Ukrainian Vinyl Records Part 1: Preserving the Songs of Home
Welcome to Part 1 of our new series of rediscovering old Ukrainian vinyl. After my Дідо passed away, these records became a cherished part of our family collection and hold a special place in my heart. I thought, why not share them with my followers! We have 16 vintage vinyl records, and to make it more enjoyable, we’ll break it down into a series of posts. Many of these records were produced on a small scale and have since been forgotten, so there is little information about them online. If you recognise a record or have any additional information, please comment below or reach out to Little Ukrainian Blog on social media!
1. Holiday in Ukraine
Released in 1975, ‘Holiday in Ukraine’ features the famous UKES Orchestra and the Vodohray Quartet of Montreal. Although made and recorded in the USA by diaspora, the record authentically captures the spirit and essence of Ukrainian folk traditions. After some research we actually found a YouTube video with the recordings of this album so you can enjoy them too! To listen click here.
Apon Label: 2665
Released: 1975
- Drifters Song
- Carpathian Mountains
- My Darling
- Popular Scout Song
- Loneliness
- Kolomyka
- Beyond the Danube
- Brown Eyes
- Selection of Songs
- Water Fountain
- Birch Tree
- Four Roses
2. Серця у пісні обнялись
Volodymyr Luciv
Серця у пісні обнялись, ‘Hearts Embraced in Song’, was produced by renowned Ukrainian bandurist and tenor Володимир Луців (Volodymyr Luciv). Born in 1929 in what is now Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, Luciv was forced to work in Germany after World War Two and sang with a Ukrainian choir there. In 1948, he moved to England, working in a mill in Bradford before relocating to London and adopting the stage name Tino Valdi. You can read about his life and work in Ukrainian here, or here in English.
Released: Unknown.
Label: CBS Recordings.
- The green hills
- The autumn leaves
- Nightingale
- Truly Yours
- The drifting mist
- An evening hour
- The eyes
- Bukovynyan Kolomyyka
- Falkon
- Springtime
- The lonely fisherman
3. Качечка Прачечка
Duckling Laundress
Perhaps the rarest vinyl album in Part 1, little is known about the Duckling Laundress record. What we do know is that it includes songs of Children’s choirs recorded in Ukraine but produced in Toronto, Canada. The recordings were made by John Kolasky, and you can find a quote from him in the image carousel below.
Label: Ukrainian Children’s Recordings.
Released: Unknown.
- Качечка Прачечка
- Ой Літенько, літо
- Закосичена калина
- Танок звірів
- Сонечко
- Я веселий барабан
- Пісня юнйх мандрівників
- Дударики
- Ой весела дівчина Олена
- Таночок
- Тече вода з–під явора
- Веснянка
- На весні
- Пісня про вчительку
- Наʼ мамине свято
- Пісня про маму
- Свіжої сили набралися
- Прийшла зима
- На лижвах
- Ялинка
- На санчатах
4. Bouquets of Ukrainian Melodies
Bouquets of Ukrainian Melodies is an instrumental album by the world-famous Sándor Lakato and his Gypsy Orchestra, recorded in the USA. There is limited information available about this 1970s release, which features 12 tracks all about Ukraine. However, we are aware of Sandro’s remarkable proficiency, as he recorded numerous albums of Gypsy folk music, and his family are still actively involved in recording. If you have any additional insights or information please let us know in the comments!
Apon Label: 2638
Released: Unknown, circa 1970s
- Roaring Dnipro River
- Winds of Ukraine
- My Thoughts
- The Moon Glow
- When I Die
- Don’t go there Hrycyu
- Beautiful Night
- Rising Moon
- Blowing Winds
- Cossack Moroz
- Moon in the Sky
- Beautiful Orchards
5. Конвалія
Lily of the Valley
‘Lily of the Valley’ is a record by a trio of singers from Manchester, England, featuring Marusya Yurkiv-Yarotska, Olya Yurkiv, and Darka Golysh. Formed in 1968, this talented group had their album produced by CYM Great Britain. The trio’s harmonious voices and dedication to Ukrainian folk music make this record a notable piece of diasporic history.
Label: CYM GB.
Released: Unknown.
- Заплакали карії очі
- Люди
- Лента за лентою
- Світить місяченько
- Мамо
- Грим, грим
- Гуцулко ксеню
- Чом, чом, чом
- Матері
- Україно
- На білих конях
Did you enjoy this post?
As we come to the end of Part 1 in this series, we hope that exploring these Ukrainian records has stirred up nostalgic memories, perhaps reminiscent of your childhood or your parents’ era.
If any of these records sparked a memory or if you have further information on one, we’d love to hear from you! Connect with us on social media or drop a comment below. We hope you enjoyed this post and are as eager as we are to continue sharing the music of our heritage. Part 2 is coming very soon!
