Булат Окуджава и авторская песня

In this article the problem of Okudzhava and the bard song (“author song”) is not discussed in connection with cultural and literary processes, but in connection with Okudzhava's own declarations and poetic texts. A distinction is made between Okudzhava-the man, who has certain personal preoccupations, and Okudzhava-the poet, who has his own literary priorities. The article explores the evolution of Okudzhava's self-determination in performing his songs in official and non-official culture. It discusses which of his poems became songs and which not and how one and the same text can play a role in different contexts: as a printed poem in the tradition of classical Russian literature, and as a song performed in contemporary social and political circumstances.