Leonid Derbenyov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leonid Derbenyov
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Leonid Petrovich Derbenyov
12 April 1931 |
| Died | 22 June 1995 (aged 64) Moscow, Russia
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Leonid Petrovich Derbenyov (born April 12, 1931 – died June 22, 1995) was a famous Russian poet and lyricist. A lyricist is someone who writes the words for songs. He wrote many popular songs in the Soviet and Russian pop music scene during the 20th century.
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Early Life and Education
Leonid Derbenyov was born in the big city of Moscow. During World War II, he lived in a village called Ulovo in the Vladimir Oblast region. His very first poem was printed in a newspaper called Pionerskaya Pravda when he was just a seventh-grade schoolboy.
After finishing his studies at the Moscow Law Academy in 1954, Derbenyov worked as a lawyer. But he also kept writing poetry in his free time. Some of his early poems were published in well-known newspapers like Komsomolskaya Pravda and Izvestia.
A Career in Songwriting
Starting in 1959, Leonid Derbenyov became a very busy writer. He created more than two thousand poems! Hundreds of these poems were turned into popular song lyrics. He worked with many talented music composers, including Alexander Flyarkovsky, Arno Babajanian, Aleksandr Zatsepin, Maksim Dunayevsky, and Vyacheslav Dobrynin.
Famous Songs and Artists
Songs with Derbenyov's lyrics became huge hits for many Russian pop stars and music groups. Here are some of the famous artists who sang his words:
- Muslim Magomayev sang "The Best City on Earth."
- Alla Pugacheva had hits like "This World" and "Kings Can Do Anything."
- Mikhail Boyarsky sang "Everything Will End" and "City Flowers."
- Lev Leshchenko performed "Native Land" and "Goodbye."
- Masha Rasputina sang "Himalayas" and "I was Born in Siberia."
- Philipp Kirkorov sang "Atlantida" and "You, You, You."
- The group Vesyolye Rebyata sang "If You Love" and "Don't Worry, Auntie."
- Samotsvety performed "All That is in My Life."
- Leysya, Pesnya sang "Where Have You Been?"
- And Zemlyane sang "Believe, Earth."
Songs in Movies
Songs written by Leonid Derbenyov were also featured in popular Russian movies. For example, "There is But a Moment" was from the film The Sannikov Land. Another famous song, "The Song about Bears," was from the movie Kidnapping, Caucasian Style.
Awards and Recognition
Leonid Derbenyov won several awards for his amazing songwriting. In 1978, he became a winner at the International Song Contest in Sopot. His songs also won the annual "Song of the Year" competition multiple times, in 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1973.
Later Life and Legacy
Leonid Derbenyov passed away on June 22, 1995, in Moscow. He was buried at the Vostryakovskoye cemetery.
To honor his memory, a special memorial sign with his name was placed at the Square of Stars in Moscow on November 22, 2002. This square is next to the Russia Concert Hall.
Selected Songs
- Pesenka o medvedyakh (1966, from the film Kidnapping, Caucasian Style)
Family Life
Leonid Derbenyov was married to Vera Ivanovna Derbenyova. She was born on January 13, 1935. They had a daughter named Elena, born on September 30, 1960. Elena works as a translator and teaches foreign languages. Leonid also had a granddaughter, Elizaveta, born in 1983, and a great-grandson, Miroslav, born in 2010.
