In 1968 the group released their first EP including Veselina ("Веселина", lyrics by Radoy Ralin), Zvan(Ring), Malkiat Svetal Prozorets (The Little Bright WIndow) and Izprashtane.
They released their first self-titled album in 1976. It instantly became a hit and sold more than 100 000 copies. The songs 'На Прага', 'Говори се за нещо' and 'Дяволски сезон' became prominent hits. 1978 saw the release of their second self-titled album. It was also their first record with the would-be classic line up, which included Georgi Markov on the drums and Vladimir 'Valdi' Totev on the keyboards and vocals.
In 1980 they released their third LP, "XX век"(XXth century), which would become a solid classic in the Bulgarian rock catalogue. It spawned many hit songs like the title track, "Среща"(Rendezvous) and "Две следи"(Two traces). All three are considered essential Bulgarian rock songs and remain immensely popular to this day.
In 1982 Щурците released their first double LP, which included among many songs the hits 'Вълшебен цвят'(Magic Blossom), 'Имаш ли Приятел?'(Do you have a friend?' and 'Вкусът на Времето'(The taste of time), which was also the album title.
In 1985 they released one of their most renowned albums, 'Конникът'(The rider). It is also the top-selling Bulgarian album with over 250 000 copies sold, the Bulgarian population being about 8 million.
In 1987 Kiril Marichkov scored the Ivan Andonov picture 'Вчера'(Yesterday). The band was credited for the song 'Клетва'(Oath), which is about friendship of the graduate high school students. To this day, it is a compulsory song on Bulgarian prom nights, and, moreover, the singing of the song by all the graduate students is one of the centre events of the night.
In the same year they released their sixth album, "Мускетарски марш"(Musketeer march). The band consider it to be their finest effort. The album release coincided with the band's 20th anniversary and was followed by a grand tour - Щурците filled stadiums in many Bulgarian and eastern bloc cities. A live album was released the following year, although it is yet to see its digital remastering and release on cd. The band then decided to retire from active touring and musicianship. However, they wrote one of the anthems of democracy in 1990 - 'Аз съм просто човек'(I am just a human), which is still used as an anthem of one of the democratic parties.
In the 90s and early 2000s the band members concentrated on their solo careers. Kiril Marichkov scored the otherwise discarded movie "Дунав мост"(Danube bridge), and the song 'Моят свят'(My world) became a big hit. He also released two moderately successful solo albums. Valdi Totev and Georgi Markov joined the first Bulgarian supergroup "Стари муцуни"(Old faces). Valdi also released several solo albums, one of which included perhaps the most well-known democracy anthem, "Вдигни очи".
Щурците reunited for their 30th anniversary and made a national tour. A live album with six new songs was released in 1998, simply named "30 години Щурците"(30 years Shturtsite).
In the following years they played occasionally on events such as national holidays and new year's eve.
In 2004 they released a four-part Anthology of their works and played a gig with younger Bulgarian rock bands. It was later released as a DVD, their only one to date.
2007 is the year of Щурците's 40th anniversary and to celebrate the occasion they are going on a grand tour in many European and American cities, as well as a national one. A new studio album, the first in twenty years, was released in 2008. It was called "Na praga na surceto" (On the doorstep of the heart) and was their final release. The band made two final appearances in 2010 to fund the cancer treatment of Peter Gyuzelev. Their final shows were in Pazardzhik and Yambol.
The style of Щурците's music varies. In their early period, as the band own, they were heavily influenced by the beatles' music. In the early years they even made Bulgarian covers of Slade and Kinks songs. In their most productive years, around 1980, they moved towards a harder sound, which can be best described as 'classic rock'. In their last two studio albums the progressive rock influences are prominent.
Щурците had a great impact on Bulgarian cultural life, comparable to that of the Beatles in the UK. Many of their songs are known by heart from three generations of music-lovers.
Не умирай
Щурците Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
януарският ден носи пак неотлъчна ранна мъка за мен.
В най-тревожната зима и най-белия сняг
ясно, необяснимо, виждам траурен знак.
И жестоката горест с бледи думи теша.
Зрее някаква повест в мойта жива душа...
Тъмна сянка се спира на студения праг.
Черен кон ли умира там на белия сняг?...
Само черната болка върху белия сняг.
Детска мъка извира от далечния мрак...
Черен кон не умирай върху белия сняг!
Няма вече двуколка, няма шеметен бяг.
Само черната болка върху белия сняг.
Детска мъка извира от далечния мрак...
Черен кон не умирай върху белия сняг!
Черен кон не умирай върху белия сняг!
The lyrics of Щурците's song Не умирай (Don't Die) convey a strong sense of loss and grief. The first two lines describe the day as untouched and sunny, yet the singer reveals that they are experiencing a deep and indescribable early morning pain. As the singer goes on to describe the winter, they see a mournful sign that is both clear and inexplicable. They struggle with a cruel sorrow that cannot be eased by words, and a dark shadow looms on the cold threshold.
The singer begins to ask if a black horse is dying on the white snow, as they recall a time when they rode in a two-wheeled carriage and reveled in the wild run. But now there is only black pain on white snow, and a childhood sorrow manifests from the distant darkness. They plead with the black horse not to die on the white snow, repeating the plea twice.
The song conveys a powerful sense of mourning and loss, yet it also evokes a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, and the music is hauntingly beautiful. This song is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, we can find beauty and meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Недокоснат и слънчев,
The day is untouched and sunny, signaling a false sense of positivity.
януарският ден носи пак неотлъчна ранна мъка за мен.
Despite the January day's appearance, it brings with it an unexplainable early pain for me.
В най-тревожната зима и най-белия сняг
Even in the most anxious winter and whitest snow,
ясно, необяснимо, виждам траурен знак.
I clearly see a sign of mourning, unexplainable in nature.
И жестоката горест с бледи думи теша.
The cruel sorrow weighs heavily on me, expressed through faint words.
Зрее някаква повест в мойта жива душа...
A story is developing in my living soul...
Тъмна сянка се спира на студения праг.
A dark shadow halts at the chilly threshold.
Черен кон ли умира там на белия сняг?...
Is a black horse dying there on the white snow?...
Няма вече двуколка, няма шеметен бяг.
No more two-wheeler, no more dizzying run.
Само черната болка върху белия сняг.
Only black pain on white snow remains.
Детска мъка извира от далечния мрак...
Childhood pain arises from distant darkness...
Черен кон не умирай върху белия сняг!
Black horse, don't die on the white snow!
Няма вече двуколка, няма шеметен бяг.
No more two-wheeler, no more dizzying run.
Само черната болка върху белия сняг.
Only black pain on white snow remains.
Детска мъка извира от далечния мрак...
Childhood pain arises from distant darkness...
Черен кон не умирай върху белия сняг!
Black horse, don't die on the white snow!
Черен кон не умирай върху белия сняг!
Black horse, don't die on the white snow!
Contributed by Maria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vesselinkostov8535
Уникално парче,уникални Щурци!А на живо-най-добре свирещата БГ банда-натурален рок,ен,ролл без каквито и да било добавки,да малко сурово,ама истинско!!!