‘Mojoj majci’ kickstarts the fight for independence

Josip LONCARIC

THE SONG

Before Thompson, (Miroslav) Skoro and various other artists began pushing the patriotic Croatian message in their songs, a former punk rock band from Zagreb called ''Prljavo Kazaliste'', which was formed in 1977 and named after an episode from a popular comic book series, composed and performed arguably the best known song in the history of Croatian music.

That song is, of course, simply called ''Mojoj majci'', although many people refer to it as ''Ruzo Hrvatska'' or simply ''Ruzo''. A powerful rock ballad written by PK rhythm guitarist and founder Jasenko Houra, ''Mojoj majci'' was destined to be a hit right from the first gentle strum of the guitar that opens the classic track.

It was the outstanding track from the 1988 album ''Zaustavite zemlju'', which in itself is regarded as one of the finest rock albums of all time to have ever come out of the entire Balkan region.

Like the legendary Vice Vukov before them, PK dared to use the then forbidden word 'Hrvatska' in a mainstream song under the strict communist regime that was the former Yugoslavia. Vukov suffered significantly for openly singing the marvelous Zagorje-dialect ballad ''Hrvatski kraj'' also known as ''Skrivecki'' way back in 1968. Indeed Vukov was branded a Croatian nationalist in 1972 and was subsequently arrested for a period and banned from singing or recording music.

The similarities don't end there, as Vukov released an album in 1989 filled with strong songs about his pride for his homeland, albeit without his name or picture on the cover.

This was in the same year that PK played their historical concert at the then Trg Republike in central Zagreb, which helped bring about the fall of Yugoslavia and the eventual independence of Croatia.

THE HISTORY

Always ridiculously dressed, Jasenko 'Jajo' Houra hardly had the look of a man that would eventually become known as the Bruce Springsteen of Croatian music. Houra, a Croatian Jew from Zagreb, was the driving force of this band that would go on from strength to strength after the break up of Yugoslavia.

The red headed musician wrote the song, along with former PK and Parni Valjak guitarist Marijan Brkic, that was to become as career defining for the band as Roy Orbison's ''Only the lonely'' or The Eagles' ''Hotel California''.

Houra, still to this day, insists that the song was written in tribute to his then recently deceased mother, and despite much external pressure from authorities, he refused to change the text to prevent the song from being banned.

Despite the best efforts of the anti-Croatian Yugoslav government, it wasn't banned. PK lost their legions of fans in Belgrade, but gained superstardom in Croatia, which culminated in the greatest concert of all time in the history of Croatia, in more ways than one.

THE IMPACT

The year was 1989, the date October 17th  and in Zagreb's Ban Jelacic Square (then known as Trg Republike) an estimated crowd of approximately 300,000 gathered for a concert by PK, whose popularity had skyrocketed since the release of 'Zaustavite zemlju', and the record single of 'Mojoj majci.../Marina'.

A lack of radio airplay by the big Yugoslav stations, hindered little on the impact, as hundreds of thousands of records and cassettes were bought within days of their release, helping set up the awe-inspiring concert.

Footage from the event shows just how many people had packed into the Zagreb square, and the sight is absolutely amazing and very emotional. Banned Croatian flags and paraphernalia are littered amongst the crowd of mainly young fans, who sang their hearts out until 'Mojoj majci...' was played publicly for the first time that evening. At this moment, the crowd lost all control and collectively managed to drown out lead singer Mladen Bodalec's amplified voice.

The national pride that was being exercised in this song possibly even fuelled the pot for the Homeland War that was to follow, and sadly, a significant proportion of the young male crowd present would be enlisted and many would perish, defending the flag and people of Croatia.

THE QUOTE

''It would be impudent of me to say that I was disappointed that a song for my mother became a national icon. It made Prljavo Kazaliste a mega-band.

''I must admit that when I wrote 'Mojoj majci...', I released all of my emotions (related to my mum). It was written in about three minutes, in one short breath, it came out of me.

When everyone else started singing and playing it, I felt that I lost it as my own song, but later on it eventually returned to me in my mind as being 'my song'. For me that feeling is important, that I can still feel that it is my song, even if it has mass appeal. Everyone has their own personal feelings about the song and everyone forms their own images. And so they should, they are entitled to do so.''

Jasenko Houra,

(Interview with 'Nacional' magazine in May 2003)

SONGWORDS

Mojoj majci... (Ruzo Hrvatska)

U njenu sobu udem tiho

Tiho bas, na prstima

Bojim se, da ne zalupim glasno vratima

Zaspala je zadnja Ruza Hrvatska

I tek sad, kad te nema

Tko ce jutro da me budi

I tek sad, kad te nema, dobro znam

Ti si bila zadnja Ruza Hrvatska

Refrain:

Ruzo, moja ruzice

Sve sam suze isplak'o

Nocu zbog tebe

Ruzo, moja ruzice

Sve sam suze isplak'o

I kako sad polako sam,

protiv tuge, i oluje,

kad smo bili, kao prsta dva,

prsta dva jedne ruke.

For My Mother

(Translated by Josip LONCARIC)

In her room I enter quietly,

So quietly that I tiptoe.

Trying hard not to slam the door behind me,

The last 'Croatian Rose' has fallen asleep

And only now, when you're gone,

Who will wake me when morning comes?

And only now, when you're gone do I really know,

That you were the last 'Croatian Rose'

Rose, my dearest Rose,

(For you) I have shed all my tears

Every night, because of you.

Rose, my dearest Rose

(For you) I have shed all my tears

And how now, slowly and lonely,

Against the sadness and the storm,

We used to be like two fingers,

Two fingers on the one hand

Rose, my dearest Rose...