Ciganska je tuga pregolema

"Ciganska je tuga pregolema" (Serbian Cyrillic: "Циганска је туга преголема", lit. "A Gypsy's Grief is too Great") is a folk song of unknown origin. Its earliest documented appearance on recorded media was for the soundtrack to the 1968 film Biće skoro propast sveta. It would also appear in the 1972 reissue of the Italian album Il Canzoniere Internazionale Dei Ribelli. An adapted version would appear in Veselin Grujić's debut album, Dobro jutro, moj Srbine.

"Ciganska je tuga pregolema"
Song by Narodna
English title	A Gypsy's Grief is too Great
Released	1940's
Genre	Contemporary

Music and lyrics

While its author remains unknown a vague timeline of events can be made from the song. The second verse is a direct reference to Operation Retribution in April of 1941. These supposed original lyrics mention of the deportation to the Marinkova Bara ghetto happened as early as October. "In the morning around four/They knocked on every Gypsy's door" happened on the 29th, though there were mass arrests of Gypsies prior to the 29th. The arrival and subsequent liquidation of Gypsies in the Banjica camp happened as early as September. The mention of a "hot machine" refers to the crematoriums and was likely phrased as such for lyrical flow. The last stanza of the fifth verse indicates some sort of liberation of the camp, though Banjica wasn't liberated until 4 October 1944. This is contrary to the line "The Gypsies were also called to fight" as Gypsies had been accepted into Partisan units as early as 1941. The last verse is indicative of the song being made post-war, though these verses could have also just been made to boost morale.

Lyrics

Lyrics: Ciganska je tuga pregolema Niko nezna šta se njima sprema Ili logor ili šuma gusta, Ostaće nam cigana mala pusta. U aprilu a sedmoga dana Pošlo Hitler mnogo aeroplana Da razruši Beograd na Savi Jer tog dana i rat nam objavi. A u jutro oko 4 sata Svakom cigi lupaju na vrata Sve ih redom jadne potovari Otera ih Marinkovoj Bari. A iz Bari na Banjicu u stu Ostaviše cigonji pustu Streljaše ih sve po desetinu A svu malu deću u vruću mašinu. Ko je hteo glavu da izvuče Mora ga je karabin da stuče Sve se tako potiše cigani Dok stigoše mladi partizani. Kad stigoše mladi partizani I cigane u borbu su zvali Da u borbi zajedno ratuju Da slobodu kao braća skuju. Tad je bilo a sada se peva Ostaće nam u sećanju za cela vremena.

Lyrics (English): A Gypsy's grief is too great No one knows what awaits a Gypsy Is it the camp or dense forest? The Gypsy quarter will be left deserted.   On the seventh day of April, Hitler sent many airplanes to destroy Belgrade on the Sava As on that day, he declared a war on us.   In the morning, around four They knocked on every Gypsy's door, They took them all away, the poor fellows, And they drove them to Marinkova Bara   And from Bara to Banjica by the hundreds, The Gypsy camps were left empty. They shot them by the dozens, And all the little children went into the "hot machine"   Those who wanted to raise their heads Were knocked down with a rifle, Such was the suffering of Gypsies, until the young Partisans arrived.   When the young Partisans arrived The Gypsies were also called to fight, to fight together in the battle, to forge the freedom like brothers.   So was it then, and now this song is sung, It will remain in our memory forever.

"Ciganska je tuga pregolema"
Song by Narodna
from the album Ciganski pesme iz filma „Biće skoro propast sveta“
English title	A Gypsy's Grief is too Great
Genre	Romani
Length	3:23
Label	PGP RTB

Ciganski pesme iz filma „Biće skoro propast sveta“

1969 version (Biće skoro propast sveta)

While the 1968 film has nothing to do with World War 2, it contains an abridged version arranged by Vojislav Kostić and the film's director Aleksandar Petrović. Although brief this version is unique compared to the original as it mentions both Jews and Gypsies being targeted. The holocaust theming is toned down greatly, however. While the melody remains the same, its style is more akin to Romani music.

