The Russian Song that Unknowingly Charmed My Heart
HAVANA TIMES – Music has many forms of expression, and just as it can be expressed in different ways, there are also many ways to enjoy it.
Personally, I love listening to rhythms and harmonies more than lyrics, so I often listen to music for its melody. Sometimes I even enjoy purely instrumental songs.
This is how I started listening to music with lyrics in English (when I didn’t even know how to speak or understand the language), then Japanese thanks to the opening themes of Japanese anime, and eventually I discovered my love for the rhythm of Portuguese music.
After all these musical adventures, one random day I heard a song recommended by YouTube’s algorithm that immediately intrigued me. I was enchanted by a Russian song that came out of nowhere, but from that moment on, it became one of my favorite tracks.
Months after listening to this song repeatedly, curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to learn the story behind its lyrics. So here I am, sharing those lyrics with you — along with my own interpretation of them:
“Без чувств” – Егор Сесарев (Without Feelings – Yegor Sesarev)
With the first verse, the artists show us that although this is a romantic song, it’s also about a failed romance — one that had to end because nothing lasts forever.
I’ll break the second verse into two parts. In the first part, Sabrina sings her side of the story, using the metaphor “an ocean mixed with stars.” I interpret this as combining the vastness of the ocean with the immensity of outer space. Through this, Sabrina expresses a desire for a long-lasting, loyal, and deep relationship where both people can dive in together.
In the second part, the metaphor of the “clean glass” refers to pure love, it might even symbolize a first love. Finally, it contrasts with the idea that the fate of this love ultimately depends on the other person (which applies to both sides).
In the chorus, the artists describe an escape somewhere they cannot be found. But at the same time, it’s a familiar escape, something that has happened before and is therefore “written in the notebook.” The line “I will see myself with you from above, without feelings” suggests they’ve lost the emotional bond that once held them together. Yet, despite this emotional distance, the longing to be together again remains.
It’s funny how the lyrics of this song somehow described how I felt during a certain period of my life. And what’s even more surprising is that this was the very song that captivated me — without me even understanding the lyrical meaning hidden behind the language barrier.
That’s my interpretation of “Without Feelings” by Yegor Sesarev. What meaning do you give to it?