Aleksandr Galich

Aleksandr Galich was a Soviet-era bard, poet, and playwright whose sharp wit and defiant lyrics made him an underground legend during the 1960s-70s. Known for blending dark humor with searing political commentary, his songs like "Poema o Staline" and "Printsessa s Nizhney Maslovki" skewered Soviet bureaucracy and historical trauma, often delivered in his signature conversational style over simple guitar melodies. A former establishment insider (he wrote screenplays for state-approved films early in his career), Galich became a vocal critic of the regime, leading to his expulsion from official unions and eventual exile in 1974.

Banned from mainstream media, his work thrived in clandestine tape recordings (like the live 1973 radio request concert) and samizdat copies, earning him a devoted following. Albums such as "Russkie plachi" and "Chernovik epitafii" capture his blend of gritty storytelling and poetic lament. After years of harassment by Soviet authorities, Galich died in Paris in 1977 under unresolved circumstances, but his music remains a cornerstone of Russian dissident culture—raw, rebellious, and unflinchingly human.

Genres

Pop

Folk

Singer-songwriter

Rock

Poetry

Bard

Russian Chanson

Latest Release

Rossiyskie bardy

Aleksandr Galich

Album - 20 Tracks - Released January 1, 1999