Đorđe Balašević
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Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
, transitioning after two albums to a solo career. He first gained mainstream prominence for writing
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
's hit "Računajte na nas" (Count on Us), which was often described as an anthem of a generation. Noted for his vivid lyricism and poetry, Balašević was also known for weaving political commentary into his songs and live performance. Broadly supportive of South Slavic unity in late 1970s and early 1980s, in the lead up to the
Yugoslav wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
he began to criticise the authorities. During the Yugoslav wars, he became a prominent anti-war voice in the region, thanks to which he also became an
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific, honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those Goodwill ambassador, goodwill ambassadors and activists, advocates who are designated by the ...
. Balašević was the first Serbian act to perform in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
following the
siege of Sarajevo The Siege of Sarajevo ( sh, Opsada Sarajeva) was a prolonged blockade of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the Bosnian War. After it was initially besieged by the forces of the Yugoslav People's Army, the city was then be ...
. Balašević became one of the most prominent critics of
Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević (, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997 (originally the Socialist Republic of Serbia, a constituent republic of ...
's regime, at considerable personal risk. Balašević was a prolific singer and writer, he recorded 14 albums and 8 books during his career and has been characterised by media and commentators as "musical legend" and author of many "evergreen hits".


Early biography

Balašević was born to a Serbian father Jovan, and mother Veronika Dolenec, half Hungarian and a half
Croat The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Ge ...
ian from
Rasinja Rasinja is a settlement and an eponymous municipality in northern Croatia in Koprivnica–Križevci County, located halfway between Koprivnica and Ludbreg. Population The municipality's total population is 3,267 (2011 census), in the follo ...
near Koprivnica, Croatia. He had a sister Jasna. His grandfather's surname was Balaš but during the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
his grandfather changed it to Balašević in fear of being Magyarized. The younger Balašević grew up in Jovan Cvijić street in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
, in the same house where he lived until his death. He started writing poetry in primary school. He left
high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
in the third year but managed to get a high school diploma as a correspondence student and passed the preliminary exam for the university study of
geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
. He never graduated from the university but instead, he decided to pursue a music career, and in 1977 he joined the band Žetva.


