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The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov Lyrics by Blake Hodgetts

Out of the Workshop

2018

War was cold in 1962;
The whole world was holding its breath
Uneasy peace could crumble any day:
Would skies rain down clouds of death?
The Cuban threat had the White House tense
And it seemed Khrushchev would not yield to sense
Soviet submarines, all in self-defense
Patrolled the Atlantic coast
(CHORUS:)
Vasiliy Arkhipov was just a simple man
He served Mother Russia the best that he could
When worlds hang in balance, as sometimes they can
It takes one like Vasiliy to tip back the scales for good
Vasiliy came from humble peasant stock
He'd fought 'gainst Japan, sweeping mines
That autumn day, he was stationed on a sub
The F-Class B-59
The Navy fleet tried to roust them out
And a depth-charge siege kept them tossed about
Out of radio contact, they lurched in doubt:
Had war been declared at last?
(CHORUS:)
Vasiliy Arkhipov was just a simple man
He served Mother Russia the best that he could
When worlds hang in balance, as sometimes they can
It takes one like Vasiliy to tip back the scales for good
Savitsky was the captain in command
He judged that the hour has struck
"We must launch now: the moment is at hand;
We've run out of time and luck."
Maslennikov felt he had to say
That the captain's right and it looks that way
And Vasiliy felt, with no small dismay
The stir of a private ghost...
(CHORUS:)
Vasiliy Arkhipov was just a simple man
He served Mother Russia the best that he could
When worlds hang in balance, as sometimes they can
It takes one like Vasiliy to tip back the scales for good
Vasiliy had served aboard another sub
The Hotel-Class K-19
An overheated reactor near meltdown--
Vassiliy remembered the scene
He knew first-hand of that deadly glow
And just what it meant if they made it so
So he took a stand and he shouted, "No!
Some deeds we cannot undo
This has gone too far: there's a world at stake
And this fateful call is not ours to make
We must surface now, for our children's sake."
...And the missiles never flew
(CHORUS:)
Vasiliy Arkhipov was just a simple man
He served Mother Russia the best that he could
When worlds hang in balance, as sometimes they can
It takes one like Vasiliy
One like Vasiliy
It takes one like Vasiliy to tip back the scales for good
За здорове! [Russian for "to (your) health!"]
Hey!
Credits
Blake Hodgetts

Blake Hodgetts

About “The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov” by Blake Hodgetts

Read the complete lyrics to "The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov" by Blake Hodgetts from the album "Out of the Workshop" in 2018. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under History, Folk, Filk.

"The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov" is performed by Blake Hodgetts. from the album "Out of the Workshop" in 2018 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov", explore more songs by Blake Hodgetts using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov" is credited to Blake Hodgetts. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Ballad of Vassiliy Arkhipov" appears on "Out of the Workshop" in 2018.

Visit the Blake Hodgetts artist page at /artist/blake-hodgetts for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.