24
Strawberry Canyon Cossack
set to a Russian folk tune, with words by Rafael Rodriguez
'Twas at Cal that I met this Russian,
she was wild as an eagle on the wing
In her eyes was a hidden passion,
she was lovely as a lily in the spring
She had very high intellectual notions,
and to a stranger she wouldn't say a thing
Going down Bancroft she caused commotion,
and after her all the wolves would run and sing
Refrain:
Hi da da da da da da
Hi da da da
Hi da da da da da da
Hi da da dum
Hi da da da da da da
Hi da da da
Hi da da da da da da
Hi da da dum
In the I-House I met this Russian,
with her smile she could make my heart to ring
When her eyes were alight with passion,
I could never deny her anything
'Twas from her that I learn-ed all my Russian,
just as well as a lot of other things
(slower and softer): Vanya, Vanya, she used to call me,
and in the moonlight together we would sing
Refrain (softer but a bit faster at the end)
Then time came for her graduation,
she went back to the steppes of Sacramensk
She went back to her own dear Russian,
and she left me forever in the lurchk
Now I am a wild California Russian,
I'm as wild as the wildcat in the bush
As I gallop down Strawberry Canyon,
you can hear as I sing there in the bush
Refrain (faster with clapping and whistling)
