So i spotted these lyrics early in FAWM, and asked Arthur if he wouldn't mind me having a bash. Its a really beautiful , touching story and i'll let you read Arthur's notes to describe the creation of these lyrics. They are so deeply personal but so beautifully expressed i really wanted to spend a lot of time trying to express them in the best way and feel into arthur's emotion as best i could .
. Well the way Arthur writes his lyrics also makes it very easy for melody creation and this tune popped into my head virtually on first play.
Huge apologies to Arthur for taking so long getting it finished but, like i said, i wanted to give it time and a huge huge thank you Arthur for letting me handle such a personal topic for him
And thats me FAWM done having broken all sorts of my own records. AGain massive thanks for all the wonderful supportive comments and mostly for the amazing community of wonderful writers who make february shine oh so bright.
** please if you happen to listen to this before Arthur has written hie linear notes, come back and have a read of his story. xx
Arthur:
I wrote a set of lyrics titled “Yugoslavia” some years ago. Karl left such a kind comment at that time, saying he liked it, but would probably not be able to put it to music because of lack of time. This year, while looking for inspiration in some older folders where I had jotted down some prompts, snippets that have not become real lyrics yet etc., I came across that set of lyrics again. I re-worked it, basically keeping the chorus, but editing the verses and the lines, changing some parts and shortening the lines to make it "more singable", and posted it with the hint in the liner notes that this was a new version of something old that had still needed some time to mature. Contacting Karl regarding another matter, I asked him if he still remembered a set of lyrics titled “Yugoslavia” where he left such a lovely comment years ago, and if he would eventually still be interested in having a go at a new version of it, and I am so happy Karl agreed…
This song means a lot to me and is also a bit kind of a personal issue. My mum is born in former Yugoslavia, which does not exist any more. And despite the tragic events in the 90-ies and the wars and the saddening situation today, and although it was a country far from “being perfect”, I associate very positive things with that country, given the fact I was spending some of the most beautiful and happy days of my childhood there such a long time ago. Although I was physically not involved, of course, in those wars a part of me died, too, for a life-time, leaving me longing for something that is gone forever.
Thank you, thank you Karl sooooooooooo much for this WONDERFUL song you created here, and particularly for bringing them back, those wonderful times, at least for a period of a song… I am so grateful for that…
Yugoslavia
They ask me why I keep singing
about young women, tousled trees…
they ask why I’m clinging
to curved hills and a blue sea
They ask how could I be dreaming
of another promised land...?!!
with streets and squares teeming
with a language that I understand…
They shake their heads, tell me to wake up
from this dream, accessories…
as if that’s easy, as if I could ever break up
with those memories…
(Chorus)
I still see the same stars… flying,
the same moon, so far…
I hear their smiles and children crying,
Yugoslavia… it is in my heart…
They ask me why I feel sorry
for something that can’t be retrieved…
what’s the use of stories?
it’s another life they live…
But in me, there are those mountains,
rusty gates, that southern sun,
grandmas and clear fountains,
wide lakes, a “whiskey” made of plums…
They wonder why I think of gone springs,
islands, roads, warm winds and woods…
but how could I expect them to understand something
they’ve never understood…?
(Chorus )
I still see the same stars… flying,
the same moon, so far…
I hear their smiles and children crying,
Yugoslavia… it is in my heart…
Daily routine tried to squash out
the last remnants, but we are who we are…
how could you think those tears could ever wash out
Yugoslavia… Yugoslavia from my heart…?
@k8sikora Mar 2022
This is incredibly beautiful and your collaboration is an inspiration. The emotion keeps building and building. I can’t help but think about Ukraine as I listen. Bravo you two!
@kadmad202 Mar 2022
Lots of power and emotion here, both lyrically and musically. Arthur, the lyrics are personal and deep—that comes across vividly, and I suspect we all can find our own “Yugoslavia” in our hearts, which makes your words so relatable. Karl, your music sets the mood, both wistful and hopeful, that lets the lyrics convey their full meaning. Really, really lovely.
