Ya eto ya (translation: I Am Who I Am) was the Russian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1996 in Oslo performed by Andrey Kosinskiy.
In the audio-only prequalifier round, it finished in 26th place with 14 points, thus they were unable to make it to the international competition in Oslo.
Lyrics[]
Chisty, pusty ulitsy nochi
Kto ty? Kto ty? Veter v sled krichit
Slyshu v chyornoy mgle, kto zh ty na zemle?
Eto zhizn’ moya, ya eto ya
Ya eto ya, v’yutsya struny vo mne i zvuchat stikhi
Ya eto ya, vse oshibki moi i moi grekhi
Skvoz’ obydennyy bred, zvon potyortykh monet
Slyshu trel’ solov’ya, ya eto ya
Dushu moyu ne gubi, takogo kak yest’ polyubi
Goryat mechty v plameni kostra
Ya szhog moi mosty, chto proshel vchera
Vnov’ peredo mnoy, chey-to put’ chuzhoy
Gde zh tropa moya? Ya eto ya
Ya eto ya, v’yutsya struny vo mne i zvuchat stikhi
Ya eto ya, vse oshibki moi i moi grekhi
Skvoz’ obydennyy bred, zvon potyortykh monet
Slyshu trel’ solov’ya, ya eto ya
Dushu moyu ne gubi, takogo kak yest’ polyubi
The streets are clean and empty at night
Who are you? Who are you? The wind screams from the back
I’m hearing from the black fog, who are you on earth?
That is my life, I am what I am
I am what I am, a string twines inside of me and poems can be heard
I am what I am, with all my mistakes and my sins
Through the daily madness and through the sound of shabby coins
I can hear, that the nightingale sings, I am what I am
Don’t ruin my soul, love me like I am
My dreams die in the burning flames
I burned down all my bridges, which I had crossed yesterday
There is again a strange way in front of me
Where is my way? I am what I am
I am what I am, a string twines inside of me and poems can be heard
I am what I am, with all my mistakes and my sins
Through the daily madness and through the sound of shabby coins
I can hear, that the nightingale sings, I am what I am
Don’t ruin my soul, love me like I am