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Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce

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Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce ("O Set, O Set, Clear Sun", Template:Lang-mk) is a Macedonian-language folk-style song composed by Aleksandar Sarievski. 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.

Slight differences in the text can be attributed to dialectal variation. Indeed in the earliest recordings, Sarievski himself sings the song in his native dialect.

Origins

The song was written and composed by Macedonian singer-songwriter Aleksandar Sarievski in the style of newly composed folk. Though Sarievski composed the melody, he did acknowledge that the text of Zajdi, zajdi was adapted from another source, saying:

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.[1]

The songs Sbirajte sa, momi, bulki[2] and Bulka vărvi[3] from Lyuben Karavelov's collection of folk songs (published in 1878) each have lines which are similar to those of Zajdi, zajdi, and are possibly related to the song Sarievski alluded to.

Lines 10–12 from the former are similar to lines 2–4 from Zajdi, zajdi:

Zajdi, zajdi
Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce (sl'nce)
zajdi, pomrači se
i ti, jasna le mesečino
begaj, udavi se.
Translation:
O set, o set, clear Sun,
Set, go dark,
And you too, clear Moon,
Begone, drown yourself.
Sbirajte sa, momi, bulki
Slănce jarko, slănce svetlo,
zajdi, pomrači sa;
a ti, jasna mesečinko,
bjagaj, udavi sa!
Translation:
O burning Sun, o bright Sun,
Set, go dark,
And you too, clear Moon,
Begone, drown yourself.

The following two stanzas are similar to lines 21–28 from the latter:

Zajdi, zajdi
Crnej (crni), goro, crnej (crni), sestro
dvajca (dvata) da crnime (crneeme)
ti za tvojte (tvoite) lisja le, goro
jas za mojta mladost.
Tvojte (tvoite) lisja, goro sestro
pak ḱe ti se vratat
(a) mojta mladost, goro le (sestro)
nema da se vrati
Translation:
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.
Bulka vărvi
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.
Translation:
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.

There is also a scholarly dispute as to the origin of the song. According to folklorist Nikolay Kaufman, who claims the melody is identical to that of an earlier Karavelov song, it is based on a Bulgarian folk song.[4] Professor Georgi Kraev, on the other hand, views it as more of Balkan song, originally popularized in Bulgaria and only later in the rest of the peninsula.[4]

Cultural references

References

  1. ^ Тодевски, К. (2002) „Од Галичник до легенда“. Дирекција за култура и уметност, Скопје
  2. ^ Karavelov, НОВА ПЕСНОПОЙКА, online edition
  3. ^ Karavelov, НОВА ПЕСНОПОЙКА, online edition
  4. ^ a b "Whom does "Zaydi, Zaydi, Yasno Slance" belong to - "Politika" newspaper". politika.bg. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  5. ^ ""Зайди, зайди ясно слънце" в изпълнение на Роси Пандова". www.az-jenata.com. Retrieved 2008-10-10.