Tamo daleko
Encyclopedia
Tamo Daleko is a traditional Serbian song from World War I
. It is considered by some the anthem of every Serb soldier
that leaves his family and goes to fight for his country. The song is sung by a soldier on the island of Corfu
, following the tactical withdrawal of the Serbian Army through east and west Albania
. He sings of his village, the (now destroyed) church in which he was married, and the disastrous retreat during which many of his comrades died of cold, hunger, and disease. The sea around Corfu and the nearby small island of Vido
is known to this day as the "Blue Graveyard" because several thousand Serbian soldiers died there during the withdrawal. They were buried in the sea since there was not enough space to bury all of them on land.
This song was favorite one to a Serbian
scientist Nikola Tesla
, so was played at his funeral by own wish of Tesla.
несрећна ноћ,кадa си драгане мој,
отишaо у крвави бој.
Ајдемо драга, нeсретно
живимо ми, јер младост пролази
журно, и живот таj несретни.
јер младост пролази журно, и живот
таj несретни.
Тамо далеко, далеко крај мора,тамо
је село моје, тамо је љубав моја,
тамо је село моје, тамо је љубав моја.
(Spanish)
Allá a lo lejos, a la orilla del mar,
Allá está mi pueblo, allá está mi amada,
Allá está mi pueblo, allá está mi amada,.
Translated by Ranko Mandić
During the post-war years, "tamo je Srbija" was sometimes replaced with "tamo je Jugoslavija" in an attempt by other South Slavs to appropriate this stirring song: it sounded awkward as it didn't fit.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It is considered by some the anthem of every Serb soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
that leaves his family and goes to fight for his country. The song is sung by a soldier on the island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, following the tactical withdrawal of the Serbian Army through east and west Albania
Serbian Campaign (World War I)
The Serbian Campaign was fought from late July 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of the First World War, until late 1915, when the Macedonian Front was formed...
. He sings of his village, the (now destroyed) church in which he was married, and the disastrous retreat during which many of his comrades died of cold, hunger, and disease. The sea around Corfu and the nearby small island of Vido
Vido
Vido is an island of the Ionian Islands group of Greece.It is a small island at the mouth of Corfu city port.- History :...
is known to this day as the "Blue Graveyard" because several thousand Serbian soldiers died there during the withdrawal. They were buried in the sea since there was not enough space to bury all of them on land.
This song was favorite one to a Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
scientist Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, so was played at his funeral by own wish of Tesla.
Original Lyrics
Зар је морала доћ, та тужнанесрећна ноћ,кадa си драгане мој,
отишaо у крвави бој.
Ајдемо драга, нeсретно
живимо ми, јер младост пролази
журно, и живот таj несретни.
јер младост пролази журно, и живот
таj несретни.
Тамо далеко, далеко крај мора,тамо
је село моје, тамо је љубав моја,
тамо је село моје, тамо је љубав моја.
(Spanish)
Allá a lo lejos, a la orilla del mar,
Allá está mi pueblo, allá está mi amada,
Allá está mi pueblo, allá está mi amada,.
Version 2
| in Serbian: | in English: |
|---|---|
| Тамо далеко, далеко од мора, Тамо је село моје, тамо је љубав моја. Тамо је село моје, тамо је љубав моја. О зар је морала доћ', та тужна несрећна ноћ, Када си драгане мој, отиш'о у крвави бој. Тамо далеко, где цвета лимун жут, Тамо је српској војсци једини био пут. Тамо је српској војсци једини био пут. Тамо далеко, далеко од мора, Тамо је село моје, тамо је Србија! Тамо је село моје, тамо је Србија! Без отаџбине, на Крфу живех ја, и опет весело кличем, живела Србија! и опет весело кличем, живела Србија! |
There, far away, far away from the sea, There is my village, there is my love. There is my village, there is my love. Oh should it have come, that sad, unhappy night, When you, my dear, went to bloody fight. There, far away, where the yellow lemons flower, There was the Serbian Army's only path. There was the Serbian Army's only path. There far away, far away from the sea, There is my village, there is Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... ! There is my village, there is Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... ! Without my homeland, on Corfu Corfu Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The... I live, And still I happily cheer, Long Live Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... ! And still I happily cheer, Long Live Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... ! |
Version 3
| in Serbian: | in English: |
|---|---|
| О зар је морала доћ', та тужна несрећна ноћ, Када си драгане мој, отиш'о у крвав бој. Тамо далеко, далеко од мора, Тамо је село моје, тамо је љубав моја. Без отаџбине далеко, далеко живим ја, и опет кличем бурно, живела домовина! О зар је морала доћ', та тужна несрећна ноћ, Када си драгане мој, отиш'о у крвав бој. Тамо далеко, где цвећу нема крај, Тамо су најдражи моји, тамо је прави рај. Тамо далеко крај Саве, Саве и Дунава, Тамо је варош моја, тамо је мој родни крај! |
Oh, why should it come, that sad and unhappy night, When you, my love, went to bloody fight. There, far away, far away from the sea, There is my village, there is my love. With my fatherland far, far away I lived, But I shout loudly again, long live my homeland! Oh, why should it come, that sad and unhappy night, When you my love, went to a bloody fight. There, far away, where flowers never end, There are my dearest ones, there is heaven. There, near the Sava, the Sava and the Danube Danube The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway.... , There is a my village, there is my place of birth! |
Version 4
| in Serbian: | in English: |
|---|---|
| Tamo daleko, daleko od mora, Tamo je selo moje, tamo je Srbija. Tamo je selo moje, tamo je Srbija. Tamo daleko, gde cveta limun žut, Tamo je srpskoj vojsci jedini bio put. Tamo je srpskoj vojsci jedini bio put. Tamo daleko gde cveta beli krin, Tamo su živote dali zajedno otac i sin. Tamo su živote dali zajedno otac i sin. Tamo gde tiha putuje Morava, Tamo mi ikona osta, i moja krsna slava. Tamo mi ikona osta, i moja krsna slava. Tamo gde Timok, pozdravlja Veljkov grad, Tamo mi spališe crkvu, u kojoj venčah se mlad. Tamo mi spališe crkvu, u kojoj venčah se mlad. Bez otadžbine daleko, na Krfu živeh ja, ali sam ponosno klic'o, Živela Srbija! ali sam ponosno klic'o, Živela Srbija! |
There, far away, far from the sea, There is my village, there is Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... . There is my village, there is Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... . There, far away, where the yellow lemon blooms, There was the Serbian Army's only path. There was the Serbian Army's only path. There, far away, where white lilies bloom, There, together, father and son gave their lives. There, together, father and son gave their lives. There, where the silent Morava travels, There my icon remained, and my family saint. There my icon remained, and my family saint. There, where the Timok hails Veljko's city Negotin Negotin is a town and municipality in the Bor District of north-eastern Central Serbia. It is situated near the borders between Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. It is the judicial center of the Bor District. The population of the town is 16,716 while municipality has 36,879.-Name:The etymology of the... , There they burned down my church, where I married when I was young. There they burned down my church, where I married when I was young. With my homeland far away, I lived on Corfu Corfu Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The... , but I proudly cheered: Long Live Serbia! but I proudly cheered: Long Live Serbia! |
Translated by Ranko Mandić
During the post-war years, "tamo je Srbija" was sometimes replaced with "tamo je Jugoslavija" in an attempt by other South Slavs to appropriate this stirring song: it sounded awkward as it didn't fit.