Musical career


Early career: Žetva and Rani Mraz

After Balašević joined the group, Žetva recorded a humorous
tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
-oriented hit single "U razdeljak te ljubim" (I Lay a Kiss on Your Parting), which was sold in more than 180,000 copies. In 1978, he left Žetva and, together with Verica Todorović, formed the band ''
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
''. The band had its debut at the 1978 music festival in
Opatija Opatija (; it, Abbazia; german: Sankt Jakobi) is a List of cities and towns in Croatia, town and a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in western Croatia. The traditional seaside resort on the Kvarner Gulf is known for its Mediterranean ...
with the song "Moja prva ljubav" (My First Love). During 1978, former
Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') was a SFRY, Yugoslav acoustic rock band from Belgrade. Band history 1975 — 1980 The band was formed in 1975 by former Zajedno member Bora Đorđević (vocals and acoustic guitar), a ...
members
Biljana Krstić Biljana () is a settlement east of Dobrovo in the Municipality of Brda in the Littoral region of Slovenia, very close to the border with Italy. Name Biljana was first mentioned in written sources in 1205 as ''Beliana'' (and as ''Villana'' in 1 ...
and
Bora Đorđević Borisav "Bora" Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Борисав, Бора Ђорђевић; born 1 November 1952), also known as Bora Čorba ( sr-cyr, Бора Чорба), is a Serbian singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the frontman of the ...
joined the band (forming the most famous Rani Mraz lineup), and together they recorded "Računajte na nas" (Count on Us), written by Balašević, a song which celebrated the youth's adoption of the
communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
revolution. The song became popular with both the communist authorities and the people, becoming an anthem of the Yugoslav youth. After just a few months of cooperation, Verica Todorović and Bora Đorđević left the band (Đorđević forming his famous
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
band Riblja Čorba). Biljana Krstić and Balašević then recorded Rani Mraz's first album ''
Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu'' (trans. ''To My Mother instead of the Prom Photo in the Shop Window'') is the first studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. In 1998, the album was polled as the 44th on the list ...
'' (''To my Mom instead of Prom Photo in the Shop-Window'') with the help of studio musicians. At the 1979
Split Festival The Split Festival (officially ''Festival zabavne glazbe Split'' or ''Splitski Festival'') is a pop music festival held annually, in July, in Split, Croatia. It has been held since 1960. It is one of the premier Croatian music festivals. Since i ...
, Balašević won the first prize with the single "Panonski mornar" (Pannonian Sailor). A few months later, Rani Mraz sold out
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
's
Dom Sindikata Dom Sindikata (lit. Trade Union Hall), known as mts Hall for sponsorship reasons, is a non-residential, multi-purpose building in downtown Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Finished in 1957, by the 1970s it became the most popular entertainment ve ...
Hall eight times in a row. In 1980, Balašević served in the
Yugoslav People's Army The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska a ...
in
Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
and
Požarevac Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Braničevo District in eastern Serbia. It is located between three rivers: Danube, Great Morava and Mlava and below the hill Čačalica (208m). As of 2011 ...
, where he had a role in the TV show ''Vojnici'' (''Soldiers''), but also found time to write song "Zbog tebe" (Because of You) for
Zdravko Čolić Zdravko Čolić (, ; born 30 May 1951) is a Bosnian Serb singer and is widely considered one of the greatest vocalists and cultural icons of the former Yugoslavia. Dubbed the " Tom Jones of the Balkans", he has garnered fame in Southeastern Europ ...
and lyrics for several songs recorded on Srebrna krila album ''Ja sam samo jedan od mnogih s gitarom'' (''I'm only One of Many with a Guitar''). By the end of 1980, Balašević and Krstić released their second and final album under the name Rani Mraz, with a symbolic title ''
Odlazi cirkus ''Odlazi cirkus'' (trans. ''The Circus Is Leaving'') is the second and final studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. Recording Like it was the case with the previous Rani Mraz album, ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlo ...
'' (''The Circus Is Leaving''). The album reaffirmed Balašević's status and delivered several hit songs, one of them being "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" (Story of Vasa Ladački) which went on to become one of Balašević's signature songs. However, Rani Mraz officially dissolved after that.


