May There Always Be Sunshine facts for kids
May There Always Be Sunshine (also known as "Пусть всегда будет солнце!" or "Солнечный круг" in Russian) is a very famous children's song from the Soviet Union. It was made in 1962. Arkady Ostrovsky wrote the music, and Lev Oshanin wrote the words. A famous children's writer, Korney Chukovsky, said that the main idea for the song came from four lines written by a four-year-old boy named Kostya Barannikov way back in 1928!
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How the Song Became Famous
The song was first heard on a radio show called Good Morning! (С добрым утром!) in July 1962. Maya Kristalinskaya sang it then. In 1963, Tamara Miansarova sang the song at the Sopot International Song Festival. She won first prize!
After that, the song became super popular across the Soviet Union and even in other countries. Kids in groups like the Young Pioneers and Little Octobrists sang it often. It was sung at camps, school meetings, and even by very young children. Many people in the Soviet Union felt this song showed their strong wish for peace in the world.
What the Song is About
The song talks about how much people, both young and old, want lasting peace. The words explain that in war, nobody truly wins. For everyone's sake, especially for children, we need to find peace. The song asks us to get rid of the "dark clouds" that hide the sun, meaning to remove the problems that stop peace.
Different Versions Around the World
This song became so popular that it was translated into many languages!
English Version
Tom Botting translated the song into English. A famous folk singer named Pete Seeger sang it in English. You can hear his version on a live album called Together in Concert, which he recorded with Arlo Guthrie in 1975.
German Version
The song was also translated into German as "Immer lebe die Sonne." Ilse and Hans Naumilkat, along with Manfred Streubel, did the translation. It was very popular among the Ernst Thälmann Pioneers in Germany.
Other Languages
- In Finland, the song was well-loved by Finnish Pioneers as "Paistaa aurinko aina."
- For the Hebrew version, Gidi Koren wrote the words. His Israeli folk group, The Brothers and the Sisters, recorded it. The Hebrew title is "אלוהים שמור על אמא."