Lyrics

Lyrics: Ciganska je tuga pregolema Ciganska je tuga pregolema Aj, niko ne zna što se Cigi sprema Ili logor ili šuma gusta Aj, ostade im sva Čubura pusta Sastali se Cigani i Jevreji, Aj, pa divane kako da se brane Ustaj Cigo iz kreveta svoga Aj, ustaj Cigo iz kreveta svoga Aj, ustaj, Cigo, tri ti boga tvoga Jooj!

Lyrics (English): A Gypsy's grief is too great A Gypsy's grief is too great No one knows what awaits a Gypsy Either camp or a dense forest Alas, all of Čubura will remain empty Together came Gypsy's and Jews To think about how to defend themsleves Get up Gypsy out of your bed Oh, get up Gypsy out of your bed Oh, get up Gypsy, with your three gods Oh!

"Циганска је туга преголема"
Song by Веселин Грујић Веса
from the album Добро јутро, мој Србине
English title	A Gypsy's Grief is too Great
Released	1992 (1992)
Genre	Novokompovana
Length	4:55
Label	PGP RTB
Producer(s)	Бранко Маринковић-Лалић

Dobro jutro, moj Srbine

1992 version (Dobro jutro, moj Srbine)

This version serves as the last track of the album and shares similarities in composition with the version heard in Biće skoro propast sveta. Both versions were coincidentally published by the same company. While not an exact copy of the original version, it retains its holocaust theming. Any references to Nazi occupation is replaced with Ustaša. For example, "One morning, around four,/They [Nazis] knocked on every Gypsy's door" is changed to "One morning, at seven o' clock/The Ustashe knocked on the door". The lines that follow, "Wake up Gypsy, you don't belong here/Come to the camp where the mallet beats" is a reference to Gypsies being sent to labor camps. Instead of Jews and Gypsies being targeted as heard in the 1969 version, it is replaced with Serbian and Gypsy children crying as men were usually the target of these programs. Any mention of Partisans are omitted and instead has a bleak ending, with the Ustashe refusing to give bread to them.

It is one of few albums made during the Yugoslav wars to reference the genocide of Gypsies.

Lyrics

Lyrics: Ciganska je tuga pregolema Aj, niko ne zna šta se cigi sprema Da li logor ili šuma gusta Aj, ostaće nam sva Čubura pusta   Jedno jutro oko sedam sati Aj zakucaše ustaše na vrati Ustaj cigo tu ti mesto nije Aj već u logor gde se maljem bije   Aj čekaj malo da upalim sveću Aj da izljubim svoju sitnu decu Čekaj malo da upalim lampu Aj da izljubim i oca i majku Kad ujutro kamioni jure Aj i odoše pravo za Čubure Dadoše im lopate i krampe Aj sami sebi da kopaju rake U Zagrebu na Jelačića placu Aj srpska deca i ciganska plaču Deca plaču a majke kukaju Leba ištu ustaše ne daju Aj, leba ištu ustaše ne daju

Lyrics (English): A Gypsy's grief is too great No one knows what awaits a Gypsy Is it the camp or dense forest? Alas, all of Čubura will remain empty One morning, around seven o'clock, The Ustashe knocked on the door, "Wake up Gypsy, you don't belong here Come to the camp where the mallet beats" "Wait a second, I need to light a candle, and to kiss my little kids Wait a second, I need to turn on the lamp, to kiss my mother and father" When trucks arrive in the morning, and go directly to Čubura, they gave them shovels and pickaxes, to dig trenches for themselves In Zagreb, on Ban Jelačić Square Serbian and Gypsy kids are crying Kids are crying and mothers are weeping They ask for bread, but the Ustashe won't give it to them Alas, they ask for bread, but the Ustashe won't give it to them