"Odlazi Cirkus" (Side B) - An American's Guide to Balašević Part 7

[@natasagajic1061]

Another important detail about Odlazi Cirkus, the song, is that he always closed his concerts with that song. And that's also how the audience knew the concert is ending.

[@BoraZivkovic]

Yes, yes, yes!!!! I totally agree with you on all of this! You get Mirka better than 90% of Yugoslavs (who just think it's a silly song)! I also agree that the song about all the sad loves is central to the album. Remember, I used to play essentially all of Balasevic songs at parties, and this one was asked for a lot. You are right that the Childhood Friend is not as widely known, but my audience at parties loved it and always asked for it. I think you nailed it, what it is about. Narrator is a kind of Vasa Ladacki, not listening to a friend who tries to beat some sense into him. A circus is memorable. I was not in Bor, but in Belgrade where the circuses would come a few times a year and I always went and always loved it and wanted to run away with one. And I still remember some snippets of some of the performances. Perhaps Balasevic was hinting at it, with his fake self-effacing, in a sense of "I bet you will never forget this song!". And he reminded us at the ending of every single concert. And now we remember it after he died. Everyone is leaving. Vasa. The sailor on the sea of life. The three partners in sad loves. The boyfriend of the menuet-playing woman. Leaving the present (by drowning it in wine). The circus. Escapism? Or Peter Pan trying to escape growing up? We were klinci when these albums came out. Puberty hitting hard. Thus naturally romantics and resisting growing up and assuming all the grown-up responsibilities and clear thinking and realism. Many in the Balkans continue resisting growing up for the rest of their lives. Hence so much alcholol consumption.

[@matrix_x_]

Schlager it’s not any teasing or silly song. Exactly the opposite. By "šlager" we mean old songs that were hits, and which would be a little weird these days even though everyone listens to them. By "šlager" singers we usually mean some modern types of troubadours. Hits can be cheerful or serious. Let's say Paul Anka - Diana is a classic "šlager" , but at the same time most of the songs by Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presly are "šlagers" too. So "šlagers" are old hits. It is a word of German origin. A romantic song from a few decades ago is usually considered a "šlager"s. For something to be a "šlager", it had to be at least a hit in those times, say at the dances of the 50s or 60s. year. "Šlager" songs are a broad term, but in short Balašević wants to say that the song he presents is a potential hit that will be remembered for decades, that will be played on dances and all radio stations, that will one day become an old hit that everyone will be happy to listen to.

[@alenrahmanovic7506]

"Ostaje mi to sto se volimo"is my one of his favourite songs.I too find myself as hopeless romantic,an idiot. I really feel what you're saying about that song.

[@milanmilacic9311]

The point about listening to Mirka a second time is so very true, Mirka is such a great song

[@milanmilacic9311]

Ayoooooooo I've been waiting for this!

[@irreal2]

I just managed to get through the video, while working. Amazing, love love love the analysis, I once again admire your ability to understand the meaning and the feeling behind his songs. And sure, your wife is absolutely amazing at translating the text for you, but I’m still very impressed. Now, who do I sell my soul to in order to get the next one without waiting a year or more 🤣

[@professorskye]

No need to sell your soul. Already trying to figure out what the hell “Baby Blue” is all about. 😀

[@irreal2]

@@professorskye oh, can’t wait. I loved that song as a little kid, I always figured it was just him goofing around with a fake accent and a different style, just for the sake of it.

[@biserkasertic1208]

@@professorskye Here is BABY BLUE translation (in broken English) When Im in love I lost my head, when I'm in love, than I'm REALLY in love! Therefore when I see you I blow my thrumpet ravingly! I whistle like some bumpkin, my face flush like tulip, 'cause you're real wonder, Baby Blue! I've been trough all of this & that, (been trough the mill) my dossier is like "WAR & PEACE"!!! And now I have no tact, I'm shelve all the matters, the spring is to blame, for I'm stage-fright case! REFF: My daydreams are about you, I kiss you in my imagination, and I suffer of course, 'cause I love you, my baby! I follow you like FBI* 'cause you're my destiny, and real wonder, Baby Blue! I give kingdom for a token, and turn your number, than I shiver when I hear your voice! I hang up receiver, goodbye my silly dreams! I'll trump up something 'till tomorow (I console my self skillfuly) REFF.I'm dreamin' about you......... Oh, how to aproach you?! I claim your stairs, than went back downstairs. (behind your door is playing Jazz) have no clue, what to do! I ring your bell, than run away! (I have large diapason, soon I'll fabricate some new trick) REFF: My daydreams are about you......... FBI* - in fact he sings UDBA which was investigation security service in former YU. Sometimes in live performances he sings CIA or something similar.... This is one of joking, self-parody songs.Sounds like something from 20's or 30's last century. The characters in his songs are often people from the past. His favorite period is around WW1 (the time when Vojvodina was part of Austro/Hungarian empire) For example "Noć kad sam preplivao Dunav", "Ratnik paorskog srca", and even the movie about famous Vasa Ladačky is starting in the time of the begining of WW1.There's one soundtrack (KAO RANI MRAZ) where all the songs are connected with this period, and the movie plot.

