He was born in Ostrava, Czech Republic and has played guitar since he was 13. He began studies at the Technical University of Ostrava but eventually left the school. He tried various jobs and eventually ended up working as a freelance lyricist. He gained fame with his first song for Marie Rottrová, Lásko, voníš deštěm (You Smell of Rain, My Love) - it was a remake of Black Sabbath 's ballad "She's Gone". He lives in Ostrava, has a wife and two children.
In 1982 he started performing in public, a sound decision in that a number of his songs gained wide popularity. His first album, Darmoděj (Aimless), released in 1988 was an immediate sell-out. An aura of myth arose around Nohavica which survived even the crisis period of his treatment for alcoholism. His subsequent release of the lovely, slightly pessimistic Mikymauzoleum (Mickey Mousoleum), an album of mainly melancholy songs. In 1994 he live recorded an album Tři čuníci (Three Piglets), intended for children, with humoristic songs.
In 1996 Nohavica released Divné století (Strange Century). He and his producer employed new instruments and voices for the new songs on the album, and it became a huge success. Two years later Jaromír Nohavica and Kapela (ie. the Band) came out with Koncert (Concert), a record featuring Nohavica playing with a band, and this fact recognizably changed his music. The album contains mainly older material, but the new treatment gave it a new appeal. His studio album from 2000, Moje smutné srdce (My Sad Heart), contains mostly sad songs about love.
Nohavica also starred in Petr Zelenka's movie Rok Ďábla (Year of The Devil), which was awarded the main prize at the 37th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2002 and several other international film festivals.
Apart from his native Czech Republic, he also enjoys some popularity in neighbouring Poland and Slovakia.
He has just released a brand new CD called Ikarus which was recorded during his January's sets of concerts in Ostrava.
V jednym dumku na Zarubku
Jaromír Nohavica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na Zarubku
Měl raz chlopek
Švarnu robku
A ta robka
Teho chlopka
Rada nimjala
On tej svoji robce všycko porobil
Čepani ji pomyl bravkum daval žrať
Děcka mušel kolibať
Robil všecko
Choval děcko
Taky to byl
Dobrotisko
Ale robka
Teho chlopka
Rada nimjala
Čtvero novych šatu čtvero střevice
Do kostela něšla enem k muzice
Same šminkovani sama parada
Chlopka nimjala rada
A chlopisku
Dobrotisku
Slze kanum
Po fusisku
Jak to vidi
Jak to slyši
Jaka robka je
Tož dožralo to chlopka že tak hlupy byl
Do hospody zašel vyplatu přepil
A jak přišel domu řval jak hrom by bil
A tu svoju robku zbil
A včil ma robka
Rada chlopka
Jak on piska
Ona hopka
Hanysku sem
Hanysku tam
Ja tě rada mam
Věřte mi luďkově že to tak ma byť
Raz za čas třa robce kožuch vyprašiť
A pak je hodna tak jako ovečka
A ma rada chlopečka
The song "V jednom dumku na Zarubku" by Jaromír Nohavica tells the story of a man and a woman, the man being a hard-working and reliable partner, and the woman being attracted to his kindness and good-heartedness. They have a child together, but the woman seems to become unhappy with their relationship and starts dressing up and going out to the church for the music. The man becomes jealous and angry, and one day, after drinking too much at the pub, he comes home and beats the woman. However, they eventually make up, and the woman returns to loving him.
The lyrics seem to indicate that the man and the woman come from different social classes, with the man being a hard-working laborer and the woman enjoying dressing up and going out. The man is described as a "dobrotisko," which roughly translates to "a person with a good heart," while the woman is described as being attracted to his kindness and generosity, using him to pay for her dresses and makeup. However, despite their different social and economic backgrounds, the two ultimately love each other and reconcile after their fight.
The song is notable for its use of the Czech dialect of Silesian, which is spoken in the Silesian region of the Czech Republic. It was written by Jaromír Nohavica, a noted Czech singer-songwriter who is known for his use of various dialects in his music. The song has become a popular folk song in the Czech Republic, and it is often performed at festivals and other cultural events.
Line by Line Meaning
V jednom dumku
In one thought
Na Zarubku
At Zarubek (a place or person's name)
Měl raz chlopek
Once had a guy
Švarnu robku
A fancy girl
A ta robka
And that girl
Teho chlopka
His guy
Rada nimjala
Liked him
Bo ten jeji chlopek dobrotisko byl
Because her guy was a sweetheart
On tej svoji robce vsycko porobil
He did everything for his girl
Cepani ji pomyl bravkum daval zrat
He poured beer for her and fed her hot dogs
Decka musel kolibat
He had to rock the baby
Robil vscecko
He did everything
Choval decko
He raised a child
Taky to byl
That's what he was like
Dobrotisko
A sweetheart
Ale robka
But that girl
Teho chlopka
His guy
Rada nimjala
Liked him
Ctvero novych satu ctvero strevice
Four new dresses, four shoes
Do kostela nesla enem k muzice
She only went to church for the music
Same sminkovani sama parada
Makeup and a parade all by herself
Chlopka nimjala rada
She liked her guy
A chlopisku
And that guy
Dobrotisku
A sweetheart
Slze kanum
Tears like a river
Po fusisku
Down his cheeks
Jak to vidi
As he saw it
Jak to slysi
As he heard it
Jaka robka je
What kind of a girl she is
Toz dozralo to chlopka ze tak hlupy byl
So the guy got drunk and became so stupid
Do hospody zasel vyplatu prepil
He went to the pub and drank his salary
A jak prisel domu rval jak hrom by bil
And when he came home, he yelled like thunder
A tu svoju robku zbil
And he beat up his girl
A vcil ma robka
And now his girl
Rada chlopka
Likes him
Jak on piska
As he whistles
Ona hopka
She hops
Hanysku sem
Come here, Hanys
Hanysku tam
Go there, Hanys
Ja te rada mam
I love you
Verte mi luddkove ze to tak ma byt
Believe me, people, it's supposed to be like that
Raz za cas třa robce kozuch vyprastiť
Once in a while, you have to dust off three fur coats
A pak je hodna tak jako ovečka
And then she's as nice as a lamb
A ma rada chlopecka
And she likes her guy
Contributed by Landon R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eva Gřundělová
tuhle písničku mně učila babička před 40 lety,
Jan Puchon
nadhera ..a ten rytmus do tance :)
Martin Jahn
tož fajna muzika :-) Jarek to je prostě dobrotisko :-)
pindrushka
nejvíc super písnička...
Juliana Pouznarova
💯👍♥️🙋🍀
kokos zpalmy
Zarubek je solidní gheto.
tomáš marný
s ženou musíš jednat jak s květinou!!! ;-) seřezat, svázat a do vody... :-D
Ježurka
:-) :-) :-)
Tomáš Klozík
xddddd
Milan Macek
Velmi humorný komentář I když trochu cynický M..