Russian Flying Monkey Song?

Cafe Society
1

OK, here is a funny video of a Finnish rock group, the Leningrad Cowboys singing Sweet Home Alabama. Yes it is funny. I know.

More importantly, they are being backed up by the Red Army Choir. (Who look to be having a great time doing it.) Near the end of the song, the choir does a little background filagree that sounds like a song I ought to know. Something old. Something military. Either that or something like the Flying Monkey Song.

What the heck is it? What is its importance? From whence do I half-remember it?

2

Here you go (it’s a traditional Russian work song).

3

So no connection to flying monkeys at all? I suspected as much but am somehow disappointed. Thank you.

4

Volga Boat Song.

As for its importance, and why you might remember it, I couldn’t possibly comment.

5

Well, the song does have a passing similarity to The March of the Winkies from The Wizard of Oz, which did have flying monkeys, so, you’re not, uh, that far off…

6

From an old Popeye cartoon. The monsters on some island sang it. (I wonder if that was a Cold War thing?)

7

Ta Da! (not the Popeye you’re talking about, but it is in the last few seconds of the short)