After just few months of cooperation, Verica and Bora left the band (Bora forming his famous Riblja Čorba band), so Biljana and Balašević recorded Rani mraz's first album "Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu" (To my Mother instead of Prom Photo in the Shop-Window) on their own.
At the Split '79. music festival Balašević won the first prize with single "Panonski mornar" (Pannonian sailor). Few months later he sold out Beograd's "Dom sindikata" hall eight times in a row and a star was born. By the end of 1980 Rani mraz released their second and final album titled "Odlazi cirkus" and the band dissolved shortly afterwards. The album indead was one of Balašević's greatest and delivered few unforgettable songs such as "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" (Story of Vasa Ladački) and "Život je more" (Life is a Sea) which, 20 years after their release, still have great popularity.
He started his solo career in 1982 with the album "Pub" (Jack) which was excellently received too. In the following 1982/83 tour he sold out Belgrade's Sava Center hall for the first time. His Sava Center concerts would become his trademark in years to follow. The next two albums "Celovečernji The Kid" (1983) and "003" (1985) follow the same path of success and Balašević established himself as respectable singer-songwriter.
The next album, "Bezdan" (Abyss), released in 1986, was a milestone in his career. The record was produced by Đorđe Petrović and arrangement was done by Aleksandar Dujin. Those two would be the key associates of Balašević for the next 20 years and substantially influence his work. They became the backbone of Balašević supporting band "The Unfuckables" (although this is just a nickname, as he performs under his own name and the support band is never mentioned) and part of his stage appearance.
The next album was his first and (as of 2006) the last live album "U tvojim molitvama" (In Your Prayers). The album was recorded on his concerts in Sarajevo (Zetra hall), Zagreb (Ledena dvorana and Šalata), Belgrade (Sava Center) and Novi Sad (Studio M) in 1986 and 1987. Apart from his well-known previous songs, the album featured few previously unrecorded tracks, one of which is "Samo da rata ne bude" (Just Let There be no War). The song features a large children's choir which, together with lyrics warning about the war (which indeed will start in 3 years time), delivers a hymn of pacifists throughout then still existing Yugoslavia.
The same sensation of imminent disaster predominates his next album "Panta rei" (1988). The "Requiem" was dedicated to late Josip Broz Tito and those who identified themselves with his ideas, while satire "Soliter" caricatures Yugoslavia as a skyscraper in which only façade still holds while foundations slide. The atmosphere of the album is dark and bitter as Balašević realises the hard times are coming.
Famous guitarist Elvis Stanić takes part in recording of album "Tri posleratna druga" (1989) (Three Afterwar Friends). Josip Kiki Kovač joined "The Unfuckables" on album "Marim ja..." (I Care...) (1991).
As the war began, Balašević withdrew to isolation. He was forced to stop collaborating with Croatian artists and his tempo of one album per year was disrupted. His next album "Jedan od onih života" (One of Those Lives) (1993) featured songs such as "Krivi smo mi" (It's Our Fault) and "Čovek sa mesecom u očima" (The Man with Moonlight in the Eyes) which heavily criticised and denounced the ongoing war.
After a long pause, he issued "Naposletku" (In the end) (1996). The change in sentiment was obvious and would be more or less prevalent on all of his albums up to date (as of 2006). Nearly all instruments on this album are acoustic, violin becomes dominant and woodwind instruments are heavily used.
"Devedesete" (2000) (The nineties) was his most politically involved album. He engaged himself in broad criticism of current political situation in Serbia, openly making fun of Slobodan Milošević with song "Lege'da o Gedi Gluperdi" (Legend of Geda the Stupid), criticising police officers who defended the corrupt system by confronting demonstrating youth in "Plava balada" (The Blue Ballad), looking back to 1990s with disgust in song "Devedesete" (Nineties) (first line of refrain was "Ma, jebite se devedesete" – Fuck you, nineties), supplying young demonstrators with a hymn "Živeti slobodno" (To Live Freely), reaching out for his lost friends in Croatia and Bosnia with "Stih na asfaltu" (A Verse on the Asphalt), singing about Zagreb and "Sevdalinka", but still preserving patriotism with "Dok gori nebo nad Novim Sadom" (While the Sky over Novi Sad is Burning), song about NATO bombardement of Novi Sad. This album clearly marked the atmosphere in Serbia in the year when Slobodan Milošević lost the power.
