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Vesyolye Ulybki (Cyrillic: Весёлые Улыбки; translation: Happy Smiles) is t.A.T.u.'s third and final Russian (fifth overall) studio album, released on 21 October 2008. The album was no longer handled by their primary producers and songwriters, which included Martin Kierszenbaum and Trevor Horn. Instead, it was produced by producers including Billy Steinberg, Josh Alexander, Sergio Galoyan. The album's working title was Upravleniye Otbrosami (Cyrillic: Управление Отбросами; translation: Waste Management). The album reached sales of more than 250,000 copies in Russia. The English counterpart, Waste Management, was released in December 2009.

The album has been made available to music streaming platforms in 2020.

Background and development

The group first announced that their album would be entitled Upravleniye Otbrosami, which translates to "waste management". However, a press release had officially stated that it would be entitled Весёлые Улыбки instead, as it reflected sarcastic comments about the state of the Russian music business made by Volkova and Katina in an interview with Moscow's Time Out Magazine. Nonetheless, the album's original title would still be used for the English counterpart, released a year later. Because of the name change, the album was postponed, but was eventually released in October 2008.

Singles

  • The first single from the album, "Белый плащик", was released in November 2007. The music video was released on 29 November 2007. The single was released as a maxi-single with the song, remixes and the second single, "220". It also had mobile wallpapers, a poster and a coupon for a discount of 50 roubles for the supposed album Upravleniye Otbrosami, which expired in June 2008, but they were still valid for the discount of the album of Весёлые Улыбки
  • The second single, "220", was released in April 2008. The song was included in the "Beliy Plaschik" maxi-single and featured 3 mobile wallpapers. A music video was released in June 2008 that featured the group in 'burlesque'-styled costumes dancing and singing to the song.
  • The third single, "You and I", was released exclusively to Love Radio in Russia for three days on 12 September 2008 and then on Europa Plus Radio in Ukraine on 16 September.
  • The fourth single, "Снегопады", was released in April 2009. A trailer for the music video and a premiere date of 17 April were posted on 9 April. After the video premiered, two different versions were posted on t.A.T.u.'s official YouTube: the TV version and the special "Heart Attack Edition", which is the video without the song playing.

Track listing

Source:

No.TitleLyricsMusicTranslationLength
1."Intro"Vanya Kilar3:09
2."Белый плащик" (Beliy Plaschik)Maria Maksakova T.A. MusicKilarWhite Robe3:14
3."You and I"Ed Buller Andy KubiszewskiBuller Kubiszewski3:16
4."Снегопады" (Snegopady)Katya Salem T.A. MusicSlowmanSnowfalls3:15
5."220"Valery PolienkoPolienko3:07
6."Марсианские глаза" (Marsianskie Glaza)T.A. MusicSergio GaloyanMartian Eyes3:10
7."Человечки" (Chelovechki)T.A. MusicSlowmanLittle People3:27
8."Весёлые улыбки" (Vesyolye Ulybki)Evgeni MatveidzevHappy Smiles2:04
9."Running Blind"Sven Martin Rasmus Schwenger Lene DissingJulian Schramm Larz Reinatz Christian Behrens3:39
10."Fly on the Wall"Josh Alexander Billy SteinbergAlexander Steinberg3:59
11."Время луны" (Vremya Luny)T.A. MusicKilarTime of the Moon3:23
12."Не жалей" (Ne Zhaley)T.A. MusicKilarDon't Regret3:06
Total length:38:54

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormat
Russia17 October 2008SoyuzPre-order download
21 October 2008CD
WorldwideDigital download

Notes

  • "Intro" is an instrumental version of "Не жалей".
  • "Весёлые улыбки" is the same instrumental track as "Waste Management" on the Waste Management album.
  • Lena Katina has recorded a Spanish version of "Running Blind" and released it on her Spanish EP version of This Is Who I Am.

External links