After studying Spanish and Czech, she worked as a Spanish teacher at a language school. Towards the end of the 80’s, she was simultaneously performing and studying pop singing at a conservatory. In 1980, she began singing with the group Nerez. At this time, she was already being acknowledged as an exceptional soloist.
Her first solo album was created in 1992.
At the end of 1994, she began working together with the Columbian folksinger, Iván Gutiérrez. The next year, using Iván’s older songs, she recorded an album with the band Tres. 5 more albums were later created with the group Koa.
She was a producer and discovered the singer Radůza.
At first she didn’t have much favor from radio stations, which played her songs only rarely. This changed in 2004, when Navarová with the group Koa broke through onto mainstream radio stations with the song Marie (Maria) from the album Jako Šantiděví. During this time she only had a few months left of her life. She died at the age of 45 due to cancer.
Her song texts are very interesting. She managed to avoid the characteristic folk and country clichés and infuse the text with a curious poetic sense. She thus placed herself among the few Czech songwriters whose lyrics can be considered as poetry.
Marie
Zuzana Navarová Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Marie má se vracet, tak postav židli
Marie bílý racek. Marie má se vracet
Ty si tu daváš dvacet, tak abys vstal
Marie má se vracet, co by ses divil
Marie má se vracet, ta cos ji mydlil
Marie modrý ptáček. Marie moudivláček
S kufříkem vod natáček, ta co s ji štval
Marie má se vracet, píšou, že lehce
Marie má se vracet, že už tě nechce
Ta co ji neni dvacet. Marie má se vracet
Ta cos ji dal pár facek a pak s ní spal
Marie, hop sem cihlu, má se vracet. Tra RaTaTa
Marie má se vracet, ta co tu bydlí
Marie má se vracet, tak postav židli
Olej a težký kola, vlak někam do Opola
Hrbatka, jedna kola, no tak se sbal
Marie, hop sem cihlu, má se vracet. Tra RaTaTa
Marie holubice, Marie létavice, Marie blýskavice
Krasavice, Yeh Rosice, Pardubice
Má se vracet, ta co tu bydlí
Marie má se vracet, tak postav židli
Marie bílý racek. Marie má se vracet
Ty si tu dáváš dvacet, tak abys vstal
Marie má se vracet, co by ses divil
Marie má se vracet, ta co s jí mydlil
Marie modýy ptáček. Marie moudivláček
Tak postav židli a sbal si fidli
Tadadadaádadaaada...
The song "Marie" by Zuzana Navarová seems to be depicting a woman named Marie who is being told to return home. The repetition of the line "Marie má se vracet" (Marie must return) throughout the song emphasizes the urgency of the situation. The lyrics also suggest that Marie may have been mistreated by someone or multiple people in her life, as there are references to her being given "pár facek" (a few slaps) and someone who "ji mydlil" (lied to her).
The use of various bird names throughout the song ("bílý racek", "modrý ptáček", "holubice", etc.) adds a surreal and dreamlike quality to the lyrics, as if Marie's journey home is being guided by the birds. The line "sbal si fidli" (pack up your fiddle) at the end of the song also adds to this sense of a magical, whimsical journey.
Overall, the song seems to be a warning to Marie to leave a situation that is not serving her well and return to the safety of home. The imagery of birds and fantastical elements suggest that this journey may not be easy, but ultimately it is the right path for Marie to take.
Line by Line Meaning
Marie má se vracet, ta co tu bydlí
Marie is supposed to come back, the one who lives here
Marie má se vracet, tak postav židli
Marie is supposed to come back, so put up a chair
Marie bílý racek. Marie má se vracet
Marie is like a white seagull. She is supposed to come back
Ty si tu daváš dvacet, tak abys vstal
You're giving yourself twenty, so get up
Marie má se vracet, co by ses divil
Marie is supposed to come back, what a surprise
Marie má se vracet, ta co's ji mydlil
Marie is supposed to come back, the one you tricked
Marie modrý ptáček. Marie moudivláček
Marie is like a blue bird. She is a waver
S kufříkem vod natáček, ta co s ji štval
With a suitcase on her back, the one who annoyed her
Marie, hop sem cihlu, ma se vracet. Tra RaTaTa
Marie, jump here a brick, she's supposed to come back. Tra RaTaTa
Marie má se vracet, píšou, že lehce
Marie is supposed to come back, they say it's easy
Marie má se vracet, že už tě nechce
Marie is supposed to come back, she doesn't want you anymore
Ta co ji není dvacet. Marie má se vracet
The one who's not twenty yet. Marie is supposed to come back
Ta cos ji dal pár facek a pak s ní spal
The one you gave a few slaps and then slept with her
Marie holubice, Marie létavice, Marie blýskavice
Marie is like a dove, a flyer, and a sparkler
Krasavice, Yeh Rosice, Pardubice
Beauties, Yeh Rosice, Pardubice
Olej a težký kola, vlak někam do Opola
Oil and heavy wheels, a train somewhere to Opole
Hrbatka, jedna kola, no tak se sbal
A backpack, one wheel, so pack up
Tak postav židli a sbal si fidli
So put up a chair and pack up your fiddle
Contributed by Adam V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lavatubegrip
Paní Navarová, právě Vás poslouchám - tedy jste. Úžasná tehdy i teď.
@annakovarova2315
Zuzana byla jedinečná, nikdo takový už není ...
@kostakostik2805
SOUHLAS❤
@radiosiesta
Zuzana Navarová byla a je prostě jedinečná. A tahle píseň má krásný a pravdivý text. A i navzdory veselé hudbě je vlastně smutná.
@jantichyjan4901
Byl jsem na Zuzaně na jejím koncertu v nultých letech bez bigbítu už tenkrát jsem žasnul, že se tu něco takového vyskytlo. Ta křehká osubka s hromovým, všenaplňujicím hlasem! Měj se hezky Zuzko, díky za všechno a zs ta léta zvlášť. NAMO AMI TUOFO!
@theoliva1969
Zuzanko, doufám, že je Ti pěkně...srdečné díky za krásné písničky...
@filipmazlik7794
nádherný poetický text, hudba i podání, krásný...
@UltimaRisata
To je krása. Ta hudba. Ten text. Česká hudba obvykle nestojí za moc, ale tohle...tohle je Zuzana Navarová.
@mamamatomatekram5207
Česká hudba je krásná a hodnotná. A vy jste (kromě Navarové) vedle jak ta jedle.
Lidé, kteří pomlouvají svoji národní kulturu by zasloužili pětadvacet.
@irenasteflova5479
Není co dodat nového, skvělé a smutek 🤭⭐