Solo career


1980s

Balašević started his solo career in 1982 with the album ''
Pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
'' (''
Jack Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...
'') which was well received, bringing hits "Boža zvani Pub" (Boža Known as the Jack), "Pesma o jednom petlu" (The Song about a Rooster), "Lepa protina kći" (Archpriest's Beautiful Daughter) and "Ratnik paorskog srca" (Warrior with Peasant's Heart). The album was produced by Josip Boček, who would also produce Balašević's following two releases. Shortly after, Balašević had a role in the TV series ''Pop Ćira i pop Spira'' (''Priest Ćira and Priest Spira''), recorded after
Stevan Sremac Stevan Sremac ( sr-cyr, Стеван Сремац, ; 11 November 1855 – 13 August 1906) was a Serbian realist and comedy writer. He is considered one of the best truly humorous Serbian writers. Biography Stevan Sremac was born in Senta in ...
's novel of the same title. At the time, he wrote the song "Hej, čarobnjaci, svi su vam đaci" (Hey, Magicians, Everyone Can Learn from You) for the football club
Red Star Belgrade Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-Cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club, ), commonly known as Red Star Belgrade in English-language media, is a Serbian professional football club based in Bel ...
. In December 1983, Balašević released the album ''
Celovečernji the Kid ''Celovečernji the Kid'' (trans. ''Featuring the Kid'') is the second studio album released by Serbian and SFRY, former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. The album is perhaps best remembered for the songs "Blues mutne vode", "Lunj ...
'' (''Wholevening the Kid''), which featured hits "Svirajte mi 'Jesen stiže, dunjo moja'" (Play 'Autumn Is Coming, My Dear' to Me), "Neko to od gore vidi sve" (Someone from up above Watches it All), "Blues mutne vode" (Muddy Water Blues), "Lunjo" (Hey, Tramp) and "Don Francisco Long Play". The following album, ''
003 003, O03, 0O3, OO3 may refer to: *003, fictional British 00 Agent *003, former emergency telephone number for the Norwegian ambulance service (until 1986) *1990 OO3, the asteroid 6131 Towen * OO3 gauge model railway *''O03 (O2)'' and other related ...
'', was released in 1985, and brought hits "Slovenska" (The Slavic Song), "Al' se nekad dobro jelo" (Back Then Eating Was Good), "Badnje veče" ("Christmas Eve'') and "Olivera". In 1986, Balašević released the album ''
Bezdan Bezdan ( sr-cyr, Бездан; hu, Bezdán, hr, Bezdan, german: Besdan) is a village located in Bačka, Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the Sombor municipality, West Bačka District. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its po ...
'' (''Abyss''), which brought hits "Ne lomite mi bagrenje" (Don't Break My Locust Trees), "Bezdan" and "Ne volim januar" (I Don't Like January). The record was produced by Đorđe Petrović and arrangements were done by Aleksandar Dujin. Those two would be the key associates of Balašević in the following years. They became the backbone of Balašević's supporting band nicknamed The Unfuckables. In 1987, Balašević released his first live album, double album '' U tvojim molitvama – Balade'' (''In Your Prayers – Ballads''). The album was recorded during 1986 and 1987 on his concerts in
Zetra The Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall ( Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: ''Olimpijska dvorana Juan Antonio Samaranch'' / Олимпијска дворана Хуан Антонио Самаран; formerly Zetra Olympic Hall) is an indoor multi- ...
hall in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
, Ledena dvorana and Šalata in Zagreb, Sava Centar in Belgrade, and Studio M in Novi Sad. The album featured a gift 7-inch single with previously unreleased tracks "1987" and "Poluuspavanka" (Half-Lullaby). The album also featured previously unrecorded track "Samo da rata ne bude" (Just May There be no War) which was recorded live with a large children's
choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
. On 19 July 1987, Balašević, alongside
Parni Valjak Parni Valjak (; "steamroller") is a Croatian and former Yugoslav rock band. They were one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene, and one of the top rock bands in Croatia. Biography Parni Valjak was founded in 1975 in Zagreb. Unl ...
,
Leb i sol Leb i sol ( mk, Леб и сол) is a Republic of Macedonia, Macedonian and former yu rock, Yugoslav rock group founded in the 1970s by Vlatko Stefanovski (guitar), Bodan Arsovski (bass guitar), Nikola Kokan Dimuševski (Keyboard instrument, ke ...
and Riblja Čorba, performed at
Stadion Maksimir Maksimir Stadium ( hr, Stadion Maksimir, ) is a multi-use stadium in Zagreb, Croatia. It takes its name from the surrounding neighbourhood of Maksimir. The venue is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top club of the country with 23 le ...
in Zagreb on the 1987 Summer Universiade closing ceremony. Balašević's next studio album, '' Panta Rei'', released in 1988. The song "Requiem" was dedicated to late
Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his deat ...
, while satire "Soliter" (High-rise) caricatures Yugoslavia as a building in which only façade still holds while foundations slide.
Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
sound was present in the songs "Neki se rode kraj vode" (Some Were Born By the Water) and "Nemam ništa s tim" (I Have Nothing to Do with It). Balašević's following album, '' Tri posleratna druga'' (''Three postwar Friends''), was subtitled ''Muzika iz istoimenog romana'' (''Music from the Novel of the Same Name''), referring to his novel '' Tri posleratna druga''. The album was recorded by Dujin, bass guitarist Aleksandar Kravić, and two musicians from
Rijeka Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
, guitarist Elvis Stanić (a former Linija 23,
Denis & Denis Denis & Denis was a Croatian and Yugoslav synth-pop group formed in Rijeka in 1982. They were one of the most popular acts of the Yugoslav synth-pop scene. Formed as a duo consisting of keyboardist and vocalist Davor Tolja and vocalist Marina Per ...
, and Dr Doktor member) and drummer Tonči Grabušić. The album featured radio hits "Kad odem" (When I'm Gone) "D-moll" (
D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed for t ...
), "Ćaletova pesma" (Dad's Song), "Saputnik" (Fellow Traveler), "O. Bože" (Oh God), and
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fo ...
-oriented "Devojka sa čardaš nogama" (A Girl with
Csárdás Csárdás (, ; ), often seen as Czárdás, is a traditional Hungarian folk dance, the name derived from ' (old Hungarian term for roadside tavern and restaurant). It originated in Hungary and was popularized by bands in Hungary and neighboring l ...
Legs). The song "Sugar Rap" featured caricatured rap sound.