After this open engagement in politics, he returned to romance. Album "Dnevnik starog momka" (Diary of the old bachelor) (2001) comprises 12 songs, each having a female name as the title, and each singing about another girl. Balašević repeatedly stated that the girls and songs are pure fiction, and song titles form acrostic "Olja je najbolja" (Olja is the Best), Olja being nickname of his wife Olivera Balašević.
His last album (as of 2006) "Rani mraz" (2004) follows the style developed on "Naposletku" and "Dnevnik starog momka". He is often criticised to plagiarize himself and to write songs which resemble each other, but he rebuffs such criticism by saying that "Balašević ought to sing Balaševićian songs".
Narodnjaci
Đorđe Balašević Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Znaju sistem i stvaraju dar-mar
Rasturaju po pitanju tiraža
Sve veća je blamaža biti neko od nas
Narodnjaci su ukrali moj bend
Narodnjaci su federalni trend
A mi smo gurnuti u ilegalu
O narodnjaci
Sve vam je u šaci al' zašto da se baci?
Ma ostavite nešto i za nas
Narodnjaci, braćo i zemljaci
Budite ortaci pa smanjite taj gas!
Narodnjaci na ključnim mestima
Narodnjaci u glavnim vestima
Na džinovskim plakatima u boji
Kud koji mili moji, da vam ne čujem glas
Narodnjaci sa našim curama
Narodnjaci u svim strukturama
Od udruženog rada pa do sporta
Narodnjak ante portas, njihov dolazi čas!
O narodnjaci
Sve vam je u šaci al' zašto da se baci?
Ma ostavite nešto i za nas
Narodnjaci, braćo i zemljaci
Budite ortaci pa smanjite taj gas!
Nemaju njive te perspektive, armiran beton zove nas sad
A snovi lebde između negde na relaciji selo - grad
Nastupa era amatera, iz svoje kože može se sad
Rapidno stasa hibridna klasa na pola puta selo - grad
Narodnjaci
Sve vam je u šaci al' zašto da se baci?
Ma ostavite nešto i za nas
Narodnjaci, braćo i zemljaci
Budite ortaci pa smanjite taj gas!
O narodnjaci
Sve vam je u šaci al' zašto da se baci?
Ma ostavite nešto i za nas
Narodnjaci, braćo i zemljaci
Budite ortaci pa smanjite taj gas!
Narodnjaci
Narodnjaci
Narodnjaci
Narodnjaci
The song "Narodnjaci" by Đorđe Balašević is a critical commentary on the rise of folk music in Yugoslavia during the 1980s. The catchy chorus translates to "Folk musicians, everything is in your hands, but why waste it? Leave something for us, brothers and countrymen, be partners and lower the volume!"
The lyrics express frustration with the domination of folk music, or narodnjaci, in popular culture. The lines "Folk musicians have taken over the scene, they know the system and create chaos" criticize the commercialization of the music industry and the shift away from other genres. The reference to the theft of Balašević's band suggests that folk music is overshadowing other types of music and relegating them to the underground.
The line "Their time is coming, their hour is coming" warns that the folk music trend will eventually pass, and encourages the musicians to collaborate and support each other rather than compete for dominance. The last verse that refers to "hybrid class" situated halfway between the city and the countryside hints at a changing society in which people have to adapt and come together.
