Moja Domovina - the Croatian “Band Aid”

Josip LONCARIC

Turn the clock back to the tempestuous year of 1991 in a war-ravaged Croatia, and one musical/patriotic act will be a consistent, from the bottom of Dalmatia to the top of the capital Zagreb - the song 'Moja Domovina'. The Croatian Homeland War (Independence War) had just begun and music was proving to be a real saving grace for the people of this beautiful, but war-ravaged land.

Alongside the iconic Croatian national anthem (Lijepa nasa Domovino), Tomislav Ivcic's eye-opening ballad 'Stop the War in Croatia' and Dani Marsan's outstanding 'Boze cuvaj Hrvatsku', 'Moja Domovina' was just what the doctor ordered during the homeland war.

Inspiring, touching and well-produced, the classic hit brought together a record amount of Croatian artists to inspire their countrymen and women during the dark years of the early 1990's.

THE HISTORY

As mentioned above, the year was 1991 when popular Croatian musician and composer Zrinko Tutic decided to form a Croatian Band Aid, of sorts. Seemingly inspired by pop musicians and their similar collaborations for various causes in the Western world, Tutic wrote - along with eight other projects - the music for the song 'Moja domovina'.

Popular Novi Fosili keyboardist and band founder Rajko Dujmic added the wonderful text to Tutic's epic score and, together, they created what is widely regarded as Croatia's 'second national anthem'.

With expert arranger Niksa Bratos in charge of the arrangement, and the music performed by Damir Liposek (former Prljavo Kazaliste guitarist), Vedran Bozic (former TIME guitarist who once performed with Jimi Hendrix) and Husein Hasanefendic (legendary Parni Valjak founder and guitarist), 'Moja Domovina' was always destined for great things.

The most amazing aspect of the formation of this Croatian Band Aid initiative was the enormous amount of support from the domestic music industry, which was learning to stand on its own two feet following the collapse of Yugoslavia. Well over 130 singers and musicians gathered for the cause, creating an unparalleled choreographer's nightmare.

The full list of involved singers included: Doris Dragovic, Oliver Dragojevic, Jasna Zlokic, Danijela Martinovic, Sanja Dolezal, Meri Cetinic, Dino Dvornik, Aki Rahimovski, Matko Jelavic, Emilija Kokic, Severina Vuckovic, Arsen Dedic, Zorica Kondza, Boris Novkovic, Jasmin Stavros, Ivo Amulic, Vlado Kalember, Krunoslav Slabinac, Ivo Robic, Gabi Novak, Tereza Kesovija, Tatjana Matejas (then known simply as "Tajci"), Josipa Lisac, Zvonko Spicic, Dragutin Mlinarec, Duka Caic, Zdravko Skender, Ivica Serfezi, Ljupka Dimitrovska, Dalibor Brun, Milo Hrnic, Miso Kovac, Davor Gobac, Stanko Saric, Zdenka Vuckovic, Jura Stublic, Mladen Bodalec and Ljiljana Nikolovska.

THE IMPACT

It is difficult to remember such a response from the Croatian community back home in Croatia and also in the hugely patriotic Diaspora as emphatic as the one that followed 'Moja Domovina'.

Apart from its humanitarian purpose, the group was significant in that it effectively marked the beginning of an independent Croatian music scene and the end of the so-called Yugoslav music scene. Among those rock groups who adopted a firm Croatian identity and participated in the single were Film, Novi Fosili, Magazin, Parni Valjak, Psihomodo Pop and the legendary Prljavo Kazaliste.

Singles and albums sold in record amounts all around the world, and a video entitled 'Moja Domovina' remains a lasting and fitting testament to the magnitude of the job achieved by the group. Following in the path of Tomislav Ivcic's 'Stop the War in Croatia' single, an English language version was released, but the widespread success of the original overshadowed 'My Homeland'.

In fairness, the heavily accented English pronunciation by the bulk of the artists perhaps failed to capture the feeling of the original version in their native tongue, and listening to it now is still as cringeworthy today as it was in the 1990's.

Follow-up efforts by the Band Aid brand didn't have the desired impact for the bulk of the 90s and the early 21st century, but a revolution was again around the corner.

In 2007, a new look Croatian Band Aid was formed to perform the hit song 'Gdje si prijatelju?', in the hope of raising awareness and funding for disabled people in Croatia. This particular group consisted of Oliver Dragojevic, Massimo Savic, Zorica Kondza, Goran Karan, Giuliano, Ivana Banfic, Davor Radolfi, Hari Roncevic, Ivana Husar-Mlinac, Marija Husar, Aki Rahimovski, Drazen Zeric-Zera, Ivana Kindl, Slobodan Misevic, Sasa Jakelic, Zanamari Lalic.

Last year also saw another equally successful 'band aid' like formation called 'Split Stars', which was formed to raise money for the families of the firemen that lost their lives on the Kornati Islands near Zadar on the Dalmatian coast.

The song 'Ovo nije kraj' was written by Australian-bound singer Goran Karan and featured amongst others, Marko Perkovic-Thompson, Alen Nizetic, Drazen Zecic, Tedi Spalato and Giuliano both performing the song live at Split's Poljud Stadium and playing in a charity soccer match. Their collective efforts raised over $300,000 AUD for the families affected by the tragedy.

THE QUOTE

Although there are several quotes that are a credit to the song, perhaps the most interesting (and interactive) thing readers can do to test their knowledge of Croatian music is to try and name every singer/musician that appears on the five minute music clip. Try youtube.com if you don't have a copy of the video in your collection (and if you don't, why not?)

“Moja Domovina”

Svakog dana mislim na tebe

Slusam vijesti, brojim korake

Nemir je u srcima, a ljubav u nama

Ima samo jedna istina.

Svaka zvijezda sija za tebe

Kamen puca pjesma putuje

Tisucu generacija nocas ne spava

Cijeli svijet je sada sa nama (sa nama!)

CHORUS

Moja domovina, moja domovina,

Ima snagu zlatnog zita,

Ima oci boje mora,

Moja zemlja Hrvatska.

Vratit cu se moram doci, tu je moj dom,

Moje sunce, moje nebo.

Novi dan se budi kao sreca osvaja

Ti si tu sa nama.

“My Homeland”

Everywhere I go you're in my mind,

Anywhere I stay you're in my heart,

You to me are everything, the sweetest song to sing

You're my old star 'til the end of time.

Even if I'm half a world away,

A part of me is with you as I pray.

The stars are shining just for you, the sky is always blue,

Mother country let God be with you (be with you!)

My Croatia my home,

my Croatia my home,

Golden valleys, silent seas,

Silver islands, olive trees,

My Croatia my homeland.

As the child of generations this is my land

Where I was born, where I'll die

For the children of my children this is my land

Where I was born, where I will die (I will die!)