3 Winters

Written by Vladimir Nazor, Croatian poet and politician. Originally written in 1943, later versions like this remove references to Stalin since Tito (president of Yugoslavia) no longer saw eye to eye with Stalin’s version of communism.

Lyrics:

With Marshall Tito, the heroic son
not even Hell shall stop us.
We raise our foreheads, we walk boldly
and clench our fists hard.

Let our accursed foes hear now
That a bloody war is fought
Though lose our lives we may today
Lose our great land we shall not!

We shall punish all the traitors
We shall set our people free
That a bitter war we’re fighting.
The entire world shall see!

Circa WWII

A partisan song. A version of this song existed in Russia previously, it seems to have been adapted into a Yugoslavian version during the second world war. It also emphasises a particular cultural identity not necessarily inclusive of all.

Lyrics:

Through the woodlands and the mountains
Of our proud and great country
Spreading the glory of battle
March partisan companies!

Of an ancient kindred we are, but Goths we are not
Part of ancient Slavdom are we.
Whoever says otherwise slanders and lies,
will feel our fist.

All the fingers upon our hands, through misery and suffering
The Partisans awareness has created.
And now when we should, to the sun, to the sky,
We raise our fists high.

I’m proud to be a partisan
‘Tis not something all can be
Only truly mighty heroes
Dare to die

Instrumental

Written by Gorgan Bregović in 1994, renowned musician, composer, and film score composer born in Sarajevo.

Instrumental

The unofficial and then official national anthem of Yugoslavia circa 1945-1991. Adapted from an earlier song by Slovak Samuel-Samo Tomašik circa 1834.

Composed by Darko Kraljić, lyrics by August Putarek, written in 1982 this song is about Yugoslavia’s armed forces, the Yugoslav People’s Army. Between 1945 and 1991 all men in Yugoslavia undertook military service.

Lyrics:

Shining in the sky
Are yellow rockets rockets
There’s no substitute for us
From our company
A comrade speaks quietly: “Pass it on”,
The password is the most beautiful
When it’s “peace”

Every patrol,
A line of heroes,
Love is our
Greatest Salvation
In our patrol,
Brave men of honor
And the results
Of a good dream

From Struga to Triglav
Patrols are circling
The homeland sleeps peacefully
Each to their own
Mountains are in front of us
A storm is coming
Homeland my beloved
A “Hurra!” is heard!

Etc.

Written by Slovenian artist Magnifico in 2007, a playful version of House of the Rising Sun. ‘Remembering Yugoslavia’ podcast gives it as an example of Yugonostalgia.

Lyrics:

There was a land
A land of Champions
A land called Yugoslavia

And it’s been the ruin
Of many a poor boys
And God I know, I’m one

etc.

1999 song by Bosnian artists Plavi Orkestar, who were very popular in the 1980s Yugoslavian pop and rock scene.

Lyrics:

Hey, do you know that it snowed,
do you know that the streets,
are covered in snowflakes,
and I, I would like you to be here
for you to just appear,
at least for New Year.
Girl, it seems to me,
that you haven’t called me in a thousand years.

Azra, midnight is ticking,
for you my heart breaks,
for I know, that tonight I’ll be alone,
in vain I try.

Etc.

Croatian folk song from the north of Croatia, author unknown. This version is recorded by Nükhet Okutan & Vahid Mohammadi.

Lyrics:

I did hear about my darling getting married,
I did hear about my darling getting married.

May he get married, I’m also glad.
May he get married, I’m also glad.

Well, I will too come to his wedding,
Oh, I will too come to his wedding

I will bring him nice presents,
I will bring him nice presents.

In my left hand a rosemary bundle,
In my left hand a rosemary bundle.

And in the right one my small son,
And in the right one my small son.

By Croatian artist Radajka a Verko, 1973.

Lyrics:

A singing summer of dream
chimes with the silver of the mistral,
the rivers running quietly,
running into solitude
along the distant blue beach.

Fears took away everything,
the sad nights sailed away,
everything is full of sun,
the grass rejoicing,
the wind sways the old linden trees.

The whole world is mine
when I have someone like you.
The whole world is mine
when someone loves me the way you do.

Etc.

By Goran Bregović, from the film Underground (1995) directed by Emir Kusturica. The film follows two friends through 50 years of Yugoslavian history starting in 1941. Described as a tragic-farce, it is epic and absurd in style. You can watch it on BFI player.

An albumleaf is a short composition, sometimes intended for a friend or admirer. Erkel (1810-1893) was known as the founding father of Hungarian opera. Several of his operas are critical of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy which Erkel saw formed in 1867. This is the monarchy which fell in Karolina and Monika’s lifetime (1918).

By Bosnian artist Zabranjeno Pušenje, 1999. Another example cited by the Remembering Yugoslavia podcast of Yugonostalgia it follows the fate of one family’s Jugo 45, the iconic Yugoslavian car.

Lyrics:

They say that the miracles of the world
are African pyramids
They say that the miracles of the world
are great rivers of India

But there was no miracle
like a miracle
when my old dad parked
Yugo 45 in our yard

[…]

Chorus:

It was a good time
everything on credit, everything for the folk and friends
pour some soup in your car
and go to Trieste to buy some jeans

It was a good time
going on picnics and the seaside
lots of laugh in the house
Yugo 45 in the yard

[…]

One night I was peeking
I heard voices from the yard
Momo, Franjo and uncle Mirso
were talking quietly

You can’t hit your neighbour,
so they drank one shot and split up
That night it looked so small,
our Yugo 45

We escaped one morning
with two nylon bags
first we were driving by the Lenin’s Street
and then by the Street of Ljubljana

Today we live much better
new city and new apartment
our old dad made it big
he is a minister of our canton

But in my head
there is always the same picture, the same flash-back
old house, little yard
and Yugo 45