Line by Line Meaning
Narodnjaci su preuzeli stvar
Folk music has taken over everything
Znaju sistem i stvaraju dar-mar
They know the system and make chaos
Rasturaju po pitanju tiraža
They dominate in terms of records sold
Sve veća je blamaža biti neko od nas
It's increasingly embarrassing to be someone other than them
Narodnjaci su ukrali moj bend
Folk music has stolen my band
Narodnjaci su federalni trend
Folk music is a nationwide trend now
A mi smo gurnuti u ilegalu
And we are pushed into illegality
Na kom tajnom kanalu naći bazu i spas?
On which secret channel to find refuge and salvation?
Sve vam je u šaci al' zašto da se baci?
You have everything in your hands, but why throw it away?
Ma ostavite nešto i za nas
Leave something for us too
Narodnjaci, braćo i zemljaci
Folk musicians, brothers and fellow citizens
Budite ortaci pa smanjite taj gas!
Be partners and lower the gas (meaning: slow down and calm down a bit)
Narodnjaci na ključnim mestima
Folk musicians in key positions
Narodnjaci u glavnim vestima
Folk musicians in major news stories
Na džinovskim plakatima u boji
On giant colorful posters
Kud koji mili moji, da vam ne čujem glas
Everywhere you turn, not a peep from anyone else
Narodnjaci sa našim curama
Folk musicians with our girls
Narodnjaci u svim strukturama
Folk musicians in all structures
Od udruženog rada pa do sporta
From collective work to sports
Narodnjak ante portas, njihov dolazi čas!
Folk music is at the gates, their time is coming!
Nemaju njive te perspektive, armiran beton zove nas sad
We no longer have prospects in the fields, reinforced concrete calls us now
A snovi lebde između negde na relaciji selo - grad
And dreams hover somewhere between village and city
Nastupa era amatera, iz svoje kože može se sad
The era of amateurs is coming, now we can be ourselves
Rapidno stasa hibridna klasa na pola puta selo - grad
A hybrid class rapidly emerges midway between village and city
Narodnjaci
Folk musicians
Contributed by Jordan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ljubisa Micic
Jedan je bio Balasevic uvijek sam slušao njegovu muziku od malih nogu i dok neumrem slusat ću našeg Đordjeta jer neće se više nikada roditi niko kao on što je bio Balasevic neponovljivi 😥
Vuk Jovic
Nikad nisam bio neki veliki fan Balasevića,ali su njegove pesme uvek bile tu. Posebno kada je moj stari pustao njegove kasete u autu dok sam bio klinac.Poslednji pozdrav majstore!!😔
Vlada Maja Isailovic
Eh ...86...sa 9 godina je čuo....ali nije bila tada zanimljiva, ali je bila proročka...a sada sa 44....realna i preslikana u ovom jezivom vremenu...kome nema kraja...ali kako je Đole rekao...ipak će se živeti SLOBODNO
miki7777777ful
Počivaj u miru legendo!
Marina Gabrić
Imam ovu plocu iz 86',malo preskace ali je fenomenalna
Rale Productions
Kao da je znao 😮
Žalosno sada na sta je muzika spala
Legendarna pjesma
Sevenus
Đole, brate. Uz Nadrealiste si napisao više ostvarenih proročanstava nego Tarabići i Nostradamus zajedno. Ne znam da li da se smijem ili plačem kad čujem ovu pjesmu koju samznao napamet prije nego što sam upoznao učiteljicu u OŠ. Tad je nisam razumio ali me hvatala keza od teksta i muzike. Sad je razumijem i opet me prolazi jeza. Devedesete, Sloboda-ne, Dno dna...sve samo spinofi ovoga, i dokaz da gpdine prolaze, mi stojimo. Doduše, stojimo mi i mnogo duže nego što Đole korakom premjerava ulicu Vase Ladačkog. Gotovo da ne mogu da nađem ni jedan, jedini red iz pera Arčibalda Rajsa koji nije aktuelan i danas. Pa prošao je cijeki vijek. Tužno, pretužno.
Strahinja Lazovic
браво, браво!
Moe Szyslak
Напредњаци- прскамо вам по фаци!!!
Darko Pjevac
Prva ploča koju sam kupio za svoje pare :)