The song in English:
Fashion is constantly changing
But as long as the world exists
The Gypsy with an old pack of cards
Will have at least one client…
Someone longing for bizarre miracles
Will knock on her door
And she will lay out in front of him
Those noble kings of hers…
What can I say? What can I say?
All humans are just like this –
They want to know, want to know
Want to know the future
What can I say? What can I say?
All humans are just like this –
They want to know, want to know
Want to know the futureCard-reading can foretell happiness
Or an unexpected blow of fate
Imprisonment and a long journey
Or everlasting faithful love…
Old cards will spread out like a fan
On a shawl decorated with fringe
And suddenly the Gypsy herself
Will believe her noble kings…
What can I say? What can I say?
All humans are just like this –
They want to know, want to know
Want to know the future
What can I say? What can I say?
All humans are just like this –
They want to know, want to know
Want to know the future.Time destroys granite castles
And covers towns with sand
But years don’t mean anything
For those cards in the Gypsy’s hands…
The heart melts as the fortune-teller speaks
And at all the crossroads of the world
The noble kings are telling lies
With the same expression on their faces…
What can I say? What can I say?
All humans are just like this –
They want to know, want to know
Want to know the future
What can I say? What can I say?
All humans are just like this –
They want to know, want to know
Want to know the future.
Translation from around-lyrics.com.
Didn’t think it could get any better? Watch this version:
Mary K. Greer has made tarot her life work. Check here for reports of goings-on in the world of tarot and cartomancy, articles on the history and practice of tarot, and materials on other cartomancy decks. Sorry, I no longer write reviews. Contact me
Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog 
11 comments
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September 10, 2012 at 7:41 am
Melissa Tarot
LOVE this!
September 10, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Madame Nadia
Isn’t the black “Palech” deck gorgeous? This song was quite popular in the 1970’s, but the Russian fascination with fortune telling and mediumship has very deep roots. Divination with playing cards was popular and commonly accepted, as fortune telling with coffee and tea leaves.
September 10, 2012 at 7:40 pm
mkg
Madame Nadia – I was wondering about that deck. So it’s a copy of real cards?
September 11, 2012 at 3:24 am
Love Bug 54
Very cool, especially the one with the kids! That deck looks cool, too. Now I want to add that to my collection. 🙂
September 11, 2012 at 12:04 pm
pnagy1231
I reworked the lyrics some for my amusement, perhaps yours too.
Our lives are always changing
while we dance;
so as long we remain
the white snows hanging
into this Summer world,
the Gypsy with her old deck of cards
is sure to have plenty of querents,
For who does not want miracles in their life?
All we need to do is knock on her door
with a silver coin in hand
and question on our heart
and she will lay out in front of us
Those tarot cards of hers…
Those old Kings and Queens gazing
up at us.
What can we say? What can we say?
We are all children of fortune
We want to know, we need to know
we must know our future:
How will chance join our dance?
What can we say? What can we say?
We are all children of fortune
We want to know, we need to know
we must know our future:
How will chance join our dance?
Tarot-reading will foretell happiness
Or an surprising turn of fate
Imprisonment or sickness or health
a long journey or a faithful love everlasting …
These old cards spread out like a fan
On the old gypsy’s shawl like a sacred land
those old Kings and Queens gazing up
into our expectant teary eyes
And suddenly the Gypsy herself
believes her tarot cards…
What can we say? What can we say?
We are all children of fortune
We want to know, we need to know
we must know our future:
How will chance join our dance?
What can we say? What can we say?
We are all children of fortune
We want to know, we need to know
we must know our future:
How will chance join our dance?
Time destroys noble stone castles
And buries whole towns with sand
But years don’t mean anything
For those cards in the Gypsy’s hand…
the fortune-teller speaks as our hearts melt
time becomes wispy high cloud
in a ever bright sky
For here at the crossroads of all worlds
Those old Kings and Queens gazing
up at us with the same dour faces
tell whopping strong lies
What can we say? What can we say?
We are all children of fortune
We want to know, we need to know
we must know our future:
How will chance join our dance?
What can we say? What can we say?
We are all children of fortune
We want to know, we need to know
we must know our future:
How will chance join our dance?
September 11, 2012 at 6:33 pm
mkg
Paul – thanks for the updated version – some very interesting changes you made.
September 11, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Madame Nadia
Yes, it is a copy of real cards, Mary. I actually just won on eBay a wonderful vintage copy of these in an original leather case. The seller was from Lithuania I think, but there are many other sellers who offer this deck on eBay. Palech is an art style of folk art I believe.
Here is one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-USSR-RUSSIAN-PALEH-BLACK-GOLD-SINGLE-DECK-PLAYING-CARDS-HISTORICAL-ROYALTY-/320979354362?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4abbdc42fa
September 12, 2012 at 12:45 am
Henni
Hi, thanks for the translation, I like the lyrics.
Henni
September 12, 2012 at 1:41 am
Tatyana
mkg, yes, that’s existing playing cards deck. I’ve had such a deck in childhood and began my fortune telling experience with it. Now I’m looking for it everywhere. No success 😦
September 12, 2012 at 6:27 am
Madame Nadia
@Tatyana, check out the above link to eBay I posted. You can find the deck under Palech or Paleh in English. And if you type in the Russian letters you’ll probably find even better options.
October 14, 2012 at 11:02 am
Nelly
I love this. Thanks for posting.