Do You Know What Kind of Guy He Was

“Do You Know What Kind of Guy He Was” (Russian: «Знаете, каким он парнем был», romanized: Znayete, kakim on parnem byl) is a 1971 Soviet song composed by Alexandra Pakhmutova with lyrics by Nikolai Dobronravov. It was issued by Melodiya and is part of the vocal cycle Gagarin's Constellation («Созвездие Гагарина»), a set of songs about cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.^[1][2]

The song is framed as a lyrical portrait of Gagarin and his public image instead of a biographical narrative as the song suggests. The lyrics portray Gagarin as both a heroic and ordinary figure by combining cosmic imagery with everyday Soviet life, while connecting his spaceflight to the Russian folk song Vdol po Piterskoy. Melodiya’s catalogue credits Gulyayev as the vocal cycle’s performer, with instrumentals from the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yuri Silantyev.^[1]

Gagarin’s Constellation was presented as Pakhmutova and Dobronravov’s musical tribute to Gagarin.^[1] According to Russian music writer Sergey Kuriy, Dobronravov recalled that the song’s opening phrase emerged naturally while he and Pakhmutova were discussing how to capture what people knew about Gagarin’s character.^[3] Kuriy also noted that the lyrics incorporates Gagarin’s widely quoted exclamation “Поехали!” (“Let’s go!”) as a central motif.^[3]

The song was released by Melodiya in 1971 within Gagarin’s Constellation and is listed in Melodiya’s official catalogue with composer and lyricist credits, to Pakhmutova and Dobronravov respectively, and a run time of 3:35.^[1] The song is included in the Soviet-era anthology Russkiye sovetskiye pesni: 1917–1977 (Russian Soviet Songs: 1917–1977), edited by N. Kryukov.^[4]

Melodiya’s catalogue identifies Yuri Gulyayev as the cycle’s performer.^[1] A televised performance of the song appears in the program listing for Pesnya-71 (Песня-71).^[5] Gulyayev’s recording has also been reissued on later compilations, including the 2009 CD collection Through Thorns to the Stars: Songs About Space («Через тернии к звёздам. Песни о космосе»).^[6]

In addition to Gulyayev’s performances, baritone Leonid Smetannikov performed the song in 1975 in a televised concert performance.^[7] The song has remained in the repertoire of major Russian ensembles and was performed by the Alexandrov Ensemble in April 2024, with soloist Maksim Maklakov.^[8]

• Yuri Gagarin

• Kuriy, Sergey. “История песен «Трус не играет в хоккей» и «Знаете, каким он парнем был»” [*The history of the songs “A Coward Does Not Play Hockey” and “Do You Know What Kind of Guy He Was”*]. ШколаЖизни.ру, 2017. (in Russian)

• Kryukov, N., and Ya. Shvedov (eds.). Русские советские песни: 1917–1977 [*Russian Soviet Songs, 1917–1977*]. Moscow: Художественная литература, 1977, p. 702. (in Russian)

• Zalyubovskaya, M. E. Знаете, каким он парнем был: документальная повесть [*Do You Know What Kind of Guy He Was: A Documentary Novella*]. Kyiv: Молодь, 1977. (in Russian)

• Mil, A. A. Знаете, каким он парнем был… Почтовые марки, конверты, спецгашения [*Do You Know What Kind of Guy He Was… Postage Stamps, Envelopes, and Special Cancellations*]. Moscow: Радио и связь, 1984. (in Russian)

• Shcherbakov, A. A. (ed.). Венок Гагарину: сборник стихотворений [*A Wreath for Gagarin: A Poetry Collection*]. Moscow: Советская Россия, 1984, p. 24. (in Russian)

• Shulezhkova, S. G. (ed.). Песенные крылатые выражения [*Winged Expressions from Songs*]. Magnitogorsk: Magnitogorsk State Pedagogical Institute, 1993, p. 8. (in Russian)

• Uvarova, E. D. (ed.). Эстрада в России. XX век. Энциклопедия [*Popular Music in Russia: The 20th Century. An Encyclopedia*]. Moscow: Олма-Пресс, 2004, pp. 172, 617. ISBN 5-224-04462-6. (in Russian)

• "Alexandra Pakhmutova: Gagarin Constellation (catalog entry)". Melody (Melodiya).