"Ederlezi" is a popular traditional folk song of the Romani minority in the Balkans.
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The song got its name from Ederlezi which is a Spring festival, celebrating the return of springtime, celebrated especially by Romani people in the Balkans, Turkey and elsewhere around the world. Ederlezi is the Romani name for the Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian Feast of Saint George. It is celebrated on 6 May [O.S. 23 April] (occurring approximately 40 days after the spring equinox). The various Balkan spellings (Herdeljez, Erdelezi) are variants of the Turkish Hıdırellez, a holiday signaling the beginning of spring, occurring on the same day.
Versions
The song is featured on Bijelo Dugme's 1988 album Ćiribiribela with the title "Đurđevdan" (St. George's Day). Goran Bregović, the leader of Bijelo Dugme, wrote lyrics in Serbo-Croatian. He later said that he deliberately added two verses from an Albanian folk song, objecting to the fact that "Đurđevdan" is sometimes perceived as a nationalistic song. Bregović also recorded a version with Greek lyrics, titled "Tou Ai Giorgi" ("Saint George's", Greek: "Του Αη Γιώργη"), with Greek singer Alkistis Protopsalti in 1991. The Greek lyrics are credited to Lina Nikolakopoulou. Finally, together with Polish singer Kayah he also recorded a version with Polish lyrics, titled "Nie ma, nie ma ciebie".
Bulgarian group Ku-ku band, with lead singer Slavi Trifonov, released the song on several albums with Bulgarian lyrics ("Гергьовден", "Gergyovden, "St. George's Day"), Serbo-Bulgarian lyrics ("Свети Георги", "Sveti Georgi", "St. George"), and Romani-Serbo-Bulgarian lyrics ("Erdelezi"). The band Beirut, Italian saxophonist Daniele Sepe, and the Boston-based band Bury Me Standing also do covers of "Ederlezi". The Gypsy Rebels of Toronto, Ontario also cover the song, featuring the vocals of Micheal T. Butch and his band. Kroke released a version of the song as well.
Turkish singer Sezen Aksu released the song on her album titled Düğün ve Cenaze (Wedding and Funeral) with Turkish lyrics ("Hıdrellez") in 1997. The lyrics were adapted by Sezen Aksu and Pakize Barışta. A Bosnian version was released by the folk-punk musical group the No Smoking Orchestra, on their 2007 album, Time of the Gypsies, Punk Opera. A beatbox/trip version was released by French band "[Plume Tribu]" on their 2010 album Le Chainon Manquant.
In popular culture
Goran Bregović's version titled "Ederlezi (Scena Djurdjevdana Na Rijeci)") was used in Emir Kusturica's movie Time of the Gypsies, which made the song famous. It was performed by the Macedonian singer Vaska Jankovska, whose unique voice contributed to its success.
"Ederlezi (Scena Djurdjevdana Na Rijeci)" also appeared in the movie Borat, although it has no connection to the authentic music of Kazakhstan. The text in brackets in Serbian means: "The scene of Đurđevdan on the river" - is a description of a scene in the movie of a Đurđevdan celebration on a river in the movie Time of the Gypsies where that song was used. Sacha Baron Cohen's movie doesn't have a Đurđevdan river scene. The song title (and description) was taken from Kusturica's movie soundtrack. In both soundtrack albums – Time of the Gypsies and Stereophonic Musical Listenings That Have Been Origin in Moving Film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" – it was credited to Goran Bregović, although he is not the author nor the singer of the song on these albums. However, he arranged the song.