Kad sam bio mali

"Кад сам био мали"
Still from offcial music video.
Song by Баја Мали Книнџа
from the album Стан'те паше и усташе
English title	When I Was Little
Released	1992 (1992)
Genre	Novokompovana
Length	3:39
Label	Nina Trejd
Producer(s)	Жељко Грујић

"Kad sam bio mali" (Serbian Cyrillic: "Кад сам био мали", lit. "When I Was Little") is a song written and performed by prominent Serb war singer Baja Mali Knindža. Like "Božić je", a live version is featured on Sve za Srpstvo, Srpstvo nizašta as the first track. It also appears on the CD version of Pobediće istina, the 1997 album Srpskim radikalima, and the compilations Moje najljepše, one naše !? Vaš Baja Mali, Krajiški vitez, Četničke pesme uživo, and Krajiški biseri 5. The an alternate version of the instrumentals would be used for an early version of the Rat i mir song "Dražo", titled "Ustani čiča Dražo" which was performed by Boro Srbin. To date it is the most popular song of Stan'te paše i ustaše with 9.7 million views and with many performances live or TV broadcast being documented from 1993 to present day, remains as a permanent member in setlists.

Music and lyrics

The song's melody is akin to a children's song: cheery and soft. It becomes more solemn with an electronic instrument interrupting the delicate melody just before and during the vocal section. When the chorus plays, the accordions play a sentimental, almost tragic tune.

"Kad sam bio mali" is about mistreatment of the Serb due to religious differences. The last verse however has nothing to do with religion, but rather having relatives overseas. The song itself does not directly state Croatians by name, rather it is implied with lines such as "they were Catholic" and "they sang 'Lijepa naša'". "Lijepa naša" (lit. "Our Beautiful"), short for "Lijepa naša domovino" (lit. "Our Beautiful Homeland") is the national anthem of Croatia. Croatia's national religion is Catholic whereas Serbia's is Orthodox Christianity, hence "They were Catholic/I was Orthodox [Christian]".

Music video

Baja singing with a group of kids.

The music video was likely filmed at the base of Knin Castle where both the first version of "Ne dam Krajine" and "Božić je" were filmed. The music video opens with the boy seen in the second version of the "Ne dam Krajine" music video, this time wearing in Lizard pattern camo fatigues with a 4S patch on his beret instead of Kninja DPM camo. He walks around the area, brandishing a small toy pistol. The screen flashes white as if a picture is taken, with freeze frames of the boy in the area being shown. The scene then cuts to Baja singing with a group of kids and shows three fingers when he sings "a ja pravoslavac", with the camera slowly zooming in on him. When the chorus begins, the video flashes white and shows a clip of the boy in camo walking, this time in slow motion. Freeze frames are once again shown and then cuts back to Baja singing the rest of the chorus. When he finishes, the shot pans to the left, showing the people sitting next to Baja. When the kid is shown, the camera zooms in and proceeds to show the other kids who are standing. When the electronic instrument plays, the shot changes to another angle of the scene, showing everyone present with Baja. When Baja sings "psovali su meni popa,/a ja njima fratra", two stills with the kid and the others are shown and the shot returns to Baja, this time in a close up shot. When the chorus is sung once more, the shot interchanges from Baja to the kids standing and singing. During the instrumentals, the camera focuses on the group of kids, this time to the left of Baja. When Baja sings the last verse, the shot goes back to the close up shot for the rest of the video.

Lyrics

Lyrics: Kad sam bio mali, znao sam svoj pravac, oni bili katolici, a ja pravoslavac I kada su mene terali odande, pevali su "Lijepa naša", a ja "Bože pravde" Kad sam bio mali, bio živa vatra, psovali su meni popa, a ja njima fratra I kada su mene terali odande, pevali su "Lijepa naša", a ja "Bože pravde" Kad sam bio mali, poklone mi slali, iz Čikaga moji, znaš ti dobro koji I kada su mene terali odande, pevali su "Lijepa naša", a ja "Bože pravde"

Lyrics (English): [TBA]