Renaissance - Mother Russia

[@cori1047]

Dedicating this today to Alexei Navalny. The song may itself be 50 years old, but it could have been written for him.

[@peterlafond611]

I'm 66 saw them open up for Steve Hackett what a showing a high school music center they had a meet and greet after what an honor Milwaukee Wisconsin

[@greenwoodtea]

one of the greatest songs ---and live acts of all time......mother russia was and is a classic!!!!!

[@herbgurl82]

What an amazing song. I like to listen to Al Stewart's Roads to Moscow first, then this one, as they are about the same person, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

[@briane5706]

John Tout, keyboardist, Michael Dunford, guitarist and composer and lyricist Betty Thatcher are sadly no longer with us. Thankfully, Terry Sullivan, drums and percussion, Jon Camp, bass.guitar, bass pedals and 12 string guitar and Annie Haslam, vocals are still with us. Rejoice that their legacy of beautiful melodies and stunning poetic lyrics performed perfectly can be enjoyed over and over again. I had a crush on Annie Haslam as a 19 year-old. I’m now 64 and single again. Hmmm!

[@ZedTee190]

Two things I love about this track - Annies voice and the bass. A Rickenbacker - love the sound they make.

[@tonymanero2147]

"Mother Russia" is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, but there are several references to Mother Russia as country like "Mother Russia, can't you hear him too. . ." Annie Haslam's wordless passages are just magical.

[@gerfmon1]

I heard this song the first time when I was in college. It was my introduction to Renaissance and this song. I've been in love with them and Annie ever since. One of the greatest Epic songs every written, IMO..

[@marlachristensen2076]

Same here. I first heard this while in college.

[@yonatangoldman9759]

This was the first progressive rock song I ever heard, in 1976, at age 16, and it opened my ears and my mind. I'm still in love with Renaissance decades later. Thank you WCMF Rochester.

[@ellaswing]

I agree completely, This recording of this song by the band is the standard for all music listeners should listen to before deciding what great music is..

[@Datsun260ZFan]

"today's "talent" couldn't draw these guys bathwater!!" -- Love it, great comment, laughed so hard...

[@WuteverCanada]

Breathless. Loved their music for years.

[@moonlitme]

My sister Christine introduced me to Renaissance over 40 years ago...getting high and listening to Annie Haslam's peerless vocals as I came of age(along with Jackson Browne, and Jethro Tull an the Moody Blues, and Joni Mitchell and Jim Croce...I could go on and on...Lennon, Harrison, Bowie...Clannad.....trying to make sense of the at times awesome but usually violent and abusive familywe and our other siblings had incarnated into. Twenty years later we wound up in the same town(with another sister) again due to the passing of one parent and the illness of another and we discovered how much we had in common as far as interests and likes, from music to art to philosophy to spiritual beliefs to sense of humor. We became great friends and Chris anchored much healing for our entire family, keeping birthdays and holiday traditions alive. Weekends filled with playing cards and hikes in the woods and making Christmas cookies from scratch using our grandma's old recipes. One of the tasks of the day was to figure out what to do with Christine's ashes. Then this song came on. Fuck Cancer.

[@MsThebeMoon]

+moonlitme Hope all is well with you, my friend in spirit. I feel like we ran in the same circles in the 70's. Sending you good vibrations.

[@donnydanger273]

moonlitme she was an opera singer or still is

[@charlesnorris4213]

Cancer sucks, and I pray that it is conquered in my lifetime.

[@moonlitme]

Yes I know. She is also a cancer survivor.

[@berniemcfadden7760]

Moonlitme, you and I would have gotta along tremendously back then! The music, gettin high and hanging with good friends! Awesome times! Hope all is well with you in these uncertain Times

[@SteveBrant55]

Rest In Peace, Michael Dunford. Thanks for many years of beautiful progressive rock music. Sympathies to his family, and to Annie Haslam and the other members of the band.

[@michaelrocker9000]

RIP Michael Dunford

[@KingProgdor]

I literally get chills up and down my spine whenever I hear this song. Absolutely brilliant.

[@odinspromise]

I love Renaissance and Annies voice could soothe even the most troubled of souls and Mother Russia is hands down my favorite tune of all time.

[@greenwoodtea]

This is one of the great songs of th 1970s/ AWESOME!!!! I was in college when they were big!!! Great great voice.

