Dark is the Night (Тёмная ночь, lit. Dark Night) is a famous Soviet song associated with the Great Patriotic War. It was originally performed by Mark Bernes in the 1943 war film Two Soldiers.
The song was composed by Nikita Bogoslovsky (1913-2004), lyrics by Vladimir Agatov specially for the film Two Soldiers. But Leonid Utyosov, without knowledge and without permission of authors and film unit, recorded the song, thus becoming the first to do so. But it was exactly Bernes' performance that made it so popular. In the film, Bernes is a soldier who recalls his wife and baby at night while singing the song.
The official experts were keen to accuse Bogoslovsky of propagating "Philistine" sentimental tunes. Though ostracized by the authorities, the song became a symbol of the war years for millions of Soviet people.
Dark Is the Night has been described as "a gentle lyrical song imbued with a feeling of homesickness and expressing devotion to one's beloved" which helped "reveal the personal side of army life, indiscernable in the roar of warfare". It contrasted sharply with the prevalent type of war song, which was either a field marching song or a civil patriotic one.