Ćiribiribela
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Ćiribiribela is the ninth and final studio album released by Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme, released in 1988. Ćirbiribela would be the band's last release (excluding compilation albums) before the band's 2005 reunion and the live album Turneja 2005: Sarajevo, Zagreb, Beograd.[1]
Background
Ćiribiribela was released at the end of 1988.[1] Recorded during the political crisis in Yugoslavia, the album was marked by the band's leader Goran Bregović's pacifist efforts: the album cover featured Edward Hicks' painting Noah's Ark on the cover, the song "Lijepa naša" ("Our Beautiful") featured the national anthem of Croatia "Lijepa naša domovino" ("Our Beautiful Homeland") combined with the Serbian World War I song "Tamo daleko" ("There, Far Away"),[1] and the title track featured lyrics about a couple which wonders what are they going to do if war begins, and concludes that they are going to "stay at home and kiss".[2]
The album recording revealed the crisis within the band. The songs "Lijepa naša" and "Evo, zakleću se" were played by studio musician Nenad Stefanović "Japanac" on bass guitar and Bajaga i Instruktori member Vladimir "Vlajko" Golubović on drums, which was caused clashes between Bregović and Bijelo Dugme bassist Zoran Redžić and drummer Ipe Ivandić.[3]
The lyrics for the song "Đurđevdan je, a ja nisam s onom koju volim" were, by Bregović's words, inspired by a verse from Đorđe Balašević's song "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" ("The Story of Vasa Ladački").[4]
Track listing
All songs written by Goran Bregović, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ćiribiribela" | 4:12 | ||
| 2. | "Šta ima novo" ("What's New") | 5:21 | ||
| 3. | "Neću to na brzaka" ("I Don't Want It to Be Quick") | 4:10 | ||
| 4. | "Evo, zakleću se" ("Here, I'll Make A Vow") | 5:53 | ||
| 5. | "Đurđevdan je, a ja nisam s onom koju volim" ("It's St. George's Day, and I'm Not with the One I Love") | G. Bregović | Traditional | 3:55 |
| 6. | "Napile se ulice" ("The Streets Are Drunk") | 2:49 | ||
| 7. | "Ako ima Boga" ("If There Is God") | 5:18 | ||
| 8. | "Nakon svih ovih godina" ("After All These Years") | 4:40 | ||
| 9. | "Lijepa naša" ("Our Beautiful") | G. Bregović, Đ. Marinković, traditional | G. Bregović, A. Mihanović, Đ. Marinković | 3:18 |
Personnel
- Goran Bregović - guitar, producer
- Alen Islamović - vocals
- Zoran Redžić - bass guitar
- Ipe Ivandić - drums
- Laza Ristovski - keyboards
Additional personnel
- Nenad Stefanović - bass guitar (on tracks: 4, 9)
- Vladimir Golubović - drums (on tracks: 4, 9)
- Jasmin Sokolović - trumpet
- Klapa Trogir
- Skopje Orchestra Kardijevi
- 1st Belgrade Singing Society
- Vladimir Smolec - engineer
- Rajko Bartula - engineer
- Theodore Yanni - engineer
- Piko Stančić - mixed by
- Trio Sarajevo - design
Reception
Rock critic Darko Glavan wrote about the album in Danas:
As, by Bregović's legitimate judgement, Yugoslavia isn't worth insulting anymore, and his job is singing, all he can do is turn worries into singing, in which Ćiribiribela is a complete success and a great example of escapism with a good cause. [...] material which indicates one of Bregović's greatest discographic successes, both commercial and aesthetic.[5]
Rock critic Vladimir Stakić wrote in Borba:
During work on the album Ćiribiribela, Bijelo Dugme leader, again, obviously, but now even more drastically than two years ago, found himself in a situation in which he, promoting Yugoslavism, has to concurrently be a Serb, a Croat, a Muslim, and everything else.[5]
'Đurđevdan' was, without any doubt — a spectacular song — some collective, ancient and re-evoked, (self-)destructive feelings, recorded by Bregović, something destroying and full of some muddy misery (that song always reminded me of a muddy path, in a foggy day, on an uncertain road, which leads either to nowhere or to precipice) joined in that song. That song is also 'the most Serbian' — the Salonicaesque sentiment, the sentiment of a rough hand creating something incredibly touching, like the feeling caused by those wonderful monuments [to Serbian soldiers] by the road, emanates from the song — can it be by chance that at one point it became something like an alternative an spontaneous Serbian anthem? Suddenly, Alen sings in our language, roughly, bitterly and powerfully, with the lyrics which seem like the lyrics from a two-hundred-year-old folk poem, in classical decasyllables! — the verse that is more "our" than any else, with vowing through repeating, which seems like it came directly out of Kosovo cycle [...]