[@yankeejohn58]

I've loved this Band from the Get-Go........I heard them in 1977 or 1978.......bought their Cassette.....and wore it out listening to it!

[@marlachristensen2076]

Well, I cannot say I bought the Cassette. Though, I did buy the Album in 1977.

[@yankeejohn58]

I've loved this Band from the Get-Go........I heard them in 1977 or 1978.......bought their Cassette.....and wore it out listening to it! Annie Haslam has the Voice that carries the Bands Acoustic Accompaniment...!

[@2minstral]

1974 - 1976 were the best years for music and this is a classic! Thanks for sharing! added to the worldunitedmusicDOTblogspotDOTcom website

[@gldngrl80]

One of my absolute favorite songs from them - moves to tears almost every time

[@albionparish]

Just because the soviets don't exist anymore, doesn't mean the dictatorship isn't alive and thriving. This song resonates still and is as meaningful as it ever was.

[@Kremlin59]

I have been in love w Annie for 30+ years. This song has very intense association. I moved to Russia.

[@marlachristensen2076]

Really? You moved to Russia because of this song?

[@josefnagy1697]

You moved to Russia? Putin’s Russia? You are insane.

[@DickAllen4HOF]

I too love Annie Haslam.

[@Antidogma07]

Annie Haslam's voice is extraordinary

[@ililyxes]

This song made me cry. I'm 20.

[@loisdellapesca7661]

Me, too. I'm 72. Saw them in college. Makes me hurt for Navalny, too.

[@basmikiemike]

breathtaking...........still play it on my thorens i love the vinyl....

[@cliffcarr8569]

Music and singing at the highest standard!

[@robinscouse4840]

Nice song, Jon Camp is just amazing!!!

[@mikemasail823]

He most certainly is, but never got the recognition he deserved.

[@marlachristensen2076]

Oh, he is so amazing. Best Bass Player EVER!

[@housed01]

I saw them live....fitfh row.....it was amazing..... mesmerizing experiance

[@thealbionbands]

Al Stewart's Roads to Moscow is available on you tube

[@berniemcfadden7760]

Thanks for posting this masterpiece! I played the hell outta this album in the 70's! Annie had and still has an incredible voice! Not to mention she was Smokin Hott back on the day!💝

[@progressiverocklover]

This is my favorite song of all time. Sheer beauty.

[@karendouglass1492]

I first heard this in 1974. Have been searching all over for it and, finally, you here! As captivating now as it was then! How it reaches into the soul and moves it! Thank you!

[@gpollak34]

What a band. Saw them mid-70's. This is among my top 4 Renaissance songs (Prologue, Ocean Gypsy, Ashes are Burning are the others). Everyone should hear Annie Haslam at least once in their lives. Or John Tout for that matter. BTW, Jon Camp's bass solo on Ashes Are Burning may have been the best bass solo I ever saw live (in rock).

[@jeffreylemal7432]

Absolutely beautiful voice ❤️😍

[@marlachristensen2076]

omg! YOU saw Jon Camp's bass solo (7-minute solo I think) LIVE?!? How cool is that?

[@davidzareski4463]

I agree. That is my favorite bass solo of all time! Annie, of course, was amazing then and is still amazing now!

[@agricolaest]

My favorite Renaissance song.

[@Mega1master]

Just beautifull.

[@stephenmoore2091]

Great song, beautiful voice

[@kingofbeasts184]

The song was inspired by A. Solzhenizyn's story "One Day of Ivan Denisovich" .

[@user-zn7cq1oq3q]

Yep, Solzhenitsin, who called for dropping an atomic bomb on his people

[@gailgarza8033]

Heartbreaking.

[@NightZ2_]

​@@user-zn7cq1oq3q Yeah, because that's a very honest interpretation. To make a comparison, the atomic bombs dropped in Japan saved the lives of millions of Japanese and millions of allied soldiers because the Emperor at the time was ready to never surrender. Just the bombing of Tokio and other important areas would kill many more civilians. The climate at the time made it impossible to make a big invasion so the war would take years to end. Japan would end up in a kind of hell that isn't even possible to imagine. There was no way the emperor would surrender if he could go for a war of attrition. Sometimes a nuke is better. If the US had a nuclear bomb and knew what the nazis were going to do after invading Poland do you thing dropping a nuke in Berlin would be a bad thing, compared to the alternative? Realism saves lives, hypocritical pacifism is genocidal in the long run.