1990s

The album '' Marim ja...'' (''I care...'') was released in 1991. Beside Balašević's old associates, the album featured Davor Rodik ( pedal steel guitar), Nenad Jazunović (percussion), and Josip "Kiki" Kovač (violin). The songs "Nevernik" (The Unbeliever), "Ringišpil" (Carousel), "Divlji badem" (Wild Almond) were the album's biggest hits. As the
Yugoslav Wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
erupted, Balašević was forced to stop collaborating with Stanić and Grabušić (the two forming the
jazz rock Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and keyb ...
band Elvis Stanić Group). Balašević withdrew to isolation, partly due to his anti-war attitudes. His next album '' Jedan od onih života...'' (''One of Those Lives...''), released in 1993, featured Aleksandar Dujin on piano, Dušan Bezuha on guitar, Đorđe Petrović on keyboards, Aleksandar Kravić on bass guitar, Josip Kovač on saxophone, and
Dragoljub Đuričić Dragoljub Đuričić ( Serbian and Montenegrin Cyrillic: Драгољуб Ђуричић; 10 February 1953 – 15 March 2021) was a Serbia-based Montenegrin drummer. Đuričić started his career in the early 1970s in Herceg Novi, playing in l ...
(formerly of
YU grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
,
Leb i Sol Leb i sol ( mk, Леб и сол) is a Republic of Macedonia, Macedonian and former yu rock, Yugoslav rock group founded in the 1970s by Vlatko Stefanovski (guitar), Bodan Arsovski (bass guitar), Nikola Kokan Dimuševski (Keyboard instrument, ke ...
and
Kerber Kerber ( sr-cyr, Кербер, lit=Cerberus) is a Serbian and Yugoslav hard rock band formed in Niš in 1981. The mainstay members of Kerber are vocalist Goran Šepa "Gale", guitarist Tomislav "Tomica" Nikolić and keyboardist Branislav "Bane ...
) on drums. The songs such as "Krivi smo mi" (It's Our Fault) and "Čovek sa mesecom u očima" (The Man with the Moon in His Eyes) heavily criticized and denounced the ongoing war. At the same time, the compilation album ''Najveći hitovi'' (''Greatest hits''), featuring songs recorded during the 1986–1991 period, was released. The songs which appeared on the compilation were chosen by Balašević himself. After a long break, at the beginning of 1996, he issued '' Naposletku...'' (''After All...''). Beside Balašević's old associates, the album featured young drummer Petar Radmilović. ''Na posletku...'' was mainly
folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...
-oriented. Nearly all instruments on the album are acoustic, with the violin becoming dominant and woodwind instruments heavily used. In 1997, the live album ''
Da l' je sve bilo samo fol? ''Da l' je sve bilo samo fol?'' (trans. ''Was Everything just Pretending?'') is the second live album by Serbian and former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. The album was recorded during Balašević's concert in Maribor, Slovenia, ...
'', recorded on 6 December 1996 on a concert in
Maribor Maribor ( , , , ; also known by other #Name, historical names) is the second-largest city in Slovenia and the largest city of the traditional region of Styria (Slovenia), Lower Styria. It is also the seat of the City Municipality of Maribor, th ...
, was released in
Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
. The album '' Devedesete'' (''Nineties''), self-released by Balašević in the spring of 2000, was his most politically involved album. The album was produced by Petrović, and, beside old associates, featured the saxophonist Gabor Bunford.


