Travel Tracks is on the move! Just a few days ago, I arrived in Rome, where I’ll be staying with an Italian family for three months. On my way to the Eternal City, I visited some old Soviet stomping grounds: Kiev, Ukraine, and Prague, Czech Republic.
The cold of Kiev forced us indoors most nights, and we tuned the TV to the Ukraine’s version of MTV’s except that they actually play videos! The viewing was intriguing Western with a twist. There were Russian rappers, complete with baggy pants and major bling. Scantily-clad popsters co-opted American melodies, layering on their own Ukrainian lyrics.
And then there was Verka Serduchka. Now, Verka is original. Her hat is her trademark: it’s a mirrored cap topped with a large, glittering star. And she is actually a he—she’s the most famous character of Ukrainian performer/comedian Andriy Danylko. With huge sunglasses (and huge breasts), the middle-aged Verka makes quite an impression.
In 2007, Verka’s popularity won her the coveted honor of representing the Ukraine in the Eurovision singing contest. The annual contest is an experience all by itself, with the winner usually catapulted to instant fame and fortune. Verka’s inclusion in the contest was something of a controversy, because some lyrics in her song, “Dancing Lasha Tumbai,†were interpreted as anti-Russian.
Verka’s current single, “Kiss, Please,†is both catchy and hysterical. She sings in English: “I need your dance,†“I need your kiss,†I need your sex,†etc. But she also mixes in some Ukrainian (I think) and a fair dose of nonsense sounds: “biddy, biddy, biddy, biddy…â€Â The video is set in a men’s locker room and ends with Verka falling into the arms of several towel-wearing hotties. In short, it’s fabulous, just like Verka.
Next up: the smoky jazz of Prague.