Đurđevdan

"Đurđevdan" (Serbian Cyrillic: "Ђурђевдан", lit. "St. George's Day") is a Serbian folk song of Balkan Romani origin.

"Đurđevdan"
Song by Narodna
English title	St. George's Day
Genre	Folk

Music and lyrics

The song was originally a Balkan Romani folk song called "Ederlezi", which not only is a festival that celebrates the arrival of spring, but is also the Romani term for St. George's Day. The name of the event itself derives from the Turkish word "Hidirellez", which also celebrates the same occasion.

There are two versions of how the Serbs came to know the song that date their origins back to World War 2: one repeated claim states that the song was created when Serbs in Sarajevo were sent to Jasenovac on Đurđevdan, however this origin story has been contested. It is also said that the song was introduced to the Serbs during World War II as the Roma would sing it when the Roma and Serbs were in concentration camps together, though the origin of this claim is unknown.

The song would gain popularity when it was featured in the 1988 movie Dom za vešanje. The film's composer Goran Bregović came to know the song when he visited a Romani folklore society in Šutka, Macedonia. Bregović's band, Bijelo Dugme used the melody for the song "Đurđevdan" for the album Ćiribiribela which was released in the same year. This version (whose lyrics are listed below) would be drastically different compared to its source material as it is a love song rather than a song celebrating the holiday itself.

Lyrics

Lyrics: Proljeće na moje rame slijeće Đurđevak zeleni Đurđevak zeleni Svima osim meni Drumovi odoše a ja osta Nema zvijezde danice Nema zvijezde danice Moje saputnice Ej kome sada moja draga Na đurđevak miriše Na đurđevak miriše Meni nikad više Evo zore evo zore Bogu da se pomolim Evo zore evo zore Ej đurđevdan je A ja nisam s onom koju volim Njeno ime neka se spominje Svakog drugog dana Svakog drugog dana Osim đurđevdana

Lyrics (Lovara Romani): Sve mre amale horo khelena Horo khelena, đeša kerena Sve e Roma, babo, babo Sve e Roma, a daji Sve e Roma, babo, babo Sve e Roma, a daji Ederlezi, Ederlezi Sve e Roma, babo Sve e Roma babo, e bakre činen Al' me, čoro, bešav sijel Romano đeš, amaro đeš Amaro đeš, Ederlezi E dajen babo, amenge bakro Sve e Roma babo, e bakre činen Sve e Roma, babo, babo Sve e Roma, a daji Sve e Roma, babo, babo Ederlezi, Ederlezi Sve e Roma, a daji

Lyrics (English): All my friends are dancing the oro Dancing the oro, celebrating the day All the Roma, mama All the Roma, dad, dad All the Roma, oh mama All the Roma, dad, dad St. George's Day, St. George's Day, All the Roma, mama All the Roma, dad, they slaughter lambs But me, dirty, I am sitting apart A Romani day, our day Our day, St. George's Day The Roma give, dad, a lamb for us All the Roma, dad, they slaughter lambs All the Roma, dad, dad All the Roma, oh mama All the Roma, dad, dad St. George's Day, St. George's Day, All the Roma, mama