[@daliborperkovic3918]

"Did people visit the circus or the circus visited the people?" Yes.

[@lukalakic]

Very interesting! :) You can think of Odlazi cirkus in terms of political romanticism, strong belief and disappointment in prevailing political or ideological system.

[@daliborperkovic3918]

.... and you missed the fact that this was the last album he did with the band "Rani mraz", so that's the circus that's leaving. Also, the album was made in the year Tito died which, to use an analogy, was was more of a breaking point in Yugoslav psychology than the murder of Kennedy. But I'm not sure how much this features in the final song. In one of his later songs he refers to the Communist party as "the old orchestra" so all options are on the table.

[@yesmk000]

there's a very special album that came out last year called "Palais d'argile" by Feu! Chatterton. its a french art rock album so i think that youre gonna enjoy it very much. it was my album of the year in 2021, i highly recommend it and would like to hear your opinion on it.

[@arminh8564]

Odlazi cirkus is more about the ephemeral nature of life, rather than of art. The cirkus is an allegory for life, silly and absurd… He jumps between the simple joys and emotions of day to day life in his verses, and then in the chorus breaks down the absurdity of it. Is this all just a joke? A cheap trick? The kids will forget about us tomorrow as we have forgotten those before us. And new clowns will come to replace us.

[@irreal2]

Not everything fits into your neat little thesis, professor!

[@vedrannojic8263]

Did your wife play to you objectivly the best Yugoslavian bend of all time EKV? Would like to see a review...

[@matrix_x_]

Playing audio songs for educational purposes is allowed. I think it's pointless to talk about songs that people don't get a chance to listen to in parallel. It would be good if he played a song or video for all the other albums and songs and commented on it. Eventually you can pause in the middle of the song if you want to avoid the algorithm recognizing something as copyright. That's what everyone does, thousands of people on KZbin. Reviews of songs and live performances of singers and groups.

[@nenad-seguljev]

please write book based on this reviews ☺

[@ЂорђеПејин]

003 will be in December?

[@irreal2]

yeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssss

[@Pablitopewpew]

Next review: Makala - Chaos Kiss (Swiss rapping in French)

[@matrix_x_]

"Pa dobro, gde si ti?" doesn't mean "What's Up?" In a broader translation it means: "Oh well, where are you(man or girl)?" and that sentence is usually spoken to people we haven’t seen in a while. The lyrics of the song itself go: "Oh, well, where are you? I just wanted to call you these days." So the poet (Balašević) meets an old friend or ex-girlfriend or a crush he hasn't seen in a while. In a couple of sentences he mentioned that he wants to tell her figuratively how interested he is in where she is and what she doing in her life In the time that has passed, they have not seen each other. He says he was just thinking of calling these days and does she still have that old same number with 203. People usually have a harder time remembering phone numbers, especially now at the time of cell phones. This song originated back in the days of analog phones when numbers were spinning with the index finger. People usually memorized the first or last three numbers if they could not remember the whole number and then looked up someone’s number by various address books. I could analyze the whole song but it would be a book .. So I just explained the title introduction of the song that starts when Đorđe meets an old "friend" somewhere and the story is essentially a conversation with her and with himself about her.

[@BoraZivkovic]

I say "Where have you been?!?" even in English

[@matrix_x_]

@@BoraZivkovic Its not "What's Up?" for sure. This expression of Balasevic that he mentioned ("Pa dobro, gde si ti?") is used mostly when you haven't seen someone for a long time. You want to know how is he, where he is now, what he does, how he lives ... Also this term is used to indirectly tell someone that we are very glad to see him again after a long time. This person often shakes hands and hugs on that occasion. The phrase "What's Up?" is a template expression used just the opposite, in cases where we see someone relatively often. So, the title of the song can't be translated like that.

[@ЂорђеПејин]

My opinion is quite the opposite, the best song is Odlazi cirkus and the worst is Mirka, no metter how many times I hear it, it is still getting on my nerves

[@milanmilacic9311]

Nowdays among us dumb 20 year olds truba is like an ace in everyone's sleeve it's basically bound to get everyone laughing

[@biserkasertic1208]

"Mirka" is in same time a parody of YU pop scene, wich was full of silly "schlagers" with stupid lyrics. Balašević meets the provincial guy who is spending his whole life playing in the pub, hopelessly waiting to "hit a big time" and become famous with "smash hit".

[@Xxpavement_angelxX]

react to e by ecco2k

[@friendshipyu]

I am sad, that your sound, voice is very weak, depressed. You should have a mouthpiece for your microphone! But, nevertheless I enjoyed your devotion and presentation of the poetry of Balaseciv, who was my neighbour, we shared the same city, and I was enjoying his music for 30 years. As for odlazi cirkus, this is also about parting of life. Nothing ends, nor media, neither politics, mimics, comics, agendas, all stays, but our lives are ending, Sooner or later.

[@mtlmns8167]

LOL @ the Plazma keks 😂