[hat tip boing boing]
The Soviet authorities lied to the people about so many things; who knew they would lie like this?
Though he lip-synced this wordless tune so terribly that you'd think he could not possibly be the person behind the music, this is in fact Eduard Anatolyevich Khil, People's Artist of the Russian Soviet Federation of Socialist Republics. The wikipedia.ru entry sums up his style: "the manner of Khil's performance is unique and easy to recognize, characterized by a charming, invariably perfect, clear, resonant, lilting baritone, with a strong charge of optimism and humor." A popular Leningrad singer in the 1970's, he is now fodder for another low blow against the poverty of Soviet pop culture.
Where's Alla Pugachova when you need her? Ai yai yai indeed.
UPDATE!
Mr. Khil got word of his new-found internet fame and has publicly announced a contest. Whoever comes up with the best words to his old hit, Я очень рад, ведь я, наконец, возвращаюсь домой, wins the chance to hear the old master sing the melody again - now with lyrics! Who can disagree with his observation that "in every country, people understand this song in their own way." Especially now that Oscar winner Christoph Waltz has interpreted the piece.
At the end - he thanks the "Internet" for making this all possible. More on Mr. Khil's reemergence from the shadows of Soviet pop-culture from Radio Free Europe. He says about his recent popularity, "I'm very pleased, but I wasn't surprised because it is really a beautiful tune....I tried to make it cheerful. It's such a radiant song. Even though it was composed in 1966, it doesn't sound outdated." Indeed not. It is a timeless diddy if there ever was one.
It turns out that there originally were words to the song - about a cowboy named Joe going home to Kentucky to his beloved Mary - but the authorities banned those lyrics for ideological reasons. So the Soviets were left with Tro lo lo...a gift to the world at the unwitting hands of the Soviet censors.
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