Mama (Vitas Album)

Mama (Vitas Album)

Mama (Мама, sometimes translated Mother or Mom) is a Russian album by Vitas. It was released in 2003, simultaneously with The Songs of My Mother. Both albums were a tribute to his late mother. Songs from these albums featured heavily in the setlist of Vitas' extensive world tour The Songs of My Mother, performed at hundreds of venues in several countries from 2004-2006.

The song The Star from this album won a Russian People's HIT prize in 2003 and from them on it became very popular in Russia, China and other countries (being covered by Sasha Kireyev and other fans worldwide by Zui Chen; a.k.a. Dieforsing, among others). The Portuguese version of Vitas' song The Star (named A Estrela) is also covered by Vitas' Brazilian fan Tatianna Raquel, whose her Portuguese version of The Star became most popular in Brazil from 2010 on forward and her fanmade MV is most viewed successfully on YouTube as of now. The digital download of the same Portuguese-language version of Vitas' song The Star (studio version), released on October 4, 2011 on Vitas' Brazilian fan blog, is, according to Raquel, "a song of optimism and hope - both pop and gospel ballad - that those who will listen to will like it and be a fan." It is available as a free download on his Brazilian fan blog.

He performed the song Starry River accompanied by its composer Aleksandra Pakhmutova on piano at a concert in honour of the composer.

He covered the song The Unknown Friend Song (Песня о неизвестном друге, also known as Extraterrestrial Friend) composed in 1985 by Aleksandra Pakhmutova and Rasul Gamzatov (the poem is translated by Yunna Morits) for the song cicle The Earth Globe (Шар земной, 1985–1987). The song is about an unknown friend that realizes that there is an unknown circle of "invisible and unknown" friends and enemies, as well as "lovable planets" (as per the lyrics), in addition to interstellar and general awareness, brotherhood to the next and an existence of an extraplanetary cicle. (The song addresses the topic of science fiction: brotherhood for humanity in the 3rd millennium and beyond.) It is also subsequently re-edited on Vitas' 2006 CD Return Home. There's also the music score of the song (available on the composer's website) to download.