t.A.T.u.'s first American release. The track list is as follows:
1. Not Gonna Get Us
This is the English version of Nas Ne Dogoniat, and is quite good for an English pop song, but loses something the original had. All the English versions of the songs have to be slightly remixed, obviously, since changing the lyrics from Russian to English changes the syllables somewhat and the song has to allow for it. These lyrics are a little clumsy, "Not gonna get us/not now I love ya", but the song is still highly listenable. I still like the original better.
2. All The Things She Said
English version of everyone's favorite lesbian schoolgirl lament, Ya Shosla S Uma. These lyrics are slightly better than Not Gonna Get Us, and seem fairly close to the first English translation of Ya Shosla that I read. The remixing, where it occurs, is nice. I dig it. The video for this version is also included on the CD, which has not been refilmed, but just remixed to death so you can't see their lips not synching with the English lyrics. See the original. It's way better.
3. Show Me Love
English version of Ja Tvoya Ne Pervaja. I like this translation best of the whole CD, I think. "You play games and play tricks/Girls and girls, but you're the one/Like a game of pick-up-sticks/Played by fucking lunatics". They do edit out all the profanity in the songs, unfortunately.
4. 30 Minutes
English version of 30 Minut. A song by Lena about blowing up Julia with a homemade timebomb (30 minutes on the bomb) and her heterosexual lover while they fuck on a carousel. Don't piss off the Russian teenagers. This has an excellent accompanying video, although it's not included on the CD. "Carousels/In the sky/That we shape/With our eyes".
5. How Soon is Now
Cover of the Smiths' song by the same name, and my favorite version thereof. My favorite thing on the album. This song is one of those that makes you leap up, run across the room, and crank that volume like it's the nipple on a Poppy Z. Brite character. It's here that T.A.T.u.'s tech guys (most notably Trevor Horn) really shine through. Their remix skills are beautiful things, and I think they deserve more credit than the little popsters, but such is the biz. I bet they aren't half as cute, anyway.
6. Clowns (Can You See Me Now)
English version of Klouny. Again, blows our current pop divas out of the water. I have no idea what this song is about. Being saucy and kissing girls, probably.
7. Malchik Gay
English remix of the original by the same name. I never found a copy of the original lyrics, but this one is about being in love with a gay boy who just can't love her back. "Malchik Gay" means 'gay boy' in Russian. This version isn't as harsh and clangy as the original, which was almost unlistenable. This one is just bouncy as fuck. It actually has some acoustic guitar(!) in it. "I long for you to hold me/like your boyfriend...does" I like that the only song on the CD about being in love with a boy is about a GAY boy.
8. Stars
English version of Skaji Zachem. Seems to be about the shame and rejection that comes with being gay in Russia(again). This song has beautiful, melodious passages spiked with rythmic Russian spoken word to which I've not been able to find a translation. All Russian lyrics in the liner notes are written in Cyrillic, not phoenetic English.
9. Ya Sosla S Uma (that's how it's spelled in the lyrics page)
The original. Lena and Julia croon in Russian about being shunned by everyone they know and love for the sake of their scandalous affair with each other. The video, though not on the disc, is well worth tracking down and watching. It made me want to kiss schoolgirls, and I seem to be heterosexual.
10. Nas Ne Dogoniat
Original here, too. From the English translation I've read, this song sounds like it is about the two of them taking a night flight away from all their cares. The video is outstanding, and has them stealing a truck from the airport and tear-assing down a snowy freeway.
11. Show Me Love Extended Mix
Like it says.
Also on the CD is "Julia and Lena - Behind the Scenes Part II". Part one is on some other CD, I assume. It's cute to watch them try to speak English badly, usually with Lena lapsing into an adorable Russian patter and Julia translating. They swear a lot, but it gets bleeped out. They talk about shopping for groceries, and how they 'sometimes' kiss in the middle of All The Things She Said and that the crowd just riots. They think it's hilariously funny. Lena at one point puts her arms around Julia and says, "She...this is mine." and sort of eyes the interviewer as if challenging him. Even if they aren't really lovers (which I think is probably the case), they are a PR man's dream. They have the act pretty much down.
The liner notes also have some cute photos in them.
Lyrics: http://www.taty.us/lyricseng.htm