song “The wind blew from the sea”. The singer first heard this composition at the age of 13 in a pioneer camp. When the hit was heard by the whole country, it turned out that about 20 people took up its authorship. Be that as it may, it was in the performance of Natalie that the song gained wide popularity.

Alena Apina – “Electric Train”

Oddly enough, the author of the hit “Electric Train” Oleg Molchanov initially did not believe in the success of Alena Apina, like herself. However, immediately after its release in 1997, the composition was awarded the Golden Gramophone Award and took the first positions in the charts. Also, “Electric Train” later became so popular that it was translated into Serbian and Korean.

Maxim Leonidov – “Vision”

Maxim Leonidov’s single “Vision” was remembered by many listeners thanks to an ironic refrain: “I looked back to see if he had looked back to see if he had looked back.” Inspired by the work of musician Popa Chubby, the singer immediately found a funny expression and wrote the song in just an hour. Leonov dedicated his future hit to his beloved actress Anna Banshchikova. True, the comrade later admitted that he considered the song too childish and criticized it.

Tatyana Bulanova – “Darling”

The song “Darling” became the calling card of Tatyana Bulanova. And if the early work of the artist was distinguished by sadness and emotionality, then in the video “Darling” Bulanova appeared in an extravagant image that managed to open up from an unexpected side and impress the viewer with her energy.

Aqua – “Barbie Girl”

Pop band Aqua’s hit “Barbie Girl” is still the most famous song about dolls. In 1997, the single topped the Billboard charts for four weeks. In addition to the colorful video where Barbie and Ken talk about the “plastic” life, additional attention to the song caused a backlash from Mattel, who accused the musicians of violating the copyright of the image of Barbie. The court sided with the artists to please the fans.

Daft Punk – “In the World”

The highlight of 1997 was the release of the debut album of the French duo Daft Pank. Thanks to experiments, the musicians managed to achieve an original sound at the crossroads of electro, disco and funk. The result exceeded expectations – the foreign voice of the song “Around the World” took first place in the charts in the UK, USA, Canada and Iceland. Despite the monotony and the repetition of the same phrase more than 144 times, many remember the song thanks to the brilliant show of performers in robot costumes.

The Prodigy – “Smack Up My Bitch”

British rave group The Prodigy surprised the Russians with their scandalous first-person music video “Smack My Bitch Up”. Despite the original electronic sound, the band was accused of using vulgar language in their work, as well as using drug abuse, vandalism and excessive sex scenes.

Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On”

Canadian singer Celine Dion’s song “My Heart Will Go On” became the main theme of James Cameron’s movie “Titanic”. In 1997, the picture received a record number of Oscars in the history of cinema and won the hearts of viewers around the world. The singer was awarded a separate “Oscar” for the composition. Until now, the lyrics of this song have been associated with the romantic story of the main characters Jack and Rose.