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The Ballad of a Dissident
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
I remember long ago, back at Zlatni Bokal
I saw a mic for the first time; it was sitting on the table
In the shade of the old chestnut tree, where my darling once disappeared
I carved her name and dropped my first rhymes right there
I grew up on songs sung by the city’s bohemians
And tales of fishermen who now live only in memory
I toughened up with the best of them, in smoke-filled taverns
Flirting with fine women, gambling with loan sharks
Sometimes I came home lucky, other times I lost everything
Some nights I held a woman, some I kissed the pavement
And I never judged myself, no matter where I woke
The pain was always the same, I learned to live with it
So I held on to memories like scars to remind me
That it wasn’t always cold and grey
That blood, red as wine, once colored the nights
And in the glass's reflection, I saw your eyes
But I had to leave, the carriage was waiting
Goodbye Belgrade, there are so many things I haven’t told you
[Chorus (2x)]
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
Forget about me, darling, forget that I love you
Go on living, maybe I no longer exist
I cling to memories in the dark, lit by a candle's glow
So I don’t think about the screams echoing down the hall
While I wrestle with my wounds, I dream that I’m
Drowning in wine, rakija, and tambura strings
An old violin, and torn voices
Sad gypsy ballads, smoke, and broken glasses
Shouting with my bohemians across the table
Throwing verses, reciting, fighting for every word
And for one line, my whole life fell apart
I watch the island through the glass; a desert in my heart
Dreaming that I breathe you in as you lean in close to me
My tears come streaming down like autumn rain
And don’t rise yet, dawn; let me ache a little longer
Let the sun never rise as long as there's still music in me
I had to leave because someone wanted me gone
Farewell, Belgrade, this I haven't told you yet
[Chorus (2x)]
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
Today, the pain hurts more than anything we felt back in school
More than the sound of the verse when I had to leave
And now I’m back again, but everything we had is gone
They cut down the chestnut tree where I once kissed you
The linden trees don’t smell the same, and the old violin is no longer playing
The gray-haired gypsy is no longer there to ease my sorrow
My Belgrade...
I’ve lost my roots, these medals mean nothing
When no one knows me
So I traded the Black George Star for a jug of wine
What use is it when I’ve got no one
Only restlessness and pain, my closest friends
I smash glasses in the tavern till my soul bleeds dry
The ballad of a dissident, one sad Serbian song
For some future taverns, for better times
Let it choke them up, when it's sung by someone else
Everything’s the same in my area, except that I'm gone
I had to leave, no one needed me this way
Farewell, Belgrade, remember well what I said
[Chorus (2x)]
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
Do you remember how it used to be?
After everything, what’s left now, my Belgrade?
lyricsin2min✕
Translations of "Balada Disidenta"
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