According to the Ukrainian and Russian press , the song became a major hit in 1979 , the year of its first performance . It was the second such achievement for a Ukrainian song within the former USSR and internationally , after the song " Chervona Ruta " . The lyrics and the music were composed by Nikolay Mozgovoy . The song remains popular today with numerous recorded cover versions , namely by Ani Lorak and Taisia Povaliy . Ruslana , the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 also made a cover of the song in collaboration with the Balkan musician Goran Bregovich . Among others , the song was released as a 1979 extended play ( EP ) '' Moy Kray '' ( Мой край/My Homeland ) by Melodiya , as a flexi by '' Krugozor No 7 in 1981 '' and was also included in numerous films and concert programmes , such as '' Vas priglashayet Sofia Rotaru '' of 1986 . A modern remixed version of the song appears on track 14 of the 2003 album '' Yedinomu '' . In 1980 , Sofia Rotaru enters the final of the 1980 '' Song of the Year '' with the original version for the song
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
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