In the 1970-80s, Soviet television was broadcasting a detective soap opera, which was called “The investigation is conducted by experts”. Composer Mark Minkov (who was Aram Khachatryan’s apprentice) and poet Anatoli Gorokhov wrote a song for the serial, which is known by today. The idea of the serial was Nikolai Shcholokov’s, the Minister of Internal Affairs, who at the beginning of the 70s had the goal of presenting an image of a decent and intelligent policeman to the public. The talented creative team did everything to make that idea come true. However, during Andropov’s office, it was revealed that Shcholokov and his department were involved in corruption from head to toe. He was dismissed from his post, and after a while the former minister committed suicide (which, however, shows that this person possessed certain moral principles). Nowadays, the most memorable words from the song of Minkov and Gorokhov are: “ If someone somewhere at times honestly does not want to live”. During those years people were grinning on this song, because the widespread immorality and cynicism of the state machinery was in no way inferior to today’s situation. It’s another matter, that some of my peers have some “pink” memories.
But this expression is also interesting in other respects. The problem is, so called, the lack of addressability: the person, place, and time are marked by indefinite modifiers, which seems to be mitigating what is said. It’s a bit like the statements of the Minsk Group co-chairs: “we urge the parties to refrain from … “, etc. Our oppositionists often speak in the same style as well. “You are all thieves, and bandits”, they have been crying for 25 years. Suppose I believe in those unaddressed statements. But since no names are being mentioned, except the state chief’s, who is considered to be liable for everything, I start doubting that maybe they pretend to be so brave and “love the people”, and that in reality, they are fed by one of those “thief-bandit” groups, and their mission is to deliver messages to other groups. Maybe I’m mistaken, but the unaddressed statements remind me of the 70s’ “police song”.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
