Posted June 04, 2012
People's Artist of Russia Eduard Khil, known more recently as the "Trololo Man," passed away in the early hours of Monday morning in St. Petersburg, leaving behind a legacy spanning generations.
The 77-year-old had been hospitalized after having a stroke in early April, with doctors giving an uncertain prognosis. He passed away at 1:35 a.m. Monday, RIA-Novosti reported, citing a source at the Polenov Neurosurgical Institute where Khil had been hospitalized.
Khil became famous as a singer in the Soviet Union, performing the songs "Loggers," "The Moonstone" and "Blue City," among others. He also performed "From Where the Motherland Begins," a song President Vladimir Putin has reprised in recent years.
Khil's popularity faded after the fall of the Soviet Union, but he shot back into the spotlight in 2010 when his wordless 1966 song "I'm Very Glad That I'm Finally Coming Home" became an internet sensation, with the song's "la la la" vocalizations earning him the name "Trololo Man" among Western audiences.
The song originally included lyrics about a cowboy riding a mustang in the U.S. state of Kentucky, but the words were deemed un-Soviet and it was performed as a vocalization, Khil told LifeNews in a 2010 interview.
Khil himself was happy to learn about the newfound popularity of the song, telling LifeNews he had not known about his Internet popularity, "but what can I say, it's pleasant. Thanks for the good news."
Eduard Khil was born Sep. 4, 1934, in Smolensk.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/eduard-khil-soviet-crooner-and-trololo-man-dies-at-77/459772.html#ixzz1woIC1BRI
The 77-year-old had been hospitalized after having a stroke in early April, with doctors giving an uncertain prognosis. He passed away at 1:35 a.m. Monday, RIA-Novosti reported, citing a source at the Polenov Neurosurgical Institute where Khil had been hospitalized.
Khil became famous as a singer in the Soviet Union, performing the songs "Loggers," "The Moonstone" and "Blue City," among others. He also performed "From Where the Motherland Begins," a song President Vladimir Putin has reprised in recent years.
Khil's popularity faded after the fall of the Soviet Union, but he shot back into the spotlight in 2010 when his wordless 1966 song "I'm Very Glad That I'm Finally Coming Home" became an internet sensation, with the song's "la la la" vocalizations earning him the name "Trololo Man" among Western audiences.
The song originally included lyrics about a cowboy riding a mustang in the U.S. state of Kentucky, but the words were deemed un-Soviet and it was performed as a vocalization, Khil told LifeNews in a 2010 interview.
Khil himself was happy to learn about the newfound popularity of the song, telling LifeNews he had not known about his Internet popularity, "but what can I say, it's pleasant. Thanks for the good news."
Eduard Khil was born Sep. 4, 1934, in Smolensk.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/eduard-khil-soviet-crooner-and-trololo-man-dies-at-77/459772.html#ixzz1woIC1BRI
