Kar-man

Car-Man / Кар-мэн

Published: September 24, 2016

Car-Man (Кар-мэн) is a Russian techno-pop band, which reached peak popularity in the early nineties. Known as much for their dance moves as their music, the original lineup consisted of Bogdan Titomir (Богдан Титомир) and Sergei Lemokh (Сергей Лемох), and continues today as a solo project of Lemokh.

Titomir and Lemokh met when they were employed by the singer Vladimir Maltseva (Владимир Мальцев), Titomir as a dancer and Lemokh on bass-guitar. The two became acquainted with the music producer Arkady Ukupnik (Аркадий Укупник) who suggested that they form a band.

In 1989 Car-Man played their first live show, initially as “Carman” (Кармен), before hyphenating their name the following year. In 1990 Car-Man signed a three-year contract with the music studio Gala. Car-Man’s unique dance moves started to be copied by fans, leading some to call the group’s influence a “dance revolution”.

In Russian, Car-Man considered their band name to be a synonym for “traveler” (“путешественник”), and along these lines named their 1990 first full-length studio album Around the World (Вокруг света). This was a concept album; each song was about a different city or country.

Off of this first effort a number of singles found their way onto television rotation on the 2×2 network. That summer a music video for “Paris” (“Париж”) was shown on the then-popular music TV program Variety Debut (Эстрадный вернисаж). That summer Car-Man was nominated by the newspaper Moskovskii Komsomolets (Московский комсомолец) for Best New Release and Group of the Year. Car-Man also received prize nominations for a number of other newspapers and music organizations that year.

In 1991 Timotir decided to pursue a solo career, starting his own band called High Energy.  For Car-Man’s second release, Carmania (Кармания, 1992), Lemokh did all of the vocals.

Since 1991 Lemokh has continued playing as Car-Man, but with nothing like the massive popularity of the early nineties. He has also recorded for commercials and soundtracks, and television shows.

Find Car-Man on Amazon here and here
Here is Car-Man with “Music” (“Музыка”):

Lyrics for “Музыка”:

Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!

[Beat break]

Ты забудешь, как меня зовут.
Ты забудешь скоро голос мой!
Но, звук моих мелодий, нарушив твой ночной покой –
Навек останется с тобой!

Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!
Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!

[Beat break]

Пусть тебе сегодня не везет.
Пусть над Миром опустилась ночь.
Теперь, я знаю точно, что унест тревоги прочь
И сможет нам с тобой помочь.

Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!
Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!

[Beat break]

Но, звук моих мелодий, нарушив твой ночной покой –
Навек останется с тобой!

Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!
Музыка всегда останется с тобой!
Музыка всегда разгонит тучи над головой!

Музыка всегда останется с тобой!

 

Here is a very recent track from Car-Man called “Baby” (“Детка”):

Lyrics for “Детка”:

Давай, танцуй
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party,
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party,
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party
Take, get move my body,
1 куплет:
В этот незнакомый клуб, детка,
Я захожу редко,
Может быть, только с тобой,
Я почувствую огонь, детка,
И попаду в клетку,
Если ты станцуешь со мной
Припев (2 раза):
Давай, танцуй буги-вуги,
Этот хаус-буги,
Ты танцуй буги-вуги со мной
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party,
Take, get move my body,
2 куплет:
Возбуждает аппетит, детка,

Твоих чулок сетка,
Может быть, я старый ковбой,
Но одно могу сказать точно,
Я укачу ночью,
На моей машине с тобой
Припев (4 раза).
Hey, bom-bom baby,
Get up, come and dancing crazy,
Hey, bom-bom baby
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party,
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party,
Take, get move my body,
It’s my … party
Take, get move my body
Припев (2 раза).
Давай, танцуй буги-вуги,
Ты танцуй буги-вуги со мной,
Давай, танцуй буги-вуги,
Ты танцуй буги-вуги со мной,
Давай, танцуй буги-вуги
O la la

About the author

Zachary Hicks

Zach Hicks is a PhD student in Comparative Literature at the University of Oregon. He is currently participating in SRAS's Home and Abroad scholarship program. His main areas of interest are twentieth-century Russian and Soviet literature, socialist modernism, and critical theory. Outside of academics his major interests are martial arts, the outdoors, and music. In Russia, he plans to continue to increase his language proficiency, to learn as much as possible about the Russian underground music scene, its tattoo culture, and to become a student of Russia’s native martial art, SAMBO.

Program attended: Art and Museums in Russia

View all posts by: Zachary Hicks