TOP 15 UKRAINIAN PATRIOTIC SONGS OF ALL TIME

Козацькі пісні Cossacks’ songs

  1. ОЙ НА ГОРІ ТА Й ЖЕНЦІ ЖНУТЬ REAPERS REAP

This folk song was most likely written in the second half of the 17th century. Mykhailo Doroshenko and Petro Konashevich-Sagaidachny, who led the Khotyn campaign (1621) against the Ottoman Empire, are mentioned in the lyrics. 

The song’s melody was later used to write the “Zaporozhsky March” and the “Cossack March.”

  1. ГЕЙ, СОКОЛИ! HEY, SOKOLY! HEY, FALCONS!

Hey, Sokoly! is a song popular in Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belarus, and Lithuania. According to the most popular version, the music is based on the Polish composer Macei Kamensky’s (1734-1821) song “Pity for Ukraine.” The author of the lyrics remains unknown.

  1. НАЛИВАЙМО, БРАТТЯ, КРИШТАЛЕВІ ЧАШІ 

LET’S POUR, BROTHERS, CRYSTAL GLASSES

This song was written in the 20th century and celebrates the Cossack theme. Viktor Lisovol composed the music, and Vadym Kryshchenko wrote the lyrics.

Vadym Kryshchenko’s friends performed this song at a housewarming party in 1975. Many people liked the song, picked it up, and spread it worldwide.

Sich Riflemen’s songs

  1. ОЙ У ЛУЗІ ЧЕРВОНА КАЛИНА 

OH, THE RED VIBURNUM IN THE MEADOW

This Ukrainian patriotic march was first published in 1875. In 1914, composer Stepan Charnetsky wrote this song in a modern style to honour the Sich Riflemen of the First World War. The Ukrainian People’s Army of the Ukrainian War of Independence later used this song. 

This song is known to have many versions and covers and has become worldwide popular since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

  1. ЗА УКРАЇНУ (О, УКРАЇНО! О, РІДНА НЕНЬКО) FOR UKRAINE

The poet Mykola Voronyi wrote this song in 1917. With this song, the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen honoured the fallen Ukrainians. Unofficially, the song is also considered the alternative Ukrainian anthem. It was popular among the Ukrainian Army during the fights against the Soviet occupation. 

  1. НЕ СМІЄ БУТИ В НАС СТРАХУ 

WE MUST NOT BE AFRAID

This Sich Riflemen’s, a Plast song, and the anthem of the Order of the Iron Spur (one of the Ukrainian scout branches). It was written during the liberation struggle at the beginning of the last century by Roman Kupchynskyi, a soldier of the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen.

  1. МИ ЙДЕМ ВПЕРЕД 

WE ARE MOVING FORWARD

The song’s author (words and music) is Lev Lepky, the brother of the writer Bohdan Lepky. He wrote the song while serving in the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen Legion. In addition to his direct participation in the battles, he also worked in the propaganda department of the Ukrainian Sich riflemen. It was then that the song “We Are Moving Forward” was written.

Ukrainian Insurgent Army songs

  1. ЧУЄШ МІЙ ДРУЖЕ СЛАВНИЙ ЮНАЧЕ (МИ СМІЛО В БІЙ ПІДЕМ) 

YOU HEAR, MY FRIEND, A GLORIOUS YOUNG MAN (WE WILL GO FEARLESS INTO BATTLE)

The poet Olena Teliga was probably the author of the song’s original lyrics. According to some sources, this happened in Prague in the 20s of the last century. Taras Kompanichenko, a kobzar, bandurist, and lyre player, revived the song.

  1. МАРШ УКРАЇНСЬКИХ НАЦІОНАЛІСТІВ (ЗРОДИЛИСЬ МИ ВЕЛИКОЇ ГОДИНИ) 

MARCH OF UKRAINIAN NATIONALISTS (WE WERE BORN AT A GREAT HOUR)

This Ukrainian patriotic song was the official anthem of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists’ leadership formally adopted the song in 1932, which Oles Babii had written to Omelian Nyzhankivskyi’s music in 1929.

  1. БАТЬКО НАШ — БАНДЕРА, УКРАЇНА — МАТИ! 

OUR FATHER IS BANDERA, AND UKRAINE IS OUR MOTHER!

This Ukrainian Insurgent Army song concerns a heavily wounded rebel and his mourning mother. 

The song started to spread in the media in March 2019, when it was performed by priests led by Father Anatoly Zinkevich of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. 

On January 22, 2020, the vocal ensemble of clergy called “Pentarchy” sang this song in the house where Bandera was born.

  1. ЛЕНТА ЗА ЛЕНТОЮ BELT AFTER BELT

This is one of the most popular songs written by the UIA soldiers. The author of the words is Mykola Sorokalyta (Лютий – The Fierce), and the music is by Vasyl Zastavny (Шершень – The Hornet), and both were rebels of the Insurgent Army.

The song’s lyrics and music changed during its performance; the original version has not survived to the present day.

  1.  ГЕЙ-ГУ, ГЕЙ-ГА – ТАКЕ ТО В НАС ЖИТТЯ 

HEY-HU, HEY-HA, THAT’S OUR LIFE

This song of the scout group “Forest Devils” was created during their boat trip to Polissia in 1930.

Words and music were composed by Taras-Chacha Krushelnytskyi, a member of “Forest Devils”.

  1. МИ ЙДЕМ ВПЕРЕД WE ARE MOVING FORWARD

The song’s author (words and music) is Lev Lepky, the brother of the writer Bohdan Lepky. He wrote the song while serving in the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen Legion. In addition to his direct participation in the war, he also worked in the propaganda department of the Ukrainian Sich riflemen. It was then that the song “We Are Moving Forward” was written.

  1. КОМАРИК MOSQUITO

It started as a funny Ukrainian folk song about a mosquito’s wedding, death, and funeral. Different song versions have existed since the first quarter of the 18th century. In different eras, the song acquired new editions and meanings. In the first quarter of the 20th century, in accordance with new historical circumstances, a new insurgent version of the song with anti-Moscow and anti-Soviet motifs appeared. 

The song became known under the name “Mosquito.” It was popular during the First World War, was sung as a military song, and was “the most beloved” among the Ukrainian rebels of the mid-40s — the first half of the 50s of the 20th century.

To finish, I would like to add I believe the most essential Ukrainian — not quite a song — but a poem that became a prayer.

  1. МОЛИТВА УКРАЇНСЬКОГО НАЦІОНАЛІСТА 

PRAYER OF A UKRAINIAN NATIONALIST

This patriotic prayer text was written in the late 1920s and early 1930s by one of the leaders of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, Osip Mashchak.

The words of the main text were written on the prison wall with the blood of Osip Mashchak after his imprisonment as a result of the Lviv trial in 1936.

Everyone who joined the OUN and its youth organization had to know the “Prayer of the Ukrainian Nationalist” by heart.

Share in the comments your favourite songs from the list above, as well as any other Ukrainian patriotic songs you know and like. 

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