It was such a terrible year, with droughts and fear.
It was such a terrible year, remembering it is good.
Right-wing parties won, bitter political year.
And doctors didn't find a vaccine for AIDS.

It was such a terrible year, children died in Africa.
And right here in my street they killed a beggar from nowhere,
an unhappy prostitute, an abused wife.
It was such a terrible year, the Balkans smouldered.

It was such a terrible year, the days were cold
and even shorter. Months were rivers
trailing abandonment. Love was oblivion.
There were no clouds, there was no rain. Autumn was forbidden.

It was such a terrible year, conventions were held
about the ozone layer, and men broke
the moratorium on hunting wolves and whales.
It was such a terrible year, blood run in Chechnia.

It was such a terrible year, the days were cold
and even shorter. Months were rivers
trailing abandonment. Love was oblivion.
There were no clouds, there was no rain. Autumn was forbidden.

It was such a terrible year, with hunger, with war,
of persecuted ideas, with prayers and misery.
It was such a terrible year, I can't forget it.
It was such a terrible year, the one when you left me.
When you left me.