2000s

In 2001, Balašević released the album ''
Dnevnik starog momka ''Dnevnik starog momka'' (trans. ''Diary of an Old Bachelor'') is the eleventh studio album released by Serbian and former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. Balašević's first album after the 2000 political changes in Serbia, '' ...
'' (''Diary of an Old Bachelor''). The album comprised 12 songs, each having a female name as its title. The song titles form the
acrostic An acrostic is a poem or other word composition in which the ''first'' letter (or syllable, or word) of each new line (or paragraph, or other recurring feature in the text) spells out a word, message or the alphabet. The term comes from the Fre ...
"Olja je najbolja" (Olja is the Best), Olja being the nickname of Balašević's wife Olivera Balašević. Balašević stated on several occasions that the girls the songs were named after are pure fiction. In 2002, the compilation album ''
Ostaće okrugli trag na mestu šatre ''Ostaće okrugli trag na mestu šatre'' (trans. ''A Round Trace Will Remain Where a Big Tent Once Stood'') is a double compilation album released by Serbian and former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. The album title refers to a ...
'' (trans. ''A Round Trace Will Remain at the Place where Tent Used to Be'', named after a verse from the song "Odlazi cirkus") was released. The album featured the choice of songs from Balašević's solo career, with some of the older songs prerecorded. Balašević released the songs that should have been the soundtrack for the film '' Goose Feather'' on the album ''
Rani mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
''. The album's subtitle was ''Priča o Vasi Ladačkom.../Muzika iz nesnimljenog filma'' (''Story of Vasa Ladački.../Music from the Film that was not Filmed''). The album featured folk rock sound similar to the one on ''Na posletku''. The album featured rerecorded "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" and the instrumental track based on it, "Pričica o Vasi L." (Short Story about Vasa L.). The album also featured the song "Maliganska", which Balašević wrote at the beginning of his career and unsuccessfully offered to
Zvonko Bogdan Zvonimir "Zvonko" Bogdan ( sr-cyr, Звонимир "Звонко" Богдан; born 5 January 1942) is a Serbian Bunjevac performer of traditional folk songs of Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Romania. He is also a composer, wine producer and har ...
, and which was previously released by pop rock/folk rock band Apsolutno Romantično under the title ''Đoletova pesma'' (''Đole's Song''). The album, beside old associates, featured Zoran and Pera Alvirović (of Apsolutno Romantično), Andrej Maglovski (
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
), Stevan Mošo (
prim Prim may refer to: People * Prim (given name) * Prim (surname) Places * Prim, Virginia, unincorporated community in King George County *Dolní Přím, village in the Czech Republic; as Nieder Prim (Lower Prim) site of the Battle of Königgrätz ...
), Beni Ćibri (double bass), Agota Vitkai Kučera (
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
), St. George Choir, and others.


