"Подмосковные Вечера." A beautiful melody by Vasili Pavlovich Solovyov-Sedoy in 1955, in collaboration with the poet Mikhail Matusovsky who wrote the lyrics. It was originally about Leningrad, but officials of the then Soviet Union needed some alterations for a sports promotion and that was that. Until miraculously, the song caught on and soon became one of the most popular Russian tunes in the rest of the World.
Many passed on the tune's early essence, beginning, perhaps, even with the Gypsy nomads long ago. ... And those who replayed it in the west. they performed it in US in the 20th century as the Dixieland-style "Midnight in Moscow" or "The Moscow Blues". By such notable bands as "Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen" (1961 Midnight In Moscow: released Pye 7NJ2049 Side A and reissued EP - "Hit Parade Vol 1" - Pye NJE1082 in 1962 and reissued) which is how I first heard of the melody.
Originally about Leningrad (once again St Petersburg), some of those boys on the former Soviet sports bureau thought it should be changed to be about Moscow and that's how it stuck to this day. Miraculously, the song caught on and soon became one of the most popular Russian tunes in the rest of the World. It just goes to show you that, despite the game-playing childish sporting freaks of both the East and the West, true music will always prevail.
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