"May There Always Be Sunshine" (Russian: "Пусть всегда будет солнце!" or "Солнечный круг") is a popular Soviet children's song created in 1962. The music was composed by Arkady Ostrovsky and the lyrics written by Lev Oshanin. Korney Chukovsky, a writer and immensely popular children's poet, later wrote that the inspiration for the song had been the four lines of the refrain, which were composed in 1928 by the four-year-old boy Kostya Barannikov.
The song was first performed in the Good Morning! (Russian: С добрым утром!) radio show in July 1962 by Maya Kristalinskaya. Performed in 1963 at the Sopot International Song Festival by Tamara Miansarova, the song earned her first prize there and immediately became popular throughout the USSR and in other countries too. It was frequently sung by Young Pioneers at their camps and school meetings, as well as by Little Octobrists in primary schools, and even by pre-school children. The song was widely regarded in the Soviet Union as expressing the people's desire for peace.
Lyrics
The song expresses the yearning for lasting peace by millions of people, young and old. In war, the lyrics say, there are no winners. For our sake, and especially for our children's sake, we must achieve peace and remove the dark clouds that now cover the sun.
Hootenanny Singers version ("Gabrielle")
Swedish band, Hootenanny Singers, led by future ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus recorded and released the song "Gabrielle". The tune was based on "May There Always Be Sunshine". The band enjoyed great success with this single in Scandinavia, and with this song, the band saw their first international exposure.
In Autumn 1964, the band released their second album "The Hootenanny Singers" which included "Gabrielle" as the opening track.[1] "Gabrielle" was also included in an EP released in Sweden on September 1964. The EP also included other songs such as "La Mamma" [2][3]
After reaching No. 5 on the Swedish Kvalltoppen charts in December 1965, No. 6 in the Norwegian charts[4] , "Gabrielle" had been recorded in German, Finnish, Italian, Dutch, and English . The Finnish version had reached No.2 in the Finnish charts[5].
Negotiations had been made by Stig Anderson, the manager of Polar Music, for the Hootenanny Singers to record and release the single internationally throughout 1964 and 1965. It was the intention for the Hootenanny Singers to record a debut single in Germany, recorded in the German language as early as January 1964[6]. Two German record labels had been interested in presenting the band[6]. The German version of Gabrielle titled “Denk' Daran” had been released as a B-side to “La Mamma” on the Metronome label. [7] Andersson had also travelled to Holland by March 1965[8] and during the success of the single in Scandinavia, Anderson travelled to London[9], New York[10] to establish an United Artists release [9] and Paris[11].
By December 1964, it was announced that the English version of Gabrielle would be released in the USA[12] in the following month. The single was rated B+ (very good) and received positive reviews[13]. “The Hooten singers are a young Swedish group who could well find success in the U.S. with this charming, medium paced lyrical romancer which is dished up in an appealing warm hearted pop folk style. Eye it. While the B-Side Darling was reviewed to be an “Impressive, rhythmic soulful folk ode”[13].
Another review stated “A Swedish group and they do a tune with a strong melody. Song originated in Russia but this group gives a powerful English performance. Could be a real sleeper.”[13] It was stated that group recorded Gabrielle in French which was to be released as part of an EP[11][13], but it is unknown if this came about.
Despite the positive reviews, the singles did not chart internationally.
Controversy
Due to a lack of international copyright agreements, songs from the Soviet Union were then considered to be in the public domain. Stig Anderson and Bengt Bernhag, co-founders of the band's production company Polar Music, claimed credits for the song's arrangement and Swedish lyrics. Russian media sources would later describe this as plagiarism or theft.[14]
Track listing
Norway and Denmark (TF 269 047)
A. "Gabrielle" (Swedish version)
B. "I Lunden Gröna"
USA, Canada and England (UA 2171)
A. "Gabrielle" (English version)
B. "Darling"
Netherlands (TF 269 047)
A. "Gabrielle" (Dutch version)
B. "Zuidenwind-Noordenwind" (Dutch version of Jag väntar vid min mila)
Netherlands (TF 269 047)
A. "Gabrielle" (Italian version)
B. "Fermati In Me" (Italian version of Stanna En Stund)
Charts
Chart (1964-1965)
Peak
position
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)
5
Sweden (Svensktoppen)
2
Norway
6
Finland
2
International versions and adaptations
The song was translated into English by Tom Botting. The song (or at least its chorus) has been sung in English by Pete Seeger, and is featured on the live album Together in Concert recorded in 1975 with Arlo Guthrie.[15]
The song was also very popular among Finnish Pioneers as "Paistaa aurinko aina".
It was also used by the Estonian Pioneers, the Estonian translation being "Olgu jääv meile päike" by Heljo Mänd. The most popular recording of it, is by the popular singer Georg Ots.[16]
Charlotte Diamond, the Canadian children's musician included the song in her 1985 album 10 Carrot Diamond. The chorus is sung in English, Russian, French, Spanish, German, and Cantonese with the instrumental accompaniment changing musical styles for each culture.[18]
Raffi sang the original chorus and translations into English, Spanish and French on his album Let's Play. There is also an instrumental outro of the other song's title after this song.[19]