-Đorđe Matić[6]
The album's biggest hit was ""Đurđevdan je, a ja nisam s onom koju volim", which featured Fejat Sejdić Trumpet Orchestra.[1] Other hits included "Evo zakleću se", "Ako ima Boga", "Šta ima novo", "Nakon svih ovih godina", pop-influenced "Napile se ulice" and Dalmatian folk music-inspired "Ćirbiribela".[1]
"Đurđevdan" video ban
After the album release, Radio-Television Belgrade wanted to make a video for the song "Đurđevdan je, a ja nisam s onom koju volim". The original idea was for the video to feature iconography inspired by Serbian Army in World War I.[6] The video was recorded in the village Koraćica in Central Serbia.[6] The band came to the recording not knowing anything about the video concept.[7] The band should have worn uniforms (without any insignia) and old weapons, but Islamović thought the idea was too "pro-war", so refused to wear a uniform.[7] Eventually, the band and the director reached an agreement: everyone, except Islamović, wore Serbian traditional costumes, with only several of the original props used.[8] However, after the video was recorded, the Radio-Television Belgrade editors themselves decided not to emit it, fearing it might remind of the Chetnik movement.[8]
Post release
At the beginning of 1989, the band went on a tour which should have lasted until April 1.[1] The concert in Belgrade, held in Belgrade Fair on February 4, was attended by about 13,000 people.[9] The concert in Sarajevo's Zetra, held on February 11, was also very successful; it was attended by more than 20,000 people.[9] However, on some concerts in Croatia, the audience booed and threw various objects on stage while the band performed their pro-Yugoslav songs.[9]
After the concert in Modriča, held on March 15, with four concerts left until the end of the tour, Islamović checked into a hospital with kidney pains.[10] This event revealed the existing conflicts inside the band: Bregović claimed that Islamović had no problems during the tour,[10] while the band's manager, Raka Marić, stated that Bijelo Dugme would search for a new singer for the planned concerts in China and Soviet Union.[11] Bregović went to Paris, leaving Bijelo Dugme's status opened for speculations.[1] As Yugoslav Wars broke out in 1991, it became clear that Bijelo Dugme will not continue their activity.[1]
Ćirbiribela would be the band's last release (excluding compilation albums) before the band's 2005 reunion and the live album Turneja 2005: Sarajevo, Zagreb, Beograd.[1]
Covers
- Serbian and Yugoslav folk singer Zorica Brunclik recorded a cover of "Đurđevdan" on her 1989 album Eh, da je sreće (Oh, I Was Lucky).[12]
- Croatian pop singer Alka Vuica recorded a cover of "Šta ima novo" on her 1999 album Balkan Girl.[13]
- Serbian pop singer Željko Joksimović covered "Ako ima boga" and "Đurđevdan" on his 2003 live video album Koncert (Concert).[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Janjatović, Petar (2007). EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006. Belgrade: self-released. p. 35.
- ^ Krstulović, Zvonimir (2005). Bijelo Dugme: Doživjeti stotu. Profil. p. 50.
- ^ Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 281.
- ^ Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 284.
- ^ a b Krstulović, Zvonimir (2005). Bijelo Dugme: Doživjeti stotu. Profil. p. 47.
- ^ a b c Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 285.
- ^ a b Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 286.
- ^ a b Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 287.
- ^ a b c Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 291.
- ^ a b Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 292.
- ^ Vesić, Dušan (2014). Bijelo Dugme: Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu. Belgrade: Laguna. p. 293.
- ^ Eh, da je sreće at Discogs
- ^ Balkan Girl at Discogs
- ^ Koncert at Discogs