Arsenije "Arsen" Dedić (; 28 July 1938 – 17 August 2015) was a Yugoslav and Croatian singer-songwriter. He wrote and performed
chanson
A (, ; , ) is generally any Lyrics, lyric-driven French song. The term is most commonly used in English to refer either to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval music, medieval and Renaissance music or to a specific style of ...
s, as well as film music. He was also an award-winning poet, and was one of the best-selling poets of
former Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
and
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
.
Biography
Dedić was born in
Šibenik
Šibenik (), historically known as Sebenico (), is a historic town in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia, where the river Krka (Croatia), Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is one of the oldest Croatia, Croatian self-governing cities ...
, in the
Littoral Banovina of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
, today
Šibenik-Knin County
Šibenik-Knin County (; ) is a county in southern Croatia, located in the north-central part of Dalmatia. The biggest city in the county is Šibenik, which also serves as county seat. Other notable towns in the county are Knin, Vodice, Drniš a ...
, in the
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
of
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
, within the
Republic of Croatia, as the second child of Veronika "Jelka"
() and Jovan Dedić.
His father was an
Orthodox Christian ethnic
Serb, while his mother was a
Croat
The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
who converted from
Catholicism
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
to
Serb Orthodoxy after marrying Jovan.
His father was a
bricklayer
A bricklayer, which is related to but different from a mason, is a craftsperson and tradesperson who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The terms also refer to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of maso ...
, volunteer
firefighter
A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical in ...
and musician, while his mother was an
illiterate housewife, whom Dedić later taught to write and read.
Dedić was baptized in the Serbian Orthodox Church under the name Arsenije, after the Serbian Archbishop
Arsenije III Čarnojević
Arsenije ( sr-cyr, Арсеније; ) is a Serbian language, Serbian given name, a variant of the Greek name ''Arsenios''. Diminutives of the name include ''Arsen'', ''Arsa'' and ''Arso (disambiguation), Arso''. It may refer to:
*Arsenije Sremac ...
. He finished music school. He and his older brother Milutin left Šibenik for
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, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
and
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, respectively, in 1957. He studied
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
at the
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb (, ) is a public university, public research university in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the largest Croatian university and one of the oldest continuously operating universities in Europe. The University of Zagreb and the Unive ...
but dropped out in 1959, enrolling in the
Music Academy of Zagreb and receiving a diploma in 1964.
Dedić became a household name in the 1960s, thanks to
pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...
festivals and his brand of music, which was at first influenced by Dalmatian folklore, but is mostly comparable to the French
chanson
A (, ; , ) is generally any Lyrics, lyric-driven French song. The term is most commonly used in English to refer either to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval music, medieval and Renaissance music or to a specific style of ...
genre. Throughout the decades Dedić became one of the most respected musicians in former
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
and maintained that reputation all the way to his death.
Illness and death
At the beginning of 2014, Dedić fell and had difficulties walking, so he had to use a cane. Because of unbearable pain in July 2015, he underwent surgery for hip endoprosthesis in the orthopedic hospital in
Krapinske Toplice, followed by a two-week rehabilitation. On 28 July, he spent his 77th birthday with family and friends 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, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
. At the end of July, he suffered severe inflammation most likely as a complication after the surgery, because of which he had the liver transplant in 2004 and had been under immunosuppressive therapy since then, and was taken to intensive care. At first, his condition improved and the medical records were better.
On 8 August, it was reported that his inflammation had calmed down and responded well to drugs. He was expected to be released home but his wife Gabi Novak found him in a serious condition lying on the floor next to the walkerand speaking indistinctly. He was admitted on the emergency neurology of the
Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center but his condition on 13 August drastically worsened. On 14 August, his lungs failed and he was attached to the respirator, and soon the other organs failed successively. Novak refused a high-risk surgery.
Dedić died at the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center on 17 August 2015, at 9:00 pm, aged 77. The commemoration was held at the Croatian National Theatre in Šibenik, and in the
Croatian Music Institute in Zagreb. He was cremated and buried, according to his own wishes, in the circle of his closest family, far from the public eyes, on 25 August at the
Mirogoj Cemetery
The Mirogoj City Cemetery (, ), also known as Mirogoj Cemetery (), is a cemetery park that is considered to be among the more noteworthy landmarks in the city of Zagreb. The cemetery inters members of all religious groups: Catholic, Orthodox, M ...
in Zagreb.
Personal life
Dedić had a daughter Sandra, born in 1962, from his first marriage with Vesna Suligoj, a grandniece of
Antun Gustav Matoš, one of the greatest Croatian poets. Sandra is married to Alen Slavica, a popular singer-songwriter and they have daughter Ema, born in August 2011.
In 1973, Dedić married his second wife
Gabi Novak
Gabrijela "Gabi" Novak (; born 8 July 1936) is a Croatian pop and jazz singer. A wife of the prominent Croatian singer-songwriter Arsen Dedić, whom she married in 1973, Novak became popular in the 1960s.
Biography
Born in Berlin into a family ...
, a prominent Croatian pop singer. Their son
Matija Matija is a South Slavic masculine given name, cognate to Matthew. Notable people with the name include:
* Matija Ahacel (1779–1845), Carinthian Slovene philologist, publicist, and collector of folk songs
* Matija Antun Relković (1732–1798) ...
, who was born the same year, is one of the most respected jazz pianists in
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. He has a daughter Lu, with his wife Marina Scotti.
Dedić dedicated several songs to his wife Gabi Novak, as well as to his daughter ("Sandra") and granddaughters ("Pjesma za Lu", "Mata Hari"). Daughter Sandra appears as a girl on the cover of the 1987 album ''Kino Sloboda''.
