"Haiduc" or "haiduk" is a word of Balkan origin which means something like "outlaw"; in Romanian it has a rustic or archaic connotation. Most of those who know the band in the Western world know them by way of French-speaking areas, where they are known as "Taraf de Haïdouks", since French lacks a genitive case. They are known in their native Romania as "Taraful Haiducilor". Roughly, this means "band of outlaws", but "taraf" is also the traditional name for a group of lăutari (traditional Romanian Gypsy musicians).
The group formed in 1989, shortly before the death of dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. The original group encompassed about a dozen musicians; later configurations were to include as many as thirty. Early contacts in the West included Swiss ethnomusicologist Laurent Aubert and Belgian musician Stéphane Karo.
Some core members of the group:
Nicolae Neacșu (violin, vocals)Dumitru Baicu (cimbalom)Ilie Iorga (vocals)Ion Manole (violin, vocals)Gheorghe Anghel (violin)Gheorghe Fălcaru (flute, double bass)Ionică Tănase (cimbalom)Constantin Sandu (cimbalom, vocals)Florea Pârvan (double bass)Marin Sandu (double bass)Paul Guiclea (vcals, violin)Marin Manole (accordion)Constantin Lăutaru (violin, vocals)Viorel Vlad (double bass)Robert Gheorghe (violin)
Balada Conducatorolui
Taraf de Haïdouks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mai Ceauşescu criminalul
Ala ne-a mâncat amarul
Ceauşescu Nicolae
Ne-a ars ţara în văpaie
Ne-a luat hrana şi căldura
Şi la urmă şi lumina
Se mirase toată lumea
Şi la urmă şi lumina
Mai se mirase toată lumea
Mai luase hrana şi căldura
Şi la urmă şi lumina
Şi la urmă şi lumina
Mai când era ploaie şi vânt
Când ne scotea la "meting"
Şi ne scotea din uzină
Fără ţigări, fără pâine
Fără ţigări, fără pâine
Şi-o foiţă, foi de foi
Şi-n ziua de 22
A venit vremea-napoi
Să trăim, frate, şi noi
Şi-o foiţă, foaie lată
Ca să trăim în dreptate
Să trăim în libertate
Să trăim în libertate
Foaie verde-o viorea
Acolo-n Timişoara,
Acolo-n Timişoara
Mare jale ca era
Iar studenţii ce-mi facea
Sloganele în mână lua
Şi pe străzi, frate, pleca
Şi pe străzi, frate, pleca
Jos cu dictatoria
Jos cu dictatoria
The lyrics of Taraf de Haïdouks's song "Balada Conducatorolui" paint a vivid image of the oppressive regime under the leadership of Nicolae Ceaușescu in Romania. The opening lines, "Mai foaie verde, foi ca mărul, Mai Ceauşescu criminalul" loosely translates to "Green leaves, like apple leaves, Ceauşescu the criminal." These lines are a direct expression of disdain towards Ceauşescu as the leader responsible for their suffering.
The following lines further emphasize the hardships faced by the people under the regime. Ceauşescu is blamed for causing intense heat, taking away their food, warmth, and even light. Everyone is astonished by how Ceauşescu has stripped them of their basic necessities. The mention of rain and wind refers to unfavorable weather conditions during rallies or gatherings where people were forced to attend without necessities such as cigarettes or bread.
The lyrics express a desire for change and for freedom. The song describes the hopefulness surrounding the events of December 22, which alludes to the overthrowing of the Ceauşescu regime in 1989. The phrase "Să trăim, frate, şi noi, Şi-o foiţă, foaie lată, Ca să trăim în dreptate, Să trăim în libertate" translates to "Let us live, brother, too, A big leaf, wide leaf, So that we may live in justice, So that we may live in freedom." It is a powerful plea for a life free from oppression and a call to dismantle the dictatorship.
Overall, "Balada Conducatorolui" is a protest song that reflects the frustration, suffering, and longing for liberation experienced by the Romanian people during the Ceauşescu regime.
Line by Line Meaning
Mai foaie verde, foi ca mărul
Once again, a green leaf, as abundant as apples
Mai Ceauşescu criminalul
Once again, the criminal Ceauşescu
Ala ne-a mâncat amarul
He devoured our bitterness
Ceauşescu Nicolae
Nicolae Ceauşescu
Ne-a ars ţara în văpaie
He scorched the country in flames
Ne-a luat hrana şi căldura
He took away our food and warmth
Şi la urmă şi lumina
And finally, the light as well
Se mirase toată lumea
The whole world was amazed
Luase hrana şi căldura
He took away our food and warmth
Şi la urmă şi lumina
And finally, the light as well
Mai se mirase toată lumea
Once again, the whole world was amazed
Mai luase hrana şi căldura
Once again, he took away our food and warmth
Şi la urmă şi lumina
And finally, the light as well
Şi la urmă şi lumina
And finally, the light as well
Mai când era ploaie şi vânt
Once upon a time, when there was rain and wind
Când ne scotea la "meting"
When he would pull us out for gatherings
Şi ne scotea din uzină
And he would take us out of the factory
Fără ţigări, fără pâine
Without cigarettes, without bread
Şi-o foiţă, foi de foi
Just a small piece of paper, full of words
Şi-n ziua de 22
And on the 22nd day
A venit vremea-napoi
The time had come again
Să trăim, frate, şi noi
For us to live, brother
Şi-o foiţă, foaie lată
Just a small piece of paper, a broadsheet
Ca să trăim în dreptate
So that we can live in justice
Să trăim în libertate
So that we can live in freedom
Să trăim în libertate
So that we can live in freedom
Foaie verde-o viorea
A green leaf with a ray of sunshine
Acolo-n Timişoara
There in Timişoara
Acolo-n Timişoara
There in Timişoara
Mare jale ca era
Great sorrow that it was
Iar studenţii ce-mi facea
And the students who inspired me
Sloganele în mână lua
Carried slogans in their hands
Şi pe străzi, frate, pleca
And took to the streets, brother
Şi pe străzi, frate, pleca
And took to the streets, brother
Jos cu dictatoria
Down with the dictatorship
Jos cu dictatoria
Down with the dictatorship
Writer(s): Sapo Perapaskero
Contributed by Violet P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@drygon9324
Trist dar frumos. Mi-au dat lacrimile. Muzică frumoasă cu emoție.
@danutzz1904
Sa se odihneasca in pace un maestru al vioarei,mai putin apreciat.Imi pare rau ca am pierdut un mare om in muzica lautareasca.
@thetsiqan5799
odihnească-se în pace 🕊
@pauladrian6472
2023 Inca se zbarleste pielea ..........
@gheorgheiorga9255
Formidabilă interpretarea! Aşa erau vremurile în 1989.În 2021 altfel ar fi interprarea baladei de către maestru.
@niegezien8866
🎻🎼🥇💐🎶🎵🎻. ❤️ love it Grtz from the Netherlands !
@osmanyilmaz8366
Nihat Genç abim bizi nerelere sürükledin böyle 👏👏
@newreast3904
romania-greece, same loaves of bread!
fratzola fraternita.
@pishta22
GOAT
@Treadsuponstars
Rom 🎉❤