Marking the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Brad Paisley wanted to honor the Ukrainian people and their leader with his new song “Same Here.”
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“On this one-year anniversary of the invasion, I’m reminded of the ways we are all so similar,” wrote Paisley in a social media post revealing the song.
In the simple acoustic ballad, which Paisley co-wrote with Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith and Thomas Miller, he sings about everyday activities, from traffic to drinking a beer at a local bar, before his lyrics get more poignant and directed toward Ukraine and Zelenskyy— I’ve got a friend across the ocean / Seems like a million miles away / He says our worlds are very different.
“There’s just no differences,” said Paisley of the song. “You can put us in different places with different flags and different languages, but we have so many similarities.”
Toward the end of the song, a recorded phone conversation between Paisley and the Ukraine president starts playing. Zelenskyy tells Paisley that although they come from different countries and speak different languages, they all “appreciate the same things.”
Paisley asks Zelenskyy how they say “Same Here” in Ukrainian, and the president responds, “Так само.”
The first single from Paisley’s upcoming album, Son of the Mountains, proceeds from “Same Here” will benefit United24 to help construct housing for thousands of Ukrainians who have been displaced during the war.
Below is an excerpt of Zelenskyy speaking in between the closing lyrics of “Same Here”:
Zelenskyy: We speak different languages in our life. Yes, but I think we appreciate the same things – children, freedom, our flag, our soldiers, our people. The biggest treasure we have. And friends. And we’re proud of our army who defends our freedom and will defend our lives.
However you talk, whatever you think
From the songs that you sing to the drink that you drink
Zelenskyy: We’re fighting for our children, our parents to defend our houses and families
And love each other like crazy
And want someone to share your hopes and fears
Zelenskyy: Так само. There’s no distance between our countries in such values. That is very important to see that they are really in many, in many things really the same.
Photo by Catherine Powell/FilmMagic
