☝️ Key Points
- The song 'Leningrad' tells the stories of Victor and Billy Joel, who grew up in the opposing countries of the Cold War.
- Victor is referred to as a 'child of the victim and the war', which points to the difficult life circumstances in the Soviet Union. He spends time in the army and then becomes a circus clown to 'bring joy to Russian children'.
- Billy Joel, born in 1949, grew up in the United States during the McCarthy era marked by anti-communism. The song lyrics mention the fear of nuclear war and civil defense drills in schools.
- The singer meets Victor in Leningrad with his daughter, which suggests the possibility of understanding and friendship despite political tensions.
- The song ends with the realization that there could have been friends in the enemy Leningrad, highlighting the unnecessary hostility and misunderstanding between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'Leningrad' by
Billy Joel tell the story of two men, Victor from Leningrad, Russia, and the singer himself, who grew up on opposite sides of the Cold War.
'Victor was born The spring of ′44 And never saw His father anymore' describes that Victor was born in the spring of 1944 and never saw his father again, presumably because he was at war. With 'A child of sacrifice, A child of war', Victor is referred to as a child of war and sacrifice, indicating the harsh living conditions.
'I was born in '49, A Cold War kid in McCarthy times' shows that the singer was born in 1949, during the McCarthy era in the USA, a time marked by anti-communism and fear of Soviet invasion.
The verses that tell Victor's story describe his education, his service in the army, and how he eventually becomes a circus clown to 'making Russian children glad'. This reflects the harsh reality of life in the Soviet Union and Victor's attempt to find and give joy despite it.
The verses that tell the singer's story describe the fear and paranoia that existed during the Cold War in the USA, including air raid drills in school and fear of nuclear war.
'So my child and I came to this place To meet him, eye to eye and face to face' refers to the singer and his daughter's meeting with Victor in Leningrad. This meeting is a symbol of the potential understanding and friendship between citizens of formerly hostile countries. The song ends with the realization that they never knew what friends they could have had in Leningrad, indicating the unnecessary hostility and misunderstanding between the USA and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.