Kyiv, Ukraine

by Maharadja Sweets

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about

--100% of proceeds will be sent to United Help Ukraine--

This song was written and recorded by Maharadja Sweets around the year 2000, but went unreleased. It is inspired by his familial connection to Ukraine and personal anecdotes from others. We are releasing this song as a digital download to raise funds for United Help Ukraine, an organization that is directly providing humanitarian support to Ukrainians in this crisis.

Maharadja Sweets is a prolific unsung visionary musical artist whose work spans the gamut of musical expression. While he has steadily released new works, and recordings from his back catalogue, there is a bottomless well of diverse work stowed away somewhere, waiting to be called upon by the listening public. Previous releases have appeared on Orange Milk Records and Oxtail Recordings among others. A forthcoming release is planned through Borscht Beat.

lyrics

Grandma remembers well though she was only five
The way the pogrom came storming through the town
They hid her and her sister in the closet there
They said "Little grandma now don't you make a sound"

Through the back pages of my history
On an old forgotten lane
If you visit you'll find her standing there with her thousand yard stare
Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

Dad remembers the spring of 1985
It was May Day and they marched the school children through town
Well the mayor and his top men put on protective gear
They didn't tell no one the plant had melted down

Through the back pages of my history
On an old forgotten lane
If you visit you'll find dad standing there with his thousand yard stare
Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

Now me I went to school for 27 years became an engineer
now i'm selling chessboards in the street
til one day this young toothless thug comes up to me
he says "mister you're selling chessboards on my beat"

Through the back pages of my history
On an old forgotten lane
If you visit you'll find me standing there with my thousand yard stare
Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

credits

released March 8, 2022
songwriting, voice and guitar - Maharadja Sweets
photographs via the New York Public Library

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about

Borscht Beat New York, New York

discography

Chronika

Dec 2023
Levyosn's Lullaby

Jun 2023
In Der Heym

Apr 2023
In Vald Arayn

Sep 2022
Kosmopolitn

Aug 2022
forshpil:tsvey

Feb 2022
Kyiv, Ukraine

Mar 2022

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