# Someday, everyone's name will be a faux-lesbian Russian pop band **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 26, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716 "2003-02-26T20:12:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kantalooppi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Kantalooppi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantalooppi)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/1 "2003-02-26T20:12:18Z")
My name’s Tatu. Yes. Yes, you see the problem, here. It’s not even like I’ve heard of it lately that much. Some, yes, but not that much. But it’s still a bit unsettling. For instance, the thread “Tatu on Jay Leno” in Cafe Society. I mean, it’s not like my name’s that uncommon. In Finland, anyway. I mean, there have been 3574 people named Tatu in Finland since 1900, according to Finland’s population register’s first name service. And besides, their official name is t. A. T. u. But are they called t. A. T. u.? Nooo. It’s always Tatu. It’s a conspiracy, I tell you, a conspiracy, like the one where the Pope personally anally probes me every night! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/2 "2003-02-26T20:15:14Z")
Tatu. Heh. I gotta hand it to them, their songs are quite catchy, and the lesbian thing is the best thing in pop marketing since Britney Spears did that Stones cover dressed in a handkerchief. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/3 "2003-02-26T20:25:31Z")
> [@](#): > > the thread “Tatu on Jay Leno” in Cafe Society. And here I was wondering what a retired indoor soccer player was doing on Leno. Thanks for clearing that up. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/4 "2003-02-26T21:43:49Z")
You were great in Fantasy Island. Especially when you drove that tiny version of the car. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/5 "2003-02-27T03:35:12Z")
mmmm… Russsian Lesbians mmm… ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/6 "2003-02-27T03:42:29Z")
hmmmmm… My name is **Stink Fish Pot**. I don’t see it happening. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/7 "2003-02-27T03:49:44Z")
Can I get a link to this so-called russian lesbian band? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/8 "2003-02-27T04:10:26Z")
[http://www.planetout.com/support/click.html$rg/751,46275,c:/entertainment/starstruck/feature/package.html?sernum=209](http://www.planetout.com/support/click.html%24rg/751,46275,c:/entertainment/starstruck/feature/package.html?sernum=209) here you go. t.A.t.U (acronym for “this girl loves that girl” in Russian) are two Russian teenage girls whose hit pop song, “All The Things She Said,” is a lesbian love song with a video featuring much private-schoolgirl-uniform-clad Sapphic snogging. The girls are presenting a lesbian persona to the media; however, I seem to recall them commenting that they’re not really lesbian and mean to get married to boys later. Well, even if they’re not lesbian, the song certainly is. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/9 "2003-02-27T04:11:29Z")
Well, bloody fuck. [Let’s try that again.](http://www.planetout.com/support/click.html%24rg/751,46275,c:/entertainment/starstruck/feature/package.html?sernum=209) ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/10 "2003-02-27T04:15:27Z")
This [Slate](http://slate.msn.com/id/2078409/) article has a link to their video. I’m personally holding out for my name to be a faux-lebian Armenian string quartet. Preferably one that specializes in Mozart. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/11 "2003-02-27T10:19:35Z")
At first I was slightly interested. Now I am full-blown creeped out. The MSN article made me that way. Yack. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/12 "2003-02-27T10:55:37Z")
The whole t.a.T.u. thing is just cyncial manipulation and exploitation of underage sex and homosexuality - and the current meda fetish with “lesbians” (by this I mean the sort of lesbians that look like Victoria’s Secret models and flitter around with each other before letting the Big Man in to show them how it’s “done properly”) - to sell records. And it’s working. (Forgive me if this is does represent real lesbianism, but as I understand it lesbianism is actually about women having relationships with other women for their own mutual happiness, not to provide titillation to others, namely men. And how many straight groups pose with the blokes’ hand on the girls’ tits?) ---
**Author:** ![Fyodor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/958977/32.png) [@Fyodor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fyodor)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/13 "2003-02-27T13:06:48Z")
My Russian buddy watched them on Leno and says they were wearing Tshirts with a Russian text that basically translated to “fuck war” in the rudest possible language. Phonetically “hooey vyna”, "“vyna” being war and “hooey” being the most rudest possible Russian word for an erect penis. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/14 "2003-02-27T13:25:54Z")
Brings about a whole new meaning for, “That’s a bunch of Hooey” doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/15 "2003-02-27T14:13:31Z")
I don’t buy that acronym bullshit. Does anyone know what phrase they are referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/16 "2003-02-28T07:10:13Z")
Tatu, in Russian, oddly enough, means Tattoo. You know, with ink in the skin? As for the acronym, I don’t know. Although I’ve also seen them called Taty, which I guess means the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/17 "2003-02-28T21:39:43Z")
I was about to say what **JRootabega** said. I’m pretty sure there’s no way to say “this girl loves that girl” in Russian with words that would make an acronym of t.a.t.u. The most straightforward way to say it I think would be… I’m actually not going to attempt to write it out because I’m so rusty I’d screw up all the declensions. But it’d be E.D.L.T.D as far as I can tell. Except it’s not “E” it’s “Eh” (not “ee” or “yeh.” “eh.”). I was also skeptical because there is no “u” in the Russian (Cyrillic) alphabet. Phonetically that letter looks like “y” in the Roman alphabet. I guess **Tristan** ’s seen it that way, so at least that makes sense. **matt\_mcl** , do you have a cite for the acronym thing? I’m going to firmly assert that it’s got to be apocryphal. You’re right about the sexuality thing though. Part of their schtick appears to be denying that any of the things they sing about are literally true. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/18 "2003-03-01T11:46:53Z")
A quick search reveals several websites that claim tATu is wordplay for “ta lyubit tu”. Does that sound remotely plausible? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/19 "2003-03-01T13:22:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > \*\*A quick search reveals several websites that claim tATu is wordplay for “ta lyubit tu”. Does that sound remotely plausible? \*\* Doesn’t to me … I don’t recognise “ta” and “tu” as russian words at all, and that construction means that the word “love” is not actually IN the acronym, which would be bizarre to say the least. Mind you, it’s about fifteen years since I did any Russian, so don’t necessarily pay any attention to what I say… I presume the construction **White Lightning** is thinking of is “ehta dyevuska lyubit tam devushka” or something similar (I have almost certainly fucked up the declensions there but I have no pride, so I don’t care). That certainly makes sense to me as a phrase, but it’s stuff-all like the acronym itself… I suppose that “eh **TA** **T** am ly **U** bit” might work but that’s pretty forced… ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716/20 "2003-03-01T13:33:50Z")
The fishy doesn’t do russian but [This site](http://www.translate.ru/) gives the translation as (tranliterated) Ehta dyevochka lyubit tu dyevochku (so ‘tu’ is in fact, valid and means ‘that’ … ‘tam’ which I had in its place, of course means **‘there’** , see, told you I’d fuck something up 😉 ) Still don’t see how they get any word meaning ‘love’ into that acronym [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someday-everyones-name-will-be-a-faux-lesbian-russian-pop-band/157716.md?page=2)