to be shots

[güey]

Could you tell me please how you understand to be shots in this Russian skit cover of Elton John's Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word? Starts from 4:25.

What do I gotta do to make you Lenin?
What do I gotta do to be shots?
What do I gotta do to kill Denikin?
"Contra" seems to be the hardest word.

A little context: Denikin was a prominrent military leader in the White Army ("contra"), Chapaev - in the Red Army (the Bolshevics). Contra is a short colloquial form of counterrevolutionary. Chapaev is at the piano.

 

[Tarheel]

It seems to be a brand new phrase. It's a mystery to me what it's supposed to mean.

Apparently, the writer is Russian. Maybe that means something in Russian somehow.

 

[5jj]

I think it's meant to be 'to be shot'.

 

[Tarheel]

OK. What does "to be shot" mean there?

 

[jutfrank]

It means 'killed with a gun'. Chapaev was shot and believed to have drowned in the Ural river.

 

[güey]

"To be shot" seems what they wanted indeed, although it's a weird line here IMO. I believe What do I gotta do not to be shot? would fit much better.

 

[jutfrank]

Agreed.

 

[Tarheel]

"To be shot" seems what they wanted indeed, although it's a weird line here IMO. I believe What do I gotta do not to be shot? would fit much better.

Now we're getting somewhere. Perhaps: "I believe that what I've got to do is not get shot."

In that clip they seem to be performing in front of a Russian audience.

 

[güey]

Now we're getting somewhere. Perhaps: "I believe that what I've got to do is not get shot."

In that clip they seem to be performing in front of a Russian audience.

Yes, it's a long-running show called KVN. This particular episode is about 20 years old.

 

[Tarheel]

@güey I'd be surprised if the average Russian knew much slangy English.

 

[jutfrank]

It might help to know that the original song lyric that they're playing on is this:

What have I got to do to be heard?

They've simply replaced 'heard' with 'shot'. Using, 'not' would change the stressing and rhythm of the line.