2010s

In 2010, Balašević directed the film ''Like An Early Frost'' (originally titled ''Kao rani mraz''), starring Daniel Kovačević,
Rade Šerbedžija Rade Šerbedžija ( sr-Cyrl, Раде Шербеџија, ; born 27 July 1946) is a Croatian actor, director and musician. He is known for his portrayals of imposing figures on both sides of the law. He was one of the best known Yugoslav actors i ...
and Balašević's daughter Jovana, based on the song "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom". The film received mostly negative reviews by the critics. In 2012, Balašević released six new songs among which are: "Berba '59." (Harvest of '59), "Ljubav ne pobeđuje" (Love Doesn't Win) and "Osmeh se vratio u grad" (Smile Returned to Town). In 2015, Balašević released a song "Duet" dedicated to
Kemal Monteno Kemal Monteno (17 September 1948 – 21 January 2015) was a Bosnian recording artist and singer-songwriter whose career stretched from the 1960s to the 2010s. Early life Monteno's father Osvaldo was an Italian from Monfalcone. During World War ...
who had died in January of that year. In 2016, Balašević released a song "Mala vidra sa Begeja" (Little otter from Bega river).


Concerts

His traditional New Year's concerts in Sava Center hall in Belgrade were traditionally sold out. He sold out Sava Center for the first time in the 1982/1983 season.


Political stances

After releasing, one of his first songs "Računajte na nas" (''Count on Us''), Balašević was politically involved. Together with another early single "Triput sam video Tita" (''I Saw
Tito Tito may refer to: People Mononyms * Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980), commonly known mononymously as Tito, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman * Roberto Arias (1918–1989), aka Tito, Panamanian international lawyer, diplomat, and journ ...
Three Times''), these songs summed up his support for
Yugoslavism Yugoslavism, Yugoslavdom, or Yugoslav nationalism is an ideology supporting the notion that the South Slavs, namely the Bosniaks, Croats, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Serbs and Slovenes, but also Bulgarians, belong to a single Yugoslav nation ...
and
Titoism Titoism is a political philosophy most closely associated with Josip Broz Tito during the Cold War. It is characterized by a broad Yugoslav identity, workers' self-management, a political separation from the Soviet Union, and leadership in th ...
. In 2018, he commented that "
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
wasn't good, if it was good it would not fall apart so bloodily". During the second half of the 1980s, Balašević began to criticize the authorities, and in the early 1990s his songs and stage speeches showed disillusionment and sadness over the fact that bloodshed was possible in the Yugoslavia he once admired. He openly criticized the up-and-coming forms of ethnic nationalism in
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
,
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
,
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
and
Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
. In the ensuing war years, Balašević had serious problems with the government of
Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević (, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997 (originally the Socialist Republic of Serbia, a constituent republic of ...
because he openly stated his opposition to it. At his concerts he often criticized and mocked Milošević and other Serbian politicians. In 1996, he became the
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific, honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those Goodwill ambassador, goodwill ambassadors and activists, advocates who are designated by the ...
for his antiwar statements during the
Yugoslav Wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
and held the first post-war concert in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
as the first Serbian artist visiting
war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
-torn
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. In 2000, he took part in demonstrations during and following the downfall of Slobodan Milošević. In 2006, after
Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...
declared independence from the
State Union of Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro ( sr, Cрбија и Црна Гора, translit=Srbija i Crna Gora) was a country in Southeast Europe located in the Balkans that existed from 1992 to 2006, following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Y ...
, Balašević sent a letter to then
Prime Minister of Montenegro The prime minister of Montenegro ( cnr, Премијер/Премијерка Црне Горе, Premijer/Premijerka Crne Gore), officially the president of the Government of Montenegro (), is the head of the government of Montenegro. The role ...
Milo Đukanović Milo Đukanović ( cnr, Мило Ђукановић, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the President of Montenegro since 2018, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister o ...
in which Balašević congratulated Đukanović on the independence of
Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...
. He voted for
Boris Tadić Boris Tadić ( sr-cyr, Борис Тадић, ; born 15 January 1958) is a Serbian politician who served as the president of Serbia from 2004 to 2012. Born in Sarajevo, he graduated from the University of Belgrade with a degree in psychology ...
in the 2008 and the 2012 Serbian presidential election.


