The aim of this article is primarily to outline the specification and complexity of the discourse that is the song translation, with a specific focus on the translation of literary song. The song translation is a clash of two dominants – semantic and melic; both equally occupying a priority place in the hierarchy of the foundations of translation. This raises the question of whether the song translation should be treated as a subcategory of the literary translation or as a separate entity requiring specific translational competence, knowledge of extra‑ linguistic fields (e.g., musicology), and clarified educational methods. The author also draws attention to the problem of identifying the song translator. Given the fact that artists who are not in any way related to the field of translation studies are also referred to as song translators, the author once again makes quibbles about the classification of song translation as a subcategory of literary translation. A seemingly uncomplicated problem, when taken apart, begins to take on a form that requires further research in the field of the literary song translation in order to precise its characteristic features, main principles, and frameworks that would facilitate the work of the song translators.