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The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

Niška Banja

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BACKGROUND

Information: A dance.

Translation: Bath or spa of Niš (named for the Nišava River)

Pronunciation: NISH-ka BAN-ya

Region: Serbia

Meter: 9/8

Film: A movie theme, circa 1965.

Game: A children's game.


COMMENT

Niška Banja – A very popular Serbian spa during the summer season. It is six miles from city center on the road leading to Sofia, at the bottom of the Suva Planina Mountain.


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LYRICS

Niška Banja is a place about which many off-color song verses are sung because of its past reputation as the "Mustang Ranch" of Serbia. On the Festival recording, some of the verses are sung in Serbo-Croation and some in Rom (the language of the Gypsies). (SC=Serbo-Croatian, R=Rom)

// Niška Banja, topla voda
za mangupe ziva zgoda, //

// Em ka lavlam, em kamavla,
And'o Niši ka mekav la. //

// Mi Cigani meraklije,
ne mozemo bez rakije. //

// Bez rakije, šljivovice,
I bez mlade Cigančice. //

/ Jedan, dva, tri, četir, pet, šest,
sedam, osam, devet, deset. //

Deset, devet, osam, sedam,
Šest, pet, četir, tri, dva, jedan.

Deset, devet, osam, sedam,
Šest, pet, četir, tri, dva, nula.

Duj, duj, duj, dešuduj
Čumidav la and'o muj./

Em ka lavla, em kamavla,
And'o Niši ka mekav la. /
  The public bath near Niš, hot water,
for the naughty boys a real convenience. (SC)

I will get her, I will love her,
and in Niš I will leave her. (SC)

We Gypsies love a good time,
we can't make it without plum brandy; (R)

Without grape brandy, plum brandy
without a young Romani girl. (SC)

One, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten. (SC)

Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one. (SC)

Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, zero. (SC)

Two, two, twelve,
I'll kiss her on the face. (R)

I will get her, and I will love her,
and in Niš I will leave her. (R)

LYRICS

The following are Serbo-Croatian words that may be sung to the same music (loose translation by John Filcich).

// Niška Banja, topla voda
Za mangupe život zgoda. //

// Niška Banja ti si kriva
Što me žena ostavila. //

// Mi Cigani meraklije
Ne možemo bez rakije. //

// Bez rakije, život ide
I bez mlade Cigančice. //

Jedan, dva, tri, četir, pet, šest,
Sedam, osam, devet, deset. /

Deset, devet, osam, sedam,
Šest, pet, četir, tri, dva, jedan

Deset, devet, osam, sedam,
Šest, pet, četir, tri, dva, nula.

Duj, duj, duj, duj, ti ne luduj
Tebe dragi pamet muci.

Ostavila, ti si kriva
Što me žena ostavila.
  At Niška Banja's warm waters
a rascal's life is very good.

Niška Banja, it's your fault
that my wife left me.

We Gypsies enjoy euphoria;
we cannot go on without whiskey.

Without whiskey life just goes on
and without young Romani girls.

One, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten.

Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one.

Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, zero.

Duj, you drive me crazy;
You, sweetheart, torture my head.

She left me; it's your fault
that my wife left me.

DOCUMENT


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