Roads to Moscow
Al Stewart
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They crossed over the border, the hour before dawn Moving in lines through the day Most of our planes were destroyed on the ground where they lay Waiting for orders we held in the wood Word from the front never came By evening the sound of the gunfire was miles away Ah, softly we move through the shadows, slip away through the trees Crossing their lines in the mists in the fields on our hands and on our knees And all that I ever Was able to see The fire in the air glowing red Silhouetting the smoke on the breeze All summer they drove us back through the Ukraine Smolensk and Viasma soon fell By autumn we stood with our backs to the town of Orel Closer and closer to Moscow they come Riding the wind like a bell General Guderian stands at the crest of the hill Winter brought with her the rains, oceans of mud filled the roads Gluing the tracks of their tanks to the ground while the sky filled with snow And all that I ever Was able to see The fire in the air glowing red Silhouetting the snow on the breeze In the footsteps of Napoleon the shadow figures stagger through the winter Falling back before the gates of Moscow, standing in the wings like an avenger And far away behind their lines the partisans are stirring in the forest Coming unexpectedly upon their outposts, growing like a promise You'll never know, you'll never know which way to turn, which way to look you'll never see us As we're stealing through the blackness of the night You'll never know, you'll never hear us And the evening sings in a voice of amber, the dawn is surely coming The morning roads lead to Stalingrad, and the sky is softly humming Two broken Tigers on fire in the night Flicker their souls to the wind We wait in the lines for the final approach to begin It's been almost four years that I've carried a gun At home it will almost be spring The flames of the Tigers are lighting the road to Berlin Ah, quickly we move through the ruins that bow to the ground The old men and children they send out to face us, they can't slow us down And all that I ever Was able to see The eyes of the city are opening Now it's the end of the dream I'm coming home, I'm coming home, now you can taste it in the wind, the war is over And I listen to the clicking of the train-wheels as we roll across the border And now they ask me of the time that I was caught behind their lines and taken prisoner "They only held me for a day, a lucky break," I say they turn and listen closer I'll never know, I'll never know why I was taken from the line and all the others To board a special train and journey deep into the heart of holy Russia And it's cold and damp in the transit camp, and the air is still and sullen And the pale sun of October whispers the snow will soon be coming And I wonder when I'll be home again and the morning answers "Never" And the evening sighs, and the steely Russian skies go on forever
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Written by: ALISTAIR IAN STEWART
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Background"Roads to Moscow" is a track from Al Stewart's third studio album named "Past, Present and Future" that was released in 1973.
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Song ThemeThe song involves narration-style storytelling, a characteristic of Al Stewart's style, with each verse unraveling a unique part of the story. The lyrics describe a soldier's experience during World War II.
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Historical InspirationThe song is heavily inspired by the historical events of Operation Barbarossa – the code name for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II in 1941.
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Length of SongThe song is one of Al Stewart's longest tracks running over seven minutes long (approximately 7:57).
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SongwritingStewart reportedly researched the historical events meticulously to ensure the narrative in the song was historically accurate.
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Musical CompositionThe music composition feels melancholic and haunting, reflecting the grim reality of war, thereby profoundly impacting the listeners.
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Song RecognitionDespite its length, "Roads to Moscow" is considered one of Al Stewart's finest works and has been praised by critics for its lyrical complexity and historical accuracy.
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Live PerformancesAl Stewart continues to include "Roads to Moscow" in his setlists during live performances, illustrating the longevity and ongoing recognition of the track.
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Russian PerspectiveThe song is unique in that it tells the story of World War II from the perspective of a Russian soldier – a narrative not commonly found in western popular music.
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Musical StyleThe song includes elements of folk and progressive rock, which were popular music styles in the 1970s when the song was released.
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Citation
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"Roads to Moscow Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5541573/Al+Stewart/Roads+to+Moscow>.
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