Personal life

Balašević lived in Novi Sad in the same house where he grew up, with his wife Olivera (born Savić in
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; hu, Nagybecskerek; ro, Becicherecu Mare; sk, Zreňanin; german: Großbetschkerek) is a city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbi ...
), who was a
ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...
and a member of the national
gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...
team, and their three children; daughters Jovana (an actress, born in 1980) and Jelena (born in 1984), and son Aleksa (born in 1994). On 14 November 2019, Balašević suffered a
myocardial infarction A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...
from which he was recovering until his death. For most of his life, he declared himself as a Yugoslav. He got married Olivera on May 7, 1981 in Novi Sad.


Death

Balašević died on 19 February 2021, in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
from complications of
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
, caused by
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. On 22 February 2021, there was event called Noć kada je Đole preplivao Dunav ( eng. ''Night when Đole crossed the
Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
''). Event was oragnized in Novi Sad in memory of him. One of the participants was the choir of the
Serbian National Theater The Serbian National Theatre ( sr, Српско народно позориште, Srpsko narodno pozorište), located in Novi Sad, is one of the major theatres of Serbia. History The current building of the theatre was opened in March 1981. The ...
.


Legacy

The 1998 book '' YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike'' (''YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music'') features two Đorđe Balašević solo albums, ''
Bezdan Bezdan ( sr-cyr, Бездан; hu, Bezdán, hr, Bezdan, german: Besdan) is a village located in Bačka, Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the Sombor municipality, West Bačka District. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its po ...
'' (ranked No. 25) and ''
Pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
'' (ranked No. 66), and one Rani Mraz album, ''
Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu'' (trans. ''To My Mother instead of the Prom Photo in the Shop Window'') is the first studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. In 1998, the album was polled as the 44th on the list ...
'' (ranked No. 44). In 2000, the song "Slovenska" polled No. 69 on the ''Rock Express'' Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times list. In 2006, the song "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" polled No. 13
B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs 100 najboljih domaćih pesama (''Top 100 Domestic Songs'') was a list compiled by the Serbian Radio B92. In 2006, Radio B92 organized the poll for the selection of top 100 Yugoslav songs. The whole list was presented on radio B92 on November 5, 200 ...
list. In 2011, the song "Menuet" was polled, by the listeners of Radio 202, one of 60 greatest songs released by
PGP-RTB PGP-RTB (abbreviation for sr, Produkcija gramofonskih ploča Radio televizije Beograd) was a major state-owned record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia, based in Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia. After the breakup ...
/ PGP-RTS during the sixty years of the label's existence. In 2007, twenty-one bands from Balašević's native Novi Sad, including
Zbogom Brus Li Zbogom Brus Li (Serbian Cyrillic: Збогом Брус Ли; trans. ''Goodbye Bruce Lee'') is a Serbian punk rock band from Novi Sad. Influenced by Misfits, Ramones, Toy Dolls, Cock Sparrer, Dickies, T.Rex, Hard-Ons and other acts, the band ...
,
Pero Defformero Pero Defformero are a Serbian band from Novi Sad. The band parodies turbo-folk music by combining it with heavy metal and humorous lyrics. Band history Formation and breakup (1993-1997) The first idea of combining hard rock and heavy met ...
, Super s Karamelom and others, recorded a tribute album to Balašević entitled '' Neki noviji klinci i...''. In 2012, singer-songwriter and former
Azra Azra was a Croatian and Yugoslav rock band that was one of the most popular acts of the Yugoslav new wave music of the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up we ...
leader Branimir "Johnny" Štulić released a cover of "U razdeljak te ljubim" on his official YouTube channel. Even after the
Yugoslav wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
of the 1990s, Balašević remained popular and well-liked not only in Serbia but throughout the various former Yugoslav republics. News of his death was widely shared across Croatian and Bosnian media, with Bosnian web portal '' Klix.ba'' describing Balašević as a "legendary" performer whose songs could "inspire deepest emotion in an audience." In his hometown of
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
, hundreds of people gathered in the town center after the news of his death, and besides in his native Serbia there were fan gatherings as well as in
Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
and
Pula Pula (; also known as Pola, it, Pola , hu, Pòla, Venetian language, Venetian; ''Pola''; Istriot language, Istriot: ''Puola'', Slovene language, Slovene: ''Pulj'') is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, and the List of cities and town ...
in
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
and in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. The
Mayor of Novi Sad This is a list of mayors of Novi Sad from 1 February 1748, when the city got royal free city status by Maria Theresa of Austria. The Mayor of Novi Sad is the head of the City of Novi Sad (the second largest city in Serbia and the administra ...
, Miloš Vučević announced that on February 21,
day of mourning A national day of mourning is a day or days marked by mourning and memorial activities observed among the majority of a country's populace. They are designated by the national government. Such days include those marking the death or funeral of ...
will be held in Novi Sad because of Balašević's death.


