pop! of the week: djelem djelem
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
(sorry i have not seen you for a while. things get crazy.)
On April 8th, Roma people all of the world celebrated the international day of the Roma. It was a big celebration here in Bulgaria with concerts in almost every village with a Roma population. The festive atmosphere disguises the fact that it is a day to commemorate the over 500,000 Roma that were killed during the holocaust. The following lyrics are the translated lyrics (from Romani)of Djelem Djelem, which is the hymn for this day:
Djelem Djelem::
I have travelled over long roads
I have met fortunate Roma
I have travelled far and wide
I have met lucky Roma
Oh, Romani adults, Oh Romani youth
Oh, Romani adults, Oh Romani youth
Oh, Roma, from wherever you have come
With your tents along lucky roads
I too once had a large family
But the black legion murdered them
Come with me, Roma of the world
To where the Romani roads have been opened
Now is the time - stand up, Roma,
We shall succeed where we make the effort.
Oh, Roma adults, Oh, Roma youth
Oh, Roma adults, Oh, Roma youth.
All the following songs are sung in Romani, the offical language of the Roma people.
Esma Redzepova (the queen) - djelem djelem
A very interesting version of djelem djelem that shows pictures of the holocaust history that the song remembers. (be carful...some of these pictures are rather serious....)
Jazz rendition of djelem djelem
Posted byshizzaun at 10:56 AM
thanks for these three--of so many!--versions of djelem djelem.
only one small note--it seems that esma begins her song in serbian and then switches to romany just after the 2:30 minute mark.
--persida