[@user-zn7cq1oq3q]

@@NightZ2_ And the bombing of Tokyo, where more civilians were killed than during the atomic bombing? Did they help? The reason for Japan's surrender was the defeat of the millionth Kwantung Army by the troops of the USSR. In less than a month. 640,000 Japanese prisoners. I believe that a nuclear bomb is more of an experiment and a show of strength. Do you know a man like Sir Arthur Travers Harris? Dresden is the most famous. The tactic is to kill civilians. But we got distracted. It's all about the enemy. In the war. World War. Solzhenitsyn called for the destruction of his people. This is a betrayal. Do you know this Lord Haw-Haw? The British hung him by the neck, may God have mercy on him, for the fact that he was broadcasting on the radio. And he wasn't even a British citizen.

[@user-zn7cq1oq3q]

@@gailgarza8033 This is "heartbreaking", not nazi admiring traitors/ kzbin.info/www/bejne/mILNc4Ccor2kobc

[@thaliadelong1317]

The purest voice ever.

[@pelikaaann]

Das ist Musik von einem der besten Live-Alben überhaupt...

[@user-se8mi2io1v]

Аж за душу берет. Потрясающая песня.

[@ellaswing]

Wow, I wish I had discovered this when I was getting into music. What a shame. They are an entity of great talent and compostions. Wow Wow Wow. Thank you for posting this This is like Moody Blues with no stigma.

[@supernova7754]

First heard this 1973. So good. Glad it moved you.

[@legionofyuri]

Found out about this group from clicking the Random Article button on wikipedia and, being curious enough, decided to listen to one of their songs here on youtube... I fell in love almost instantly.

[@maxmoishe]

Please could someone bring to us... kindness ! It´s an amazing song ! Please !

[@marlachristensen2076]

I just now viewed your comment and I will see what I can do.

[@maxmoishe]

@@marlachristensen2076 thanks a lot... 😍

[@marlachristensen2076]

To make you aware, President Putin is placing control over the Ukraine due to the fact the United States of America has been fooling young beautiful women from the Ukraine into becoming models and when they get to the United States, they are not models - they become Human Sex Trafficking Victims - pieces of TRASH! Kidnapped, Raped, Tortured, and Murdered. This is HIS hold on the Ukraine. The United States of America needs to be ASHAMED of their hidden agendas.

[@josefnagy1697]

???

[@kathystern2425]

Powerful

[@DHudelson]

wow... that was really fabulous... gains something in the live setting.

[@supernova7754]

Thank you for putting this up. Lost mine years ago. Loved seeing them in 1973 at Capitol theater, awesome!

[@marlachristensen2076]

Um, which Capitol theater? the one in Largo, Maryland?

[@michaelrocker9000]

hi Steven I have been talking to Terry Sullivan and he John Tout and Jon Camp are devastated. I only wish they would have gotten back together as they were before this. :(

[@gailgarza8033]

Please share stories. I found this via another KZbin song.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

"ROBITUSSIN" (to the tune of "Mother Russia" by Renaissance) by Porfle Popnecker Like an axe, I hack the whole night through Can't relax, I gag and spew Body's on but my mind is off Robitussin, can you hear me cough Throat is raw, feeling down and out Crusty craw, dry as a drought The TV guy, he was cured by you Robitussin, can you heal me too Ravaged by a savage cold Starving fever heat Vaporiser, nostrils flow Nothing seems to beat this flood of nasal crud I blow Red nose, lips blue Bloodshot are my flowing eyes, too Cough cough, atchoo Robitussin, I call for you Ooh ooh ... Bah dah dah dah ... Yacking from this hacking cough Feel the fever burn Consciousness fades on and off Nothing that I do can stem these reams of phlegm I churn Red nose, swine flu I'm slick with this vap-o-rub goo I gag, I spew Robitussin, I cry for you

[@marlachristensen2076]

Actually, the underlying music is based on an underlying musical structure and score - classical. I cannot remember the classical composer at this point in time.

[@ScottatHouseonaHill]

Perfection.

[@lucalucchini9996]

Numeri 1 forever

[@mikelewis3382]

Lost this and many others in a flood. Beautiful.