Dedić defined himself not as "apolitical, but anti-political".
[Stričević, Marko]
"Arsen Dedić: Ja sam antidiletant!"
Russia beyond the headlines, 23 May 2013. He rejected the possibility of political engagement or support for a politician, convinced that singers do not need declarative statements.
[Tanja ŠIMUNDIĆ BENDIĆ]
"Pjevači o političkom angažmanu"
''Slobodna Dalmacija'', 11 February 2008. Affected by bans and censorship in various parts of his career, he often highlighted
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, politician and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism and social liberalism, he contributed widely to s ...
's liberal motto as his life motto, according to which an individual's freedom reaches all the way to someone else's freedom.
[Ivor Fuka i Ivan Kegelj]
Razgovor s Arsenom Dedićem: Pomalo privodim svoju priču kraju!
lupiga.com, 19 January 2015.[Jurica Körbler]
''Večernje novosti'', 1 February 2015. Declaring himself an artist of "leftist belief",
he opposed
collectivism
In sociology, a social organization is a pattern of relationships between and among individuals and groups. Characteristics of social organization can include qualities such as sexual composition, spatiotemporal cohesion, leadership, struct ...
and
nationalism
Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation, Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Theory, I ...
.
[Televizijski intervju](_blank)
from January 2015, N1 During the
1997 Croatian presidential election campaign, his name appeared on a list of several hundred cultural workers and artists who openly supported
Franjo Tuđman
Franjo Tuđman (14 May 1922 – 10 December 1999) was a Croatian politician and historian who became the first president of Croatia, from 1990 until his death in 1999. He served following the Independence of Croatia, country's independe ...
's candidacy in an open letter, without his approval or request, to which he requested and printed a denial.
After the democratic changes of the 1990s, he cited the solidarity of the system and social mobility as positive aspects of the former
socialism
Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
.
He was a member of the
Zagreb Society of Friends of the
Hajduk Split football club, which he regularly supported with his presence and pro bono performances at ''Bila noć'' (''White Night''). Back in 1967, he included his compositions "Čovjek od soli" (Man of Salt), and a duet with
Vice Vukov "I da bi ja ruku u vatru stavit" (And to Put My Hand In the Fire) on the EP ''Naprid bili'', the proceeds from the sale of which were collected for the construction of the
new Hajduk stadium.
Naprid, Bili!
discogs.com
Discography
Albums released on vinyl
* " 45RPM Compact Vinyl - "ZAGREB 66" XII Festival Zabavne Muzike. SANDRA - Pjeva Arsen Dedic.
* ''Čovjek kao ja'' (1969)
* ''Arsen 2'' (1971)
* ''Homo Volans'' (double album) (1973)
* ''Vraćam se'' (1975)
* ''Porodično stablo'' (1976)
* ''Arsenal'' (1976)
* ''Otisak autora'' (1976)
* ''Pjesme sa šlagom'' (1976)
* ''Dedić-Golob'' (1977)
* ''Kuća pored mora'' (instrumentals) (1978)
* ''Rimska ploča'' (1980)
* ''Pjevam pjesnike'' (1980)
* ''Naručene pjesme'' (1980)
* ''Gabi i Arsen'' (1980)
* ''Carevo novo ruho'' (1981)
* ''Arsen pjeva djeci'' (1982)
* ''Provincija'' (1984)
* ''Kantautor'' (double album) (1985)
* ''Moje popevke'' (1986)
* ''Kino Sloboda'' (1987)
* '' Arsen & Bora Čorba Unplugged `87'' (1987)
* ''Hrabri ljudi'' (Gabi i Arsen) (1988)
* ''Glazba za film i TV'' (1989)
* ''Svjedoci priče'' (1989)
Albums released on CD
* ''Najbolje od Arsena'' (1991)
* ''Tihi obrt'' (1993)
* ''Der Gesang der Narren von Europa'' (1995 – with Dževad Karahasan and Herbert Gantschacher)
* ''Ko ovo more platit'' (1995)
* ''Ministarstvo'' (1997) / ''Ministarstvo straha'' (2000, 2005)
* ''Herbar'' (1999)
* ''Čovjek kao ja'' (1969, 1999)
* ''Kino Sloboda'' (1987, 2000)
* ''Kinoteka'' (2002)
* ''Homo volans'' (1973, 2003)
* ''Imena žena'' (2003)
* ''Na zlu putu'' (2004)
* ''Ministarstvo straha'' (2006)
* ''Rebus'' (2008)
Poetry
* ''Brod u Boci'' (Croatia Concert, Zagreb, 1971)
* ''Hotel Balkan'' (Znanje, Zagreb, 1987)
* ''101 Pjesma'' (Svjetlost, Sarajevo, 1989)
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
*
*
*
Compositions by Arsen Dedić
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dedić, Arsen
1938 births
2015 deaths
People from Šibenik
Croatian people of Serbian descent
20th-century Croatian male singers
Croatian singer-songwriters
Croatian male singer-songwriters
Croatian songwriters
Croatian male songwriters
20th-century Croatian poets
Croatian film score composers
Croatian male film score composers
Yugoslav male singers
Liver transplant recipients
Vladimir Nazor Award winners
Golden Arena winners
Indexi Award winners
Croatian male poets
20th-century Croatian male writers
21st-century male writers
20th-century Croatian writers
21st-century Croatian writers
Burials at Mirogoj Cemetery
Croatia Records artists
PGP RTB artists