Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce

Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce or Zajdi, zajdi, jasno slănce (O Set, O Set, Clear Sun; Template:Lang-mk; Template:Lang-bg; Template:Lang-sr) is a Macedonian-language folk-style song composed by Aleksandar Sarievski and based on Bulgarian and Macedonian folklore; in recent times, it has gained popularity throughout the Balkans. In the past sixty years, it has become one of the songs the people of the former Yugoslavia most often associate with the Republic of Macedonia.

Origins

In its current form, the song was written by Macedonian singer-songwriter Aleksandar Sarievski. It is based on the texts of two earlier folk songs collected by the Bulgarian writer Lyuben Karavelov and published in Veliko Turnovo in 1878.

Of the first stanza, beginning with zajdi, zajdi jasno slănce ('o set, o set, clear sun'), lines 2–4 are adapted from lines 10–12 of a Karavelov song called Sbirajte sa, momi, bulki, where the preceding first line of the stanza is instead Slănce jarko, slănce svetlo. The following two stanzas, beginning with the line Crni goro, crni sestro, are based on lines 21–28 of another Karavelov song called Bulka vărvi

Sarievski's text	Karavelov text
Zajdi, zajdi jasno sonce zajdi pomrači se i ti jasna le mesečino begaj udavi se.	Slănce jarko, slănce svetlo zajdi, pomrači sa; a ti, jasna mesečinko, bjagaj, udavi sa!
Crni goro, crni sestro dvajca da crnejme ti za tvojte lisja le goro jas za mojta mladost. Tvojte lisja goro sestro pak ḱe ti se vratat mojta mladost goro le sestro nema da se vrati	Černej, goro, černej, sestro, dvama da černejme, ti za tvojte listi, goro, az za părvo libe. Tvojte listi, goro-le sestro, pak štăt da pokarat, mojta mladost, goro-le sestro ne šte se povărne.
Sarievski's text	Karavelov text
O set, o set, clear Sun, Set, go dark, And you too o, clear Moon, Begone, drown yourself.	O burning Sun, o brightly Sun, Set, go dark, And you too o, clear Moon, Begone, drown yourself.
Darken forest, darken sister, Let us both get dark, You for your leaves o, forest, Me for my youth. Your leaves forest, sister, Will be back again, My youth o, forest o, sister, Will never return.	Darken forest, darken sister, Let us both get dark, You for your leaves o, forest, Me for my first love. Your leaves forest, sister, Will grow again, My youth o, forest o, sister, Will never return.

Sarievski described his creation in these terms:

The song "Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce" emerged from the folk song "Černej goro, černej sestro". In listening to that song and occasionally singing it, I came up with the idea to make something similar in terms of content, but with a completely different melody. So, I gradually began to sing the song, which would soon after become very popular everywhere I sung it. That song means a lot to me because it was received well by many individuals interested in folk music, but above all it means a lot to me because it was accepted by the people. Every time I'd go somewhere I think everyone present expected me to sing it.

'Zajdi, zajdi' in Serbia

This folk song has its version in southern Serbian dialects also, very similar and almost identical to the Macedonian and Bulgarian version. This is not strange, since being of the same religion and similar language and tradition due to common Slavic and Byzantine Orthodox heritage, and being part of the Ottoman Empire for centuries, these three peoples shared many folklore traits.

The song is one of the most popular folk songs in Serbia and one of the rare ones sung in its original dialect ('Zajdi, zajdi jasno slnce' compared to standard Serbian 'Zađi, zađi jasno sunce'). Due to cultural connections with Macedonia, many Macedonian singers building their carrier in Serbia and the fact that the song is one of the symbols of Macedonian people and country, 'Zajdi, zajdi' is commonly heard in its very similar and almost identical Macedonian version.

Controversy

The origin of the song is a matter of dispute between parties in Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. According to folklorist Nikolay Kaufman, who finds the melody identical to that of an earlier Karavelov song, it is based on a Bulgarian folk song. Professor Georgi Kraev, on the other hand, views it as more of Balkan song, originally popularised in Bulgaria and only later in the rest of the peninsula. The text itself is derived from two different songs initially published by Karavelov in 1878 or even in 1861.

Cultural references

• The song has been included in numerous anthologies and has been covered by many singers from the Balkans, including Ceca, Toše Proeski, Haris Džinović (at his Belgrade concert in 1999), Šerif Konjević, Karolina Gočeva, among many others.
• An instrumental version of the song was recorded by the Serbian rock band Smak on their album Zašto ne volim sneg, and was later re-released on the band's guitarist Radomir Mihajlović's solo album Byzantine Blue. Serbian rock band Neverne Bebe recorded a cover of Smak song "Daire", icorporating a part of Smak version of "Zajdi, zajdi" into the song.
• A version of the song influenced by rock music is due to be released by Bulgarian singer Rosi Pandova.

External links

• Zajdi, Zajdi performed by Aleksandar Sarievski
• Song as originally performed by the late Aleksandar Sarievski
• Video of the song performed by the late Macedonian singer Tose Proeski
• Video of the song performed by Bulgarian singer Iva Davidova
• Video of the song performed by the Serbian singer Ceca
• Bulgarian singer Nikolina Chakardakova - Zajdi, zajdi...