[@pelikaaann]

I think this is the best live version ....-Thank you

[@druidia9]

Back when lyrics told a story and were sung by a gifted talent with 5 octave range...

[@marlachristensen2076]

I know! Like Five Octave range is an insane talent, isn't it? Annie's voice is like graces from heaven to me.

[@alexandrkh7562]

Великолепное исполнение

[@rogerblackburn101]

I enjoyed it.

[@tonymanero2147]

Annie Haslam's wordless vocals: 5:10, and again 6:45 but Jon Camp covers it up with his vocals.

[@287hernan5]

excelente música relajante, y voz maravillosa de la cantante

[@GauravYadav-ku5wy]

❤from india

[@fyrte189]

Evergreen

[@user-kw4yb6pn2h]

Wow its dooooooooog

[@johung7894]

deep love

[@halph639]

bellissima

[@louisoswald9858]

Play this at 11,000 ft (treeline) in the Rockies, surprised some hikers who stayed to li😮sten to it

[@narrowdeer]

I saw this great group at the end of the 70s, I believe, in Berkeley. They headlined with Al DiMeola, a bad choice, although I like Al a lot. But their music was so different and at least half of the people came for Al. So when Renaissance came on people just walked out. It was embarrassing, but I did get front row seats due to the exodus.

[@gailgarza8033]

Heartbreaking, but good for you.

[@Vox572X]

Sooo sooo soo!!..

[@thefoxtrot42]

عظمة على عظمة يا ست

[@maxmoishe]

KINDNESS , could someone find or post this amazing music ?!

[@herbgurl82]

I always look at them as two halves of one song. Call me crazy, but I do.

[@luizcarlosjeremiasmourajer2891]

COMO FALAR DE RENASSENCE SEM DIZER ÓTIMO? !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!EU SOU LUIZ CARLOS DA BILLBOARD DISCOS!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!

[@SeattleLA]

@Freenetnow very well-stated

[@lordlondon5798]

This sounds like The UK in 2020.

[@budmangt2]

Eat your heart out Mariah Carey

[@MrDanielphenix]

Maria who ? This is the real thing, no one sings like Annie in the glanmourous rock world

[@filcanman]

goddamn, RZA

[@robinscouse4840]

The Brits and the USA make the best music ever!!!

[@omerfatihdokumac9960]

They do the best rock music.

[@frederickpasco7607]

A few US bands made the best metal but that's it. Brits take the palm for rock. Other countries for most other styles.

[@elaisagrace5232]

To UnKle Vladdy, Sugar Daddy ... with LUV! 👑💖😎🧚🏻‍♀️

[@MrEros1958]

thank's ivan

[@Joepepelombardo]

@cosmicrider287 great pice of music

[@ScottatHouseonaHill]

@Freenetnow check out Mostly Autumn from the UK. Great stuff. They have a new singer in the past year, but she's up to the task.

[@supernova7754]

Why were you there? What do you know of the era?

[@vovadrama]

WU-WU-WU-WU

[@andrelink15]

and you?

[@pelikaaann]

Annie is the best .....

[@jrapantera]

I can't believe this shit came out in the 1970's ...

[@autumnlove5231]

SHIT?????

[@Cleoleo1960]

Meine Jugendzeit! Ganz nah!

[@marcoalvarado2702]

4 me too

[@borgduck]

Your point?

[@billcoop4]

Yep. Especially since it's inspired by the truth.

[@EvilghostNinja]

im in ur youtubezzzzzzzz, leaving comments on ur commentzzzzz!

[@Pinguas192002]

Probably I'm not as healthy as I thought, I saw 3 dislikes!

[@gaspode18]

I saw them in the 80s supporting Steeleye Span at the Royal Festival Hall. GOD, I was BORED. The endless piano noodling! The needless cruelty to acoustic guitars! That bloody mellatron! AARRGGHH!

[@ariguzaa]

enter the wu-tang, moscow, that was crazy shit

[@susanmurray7654]

Her voice is UNRIVALED!!!! SORRY celine...whitney mariah etc etc

[@thomasgreco2432]

I'm telling you this auntie mystery a honey Annie I'm sorry

[@tutorialesjk1000]

I'm here for iron maiden lml

[@autodidactusplaysjrpgs7614]

Remember, don't fight for socialism or worker's ownership of industry because it leads to brutal dictatorship. smh

[@eselsam]

what an idiotic question :)