From Old Church Slavonic *pěsnja*, derived from the verb *pěti* ("to sing"), which traces back to Proto-Slavic *pěti* and ultimately Proto-Indo-European *peh₂i-* ("to sing, make music"). Cognate with Czech *píseň* and Polish *pieśń*, all meaning "song."

Songs hold an exceptionally deep place in Russian culture. Russia has rich traditions of folk songs (*народные песни*), wartime ballads (*военные песни*), and the intimate *bard* or *авторская песня* (author's song) tradition — think Vladimir Vysotsky or Bulat Okudzhava. The phrase *это другая песня* ("that's a different song") is a common idiom meaning "that's a whole other matter." During Soviet times, communal singing was a central part of social life, and many classic songs from that era remain widely known today.