@bandybum Mar 2022
What a stunning vivid lyric, summoning up a land of majesty and beauty for us to long for with you.
Wonderfully encapsulated in Karl's soaring, powerful and emotional vision.
Magical stuff, guys
@davidtaro Mar 2022
Oh man. This may well be the most 'epic' thing I've heard this FAWM. Well done both. Musically, I'm slightly intimidated by how ridiculously powerful it is. The way it builds slow, goes full power ballad when the drums come in, and the handling of the dynamics from that point on are just exemplary. That chorus is full on Noel Gallagher in his prime, so evocative. And then the words... it's obviously a very complex subject from a geopolitical standpoint, but I think you handle it with nuance and delicacy. In fact, I came away feeling like it was as much about the loss of childhood, or that feeling of never being able to return to that state, as much as it was grounded in a specific location. If that makes sense. Brilliant achievement from both of you, really glad I listened (several times) :)
@majormajormajormajor Mar 2022
First of all I love hearing the creation story here- we don't get a ton of it in fawm with all of the new creations, though because there's no way to delineate when an idea gestates vs when it bubbles to the surface, we often (or always?) carry in material. Usually we don't know the path it took to be able to express so it's cool to hear. And it seems fitting that it's a slow but inexorable process of creation of a song that laments the dissolution of something precious.
I like how the performance is handled, so true to the rhythm of the text while taking its own liberties...little things like how 'i understand' is drawn out into the next measure, with that little tension/resolution of waiting for the rhyme to land. Very thoughtful throughout, and a beautiful and bittersweet ode that builds steadily to its conclusion in a classic pop structure.
@hbusse Mar 2022
Full of meaning and heart. A lovely and powerful ballad, thanks for sharing this. The arrangement is aptly done to allow the lyric to shine through and oh my, the lift on that chorus!
@elainedimasi Mar 2022
This chord progression had me at the first of the chords I heard. Love that style of piano ballad playing. Then WOW the size you got with the guitars and strings swelling up! Even before we have the drums and all at ~2:15. You build to such a big emotion with lyrics, music, playing and singing here. Terrific job on all counts. Like Tim says, deeply moving. A real credit to you both for having faith in the song over the years and putting the work in!
@timfatchen Mar 2022
So glad this powerful lyric of Arthur's got set and sung. I saw it early on and was blown away by it but knew I couldn't ever do it justice, But THIS...does the lyric more than just justice. Heartfelt, sad, a paean to irretrievable loss. Amazing and deeply moving. APPLAUSE!!
@ballyhoot Mar 2022
Lyrics are fantastic. And the musical interpretation is pretty fantastic too. Great collab, guys.
@levesinet Mar 2022
I'm awfully lazy at commenting but I was curious to see how this one would turn out. There's energy and emotion in this performance. It takes passion to attain such a result. Superb arrangement too. I especially like the transition into the chorus. This is how music should be, full of meaning, not just a sequence of notes labeled as music. Excellent job!
@natalie Feb 2022
Such a beautiful pairing of bittersweet memories and powerful instrumentation and vocals. The buildup of emotion in the music expresses just the right feeling of catharsis for these poignant lyrics. Wow!
@audrey Feb 2022
Oh my! This is truly lovely. Both the vivid lyrics, Arthur, and your glorious setting of them to music Karl - you have done these fine words justice. We live in such a complicated world, don't we, and our sense of home is so strong, no matter where we came from. To feel its loss must be devastating. These are emotional times we live in. Thank you both for this wonderful song.
@susyblue Feb 2022
Gosh Karl you have this knack of writing these epic anthemic uplifting ballads that sound like they've been famous for decades.... how do you do it??
Awesome combination of epic music to highlight these important lyrics and story-telling. Great collab!
@lcad Feb 2022
Beautiful work and a gorgeous production and arrangement. You can feel the love in the lyric. I love the progression on the chorus too, especially that first chord change. Great work!
@cindyrella Feb 2022
Oh gosh, this brings to my eyes. What an incredibly touching and beautiful song! Bravo to you both!