Discography


With Rani Mraz

* ''
Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu'' (trans. ''To My Mother instead of the Prom Photo in the Shop Window'') is the first studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. In 1998, the album was polled as the 44th on the list ...
'' (1979) * ''
Odlazi cirkus ''Odlazi cirkus'' (trans. ''The Circus Is Leaving'') is the second and final studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. Recording Like it was the case with the previous Rani Mraz album, ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlo ...
'' (1980)


Solo

* ''
Pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
'' (1982) * ''
Celovečernji The Kid ''Celovečernji the Kid'' (trans. ''Featuring the Kid'') is the second studio album released by Serbian and SFRY, former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. The album is perhaps best remembered for the songs "Blues mutne vode", "Lunj ...
'' (1983) * ''
003 003, O03, 0O3, OO3 may refer to: *003, fictional British 00 Agent *003, former emergency telephone number for the Norwegian ambulance service (until 1986) *1990 OO3, the asteroid 6131 Towen * OO3 gauge model railway *''O03 (O2)'' and other related ...
'' (1985) * ''
Bezdan Bezdan ( sr-cyr, Бездан; hu, Bezdán, hr, Bezdan, german: Besdan) is a village located in Bačka, Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the Sombor municipality, West Bačka District. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its po ...
'' (1986) * '' Panta Rei'' (1988) * '' Tri posleratna druga'' (1989) * '' Marim ja...'' (1991) * '' Jedan od onih života...'' (1993) * '' Naposletku...'' (1996) * '' Devedesete'' (2000) * ''
Dnevnik starog momka ''Dnevnik starog momka'' (trans. ''Diary of an Old Bachelor'') is the eleventh studio album released by Serbian and former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. Balašević's first album after the 2000 political changes in Serbia, '' ...
'' (2001) * ''
Rani mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
'' (2004)


Bibliography

*''Računajte na nas'' – book of poems *''I život ide dalje'' – collection of
column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
s *''Jedan od onih života'' – novel *''Dodir svile'' (1998) – book of poems *''Tri posleratna druga'' – novel *''...i od dva-tri akorda (jer ni ne umem bolje ja...)'' – book of poems *''Kao rani mraz'' – screenplay based on which a movie with the same name was filmed *''Kalendar mog detinjstva'' – novel


References

*EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006, Janjatović Petar; *''NS rockopedija, novosadska rock scena 1963–2003'', Mijatović Bogomir; Publisher: SWITCH, 2005


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Balasevic, Djordje 1953 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Serbian poets 20th-century Serbian writers 21st-century Serbian poets 21st-century Serbian writers Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia Deaths from pneumonia in Serbia Indexi Award winners Serbian baritones Serbian male actors Serbian male poets Serbian people of Croatian descent Serbian people of Hungarian descent Serbian pop singers Serbian record producers Serbian rock singers Serbian singer-songwriters Musicians from Novi Sad Yugoslav musicians Yugoslav rock singers United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassadors