Friday, March 23, 2012

Zabranjeno Pušenje - Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari (1987)


I haven't posted anything in a very very very long time, I know. Trapped in the maze of annoying social networks... So, I decided to be back with something unusual, that is actually something I'm getting fond and that I'm starting to know only now: (ex) yugoslavian rock. I know: it sounds weird. And mostly so if you have never heard someone sing in that language (i.e. serbian, croatian, bosnian or slovene). And I never had...until some weeks ago. But now that I got used to it I have to say it is worth it.

But now let's cut the crap.
Zabranjeno Pušenje were a band from Sarajevo, Bosnia, active in the 80's. They were part of what was called "the new primitives" (kind of a garage rock with ironic lyrics). They were also part of a famous bosnian comedy tv show (Top lista nadrealista)...and in fact irony is a big part of this band just like lyrics meant a great deal among ex yugo bands. But I'll talk about that some other time.
"Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari" is their third album, from 1987. After the war the band split (it is a bit more complicated than that: the singer joined the No Smokng Orchestra -"no Smoking" is the english translation of Zabranjeno Pušenje- in Belgrad while other members stayed in Sarajevo and kept the old name).

The download link is taken from the blog jugorockforever.

Here's Balada o Pišonji i Žugi + the english translation of the lyrics (from lyricstranslate.com). And then one of my favourite songs off this album, "Kako je Velika Britanija postala probušeni dolar album" (long title indeed! I don't know what it means this time...).



The ballad of Pišonja and Žuga

Pišonja and Žuga remembered pretty well
What Lepi told them last night
"There is party at the seaside, there are chicks at the seaside
Seaside is the source of life, right, Moke?"

Moke also said that
Foreign girls fuck really good
And that he, when he was in a camp in Zaostrog
Had sex every other night
Pišonja and Žuga could listen to them
Through the whole night
Pišonja and Žuga had
Hot seventeen year old blood

Pišonja and Žuga

The same night Pišonja and Žuga
Stole a cassette recorder from The handicapped center
And right after it they stole a bus
Of a bus company from Hrid
Pišonja speeded up
That hot summer evening around 10 pm
"And now, to the seaside!"
Yelled Žuga as loud as he can

Pišonja was driving and smoking tobacco
Žuga loves brunettes, Pišonja loves blondes
"And after the seaside, to the wide world,
Only brave people become famous
And then, goodbye, Breka shacks!"
Yelled Žuga and turned up the recorder
"You're getting a postcard from safari in African countries
Bye, roaches!"
Pišonja and Žuga, two faithful comrades
Are taming dangerous curves
Please, watch after them, Queen of speed

Cops blocked the road
Somewhere around 11 pm
Boogie-woogie was playing in the bus
When he saw cops while he was driving
Around 50 miles per hour
Pišonja told Žuga: "Tie yourself, we're flying!"

A horrible crash cut the air
Even sparkles were flying
Next moring people were talking and swearing
That they found air exhauster and rearview mirror
Hundreed and fifty feet farther in a ditch

Pišonja and Žuga, two faithful comrades
Are taming dangerous curves
Please, watch after them, Queen of speed

While they were carrying Pišonja into an ambulance
He saw Moon above himself and said
"God, how can some people go there
And me and Žuga can't even go to the seaside!"
After that he swooned
And he couldn't hear
How, up in the sky
The yellow Moon laughed for a long time

Pišonja and Žuga



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