Oj, svijetla majska zoro
| English: Oh, Bright Dawn of May | |
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| Oj, svijetla majska zoro | |
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National anthem of  Montenegro
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| Lyrics | National song, edited by Sekula Drljević |
| Music | Traditional, edited by Žarko Mirković |
| Adopted | 2004 (Official) |
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"Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Montenegrin Cyrillic: „Ој, свијетла мајска зоро”, trans. "Oh, Bright Dawn of May") is the official National anthem of Montenegro adopted in 2004. Before becoming the anthem, it was a popular folk song of the Montenegrins, with many variations of its text. The oldest one is dated to the 2nd half of the 19th century, known as "Oh, Bright Dawn of Heroism, oh!", a popular Montenegrin folk song.
Contents
Lyrics
| Montenegrin language - Cyrillic | Montenegrin language - Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
|
Ој свијетла мајска зоро Волимо вас, брда тврда, Док ловћенској нашој мисли Ријека ће наших вала, |
Oj svijetla majska zoro, Volimo vas, brda tvrda, Dok lovćenskoj našoj misli Rijeka će naših vala, |
Oh, bright dawn of May We love you, the rocky hills While our unity gives wings A river of our waves, |
As sung
Although those are the official lyrics, a lot of verses are repeated in order to follow the rhythmic composition. To sing the anthem properly, one must follow the text like this:
| Montenegrin language - Cyrillic | Montenegrin language - Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
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1. Синови смо твог стијења Волимо вас, брда тврда Мајко наша Црна Горо 2. Док ловћенској нашој мисли Ријека ће наших вала Глас носити океану Да је вјечна Црна Гора! |
1. Sinovi smo tvog stijenja Volimo vas, brda tvrda, Majko naša Crna Goro 2. Dok lovćenskoj našoj misli Rijeka će naših vala Glas nositi okeanu Da je vječna Crna Gora! |
1. We are sons of your rocks We love you, the rocky hills Our mother Montenegro 2. While our unity gives wings A river of our waves, Will bear voice to the ocean, May eternal be our Montenegro! |
History
Original version
The following is the oldest known version of the anthem, known as: "Oh, Bright Dawn of Heroism, oh!" ("Oj, Junaštva Svjetla Zoro, oj!"). It was played in public for the first time in 1863 in the national theater in Belgrade. It was a component song of the "Battle of Grahovo or blood feud in Montenegro" (Бој на Грахову или крвна освета у Црној Гори) heroic play in three parts.[1] It is unknown if the text's authors are also the play's, namely the following Montenegrin composer/writers: the father of Marko Car Jovan Car and an unknown Obrad Vitković. The play and the Montenegrin folk song was also played/sung in the National Theater again in 1870 and 1876.[2] Its first record in Montenegro itself dates to 1887, when it was included into the regular school program of Montenegrin national songs for pupils in the 3rd grade.[3] It was reconfirmed in the teacher's plan for Montenegrin schools of 1888, which speculates that it must have been an established folk song for decades by then.
| Montenegrin language - Cyrillic | Montenegrin language - Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
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Ој, јунаштва свјетла зоро, Једина си за слободу, |
Oj, junaštva svjetla zoro, Јedinа si zа slobodu, |
O, bright dawn of heroism, Only you are still there, |
World War II
Sekule Drljević, party strongman of a minor political party which was active in the Yugoslavian Kingdom in Montenegro known as the Montenegrin Federalist Party, rewrote the text and published it in 1937 in the book of then's Croatian writer of Montenegrin origins Savić Marković "Štedimlija" known as "Crvena Hrvatska" (Red Croatia), which confounded the thesis not of a Serb ethnic origin of the Montenegrins, which was the dominant one back then, but rather from the Croats. Its name was "Eternal Ours..." (Vječna naša). When Nikola Hercigonja wrote down Oh, Bright Dawn of May shortly after WWII ended after 1945, he erroneously concluded that Drljević was the original wholesale author of this song, which also led to its considerable decline in popularity as a Montenegrin folk song altogether.
| Montenegrin language | English |
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Vječna naša Crna Goro, Volimo vas, brda tvrda, Lovćen nam je oltar sveti, Otkada je Badnje Veče Dok lovćenskoj našoj misli Slobode će čuvar biti Rijeka će naših vala, |
Eternal Our Montenegro, We love you, the rocky hills, Lovcen is our Saint Oltar, Ever since Christmas Evening. As long as our Lovcen's thought Freedom's keeper shall be Rivers of our waves shall, |
Popular Song
The song survived until today under various names as a popular Montenegrin folk song under the name "Oh, Bright Dawn of May" (Oj svijetla majska zoro). This version of the song has been one of the several versions proposed in 1993 during the first discussion on the official anthem, however, on which there was no consensus because of the disputed melodic value. [4]
| Montenegrin language - Cyrillic | Montenegrin language - Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
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Ој свијетла мајска зоро, Ловћен нам је олтар свети, Дурмиторе је л' ти жао |
Oj svijetla majska zoro, Lovćen nam je oltar sveti, Durmitore je l' ti žao |
Oh bright dawn of May, Lovcen is our Altar of Sainthood, Durmitor are you sorry |
References
- ↑ Repertoire of the National Theatre in Belgrade 1868-1965, Sava V. Cvetkovic, Belgrade, 1966
- ↑ Istorija srpskog pozorišta od srednjeg veka do modernog doba, Borivoje Stojković, 1979.
- ↑ http://www.pobjeda.co.me/citanje.php?datum=2004-08-13&id=38333
- ↑ http://www.pcnen.com/detail.php?module=2&news_id=1113
External links
- A midi version of the anthem exists at the official websites of
- Himnuszok - A vocal version of the Anthem, featured in "Himnuszok" website.
- Oj, svijetla majska zoro - Audio of the Montenegro national anthem, with information and lyrics, from NationalAnthems.me
- The Songs section of the Italian language website "NewMontenegro.eu" features two alternative versions of the anthem.
- nationalanthems.info - The sheet music and lyrics are featured in the "nationalanthems.info" site.
