Đorđe Marjanović

Đorđe Marjanović (; 30 October 1931 – 15 May 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer.

Marjanović began his career in the mid-1950s, rising to fame in the late 1950s with his theatrical on-stage performance. During the 1960s he recorded a large number of hit songs and became the first superstar of the Yugoslav popular music, but also achieved large popularity in the Soviet Union. Due to his on-stage performance and inclusion of foreign rock and roll hits into his repertoire, Marjanović was often described as one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. During the 1970s and 1980s he managed to maintain a loyal fanbase. In 1990, he suffered a stroke on stage, from which he partially recovered, but decided to retire from the scene.

He died in 2021, aged 89 from COVID-19.

Early biography Đorđe Marjanović's father, Sveta Marjanović, was born in the village of Duboka, near the town Kučevo in Eastern Serbia. He attended high school in Požarevac, and when he was fifteen, he was among the civilians who followed the Serbian Army on its retreat through Albania.

Đorđe Marjanović was born on 30 October 1931 in Kučevo. After the death of his wife, Marjanović's father left the child with his wife's mother, who would raise him. After the audition, he was approached by Radio Belgrade host Dušan Vidak, who told him that he passed. This gave Marjanović an opportunity to perform on concerts organized by the Association of Jazz Musicians of Serbia. The song "Zvižduk u 8" was the album's biggest hit. The festival featured leading pop singers of Yugoslavia; Marjanović decided to appear on the festival performing the songs "Zvižduk u 8" and "Milord" (a cover of Édith Piaf's "Milord"). Marjanović decided to perform the song "Carolina, dai!", which was two months earlier performed at the eleventh Sanremo Music Festival. In this part of the concert he was accompanied by the members of the newly formed beat band Siluete. During the decade, he also had several appearances at the Sanremo Music Festival. Both of his daughters graduated from the Belgrade Faculty of Music Arts. He was buried at the Alley of Distinguished Citizens in the Belgrade New Cemetery. On 28 June (Serbian national holiday Vidovdan) 2021, he was posthumously awarded the 1st class Order of Karađorđe's Star by the President of Serbia.

Legacy

In 1994, a concert entitled Rokeri Đorđu Marjanoviću (Rockers to Đorđe Marjanović) was held in Trade Union Hall. The concert featured Dejan Cukić, Milan Delčić, Žika Milenković, Ruž, Rambo Amadeus and other acts performing Marjanović's songs. In 1999, Radio Television of Serbia broadcast a documentary about Marjanović, entitled K'o nekad u osam ("Like Before at Eight O'clock") after a verse from "Zvižduk u 8". The same song was covered by Serbian and Yugoslav rock singer Dejan Cukić in 1996. Marjanović's version of Dionysis Savvopoulos song "Dirlada" was covered by Serbian and Yugoslav rock musician Milan Delčić in 1994. Marjanović's song "Đavoli" ("Devils") was covered in 1999 by Serbian alternative rock band Jarboli. The song "Beograde" ("(Oh,) Belgrade") was covered by Croatian and Yugoslav alternative rock band Let 3 in 2005.

In 2006, the song "Zvižduk u 8" polled No.31 in the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list.

Awards and honors Honorary Member of Komsomol (1968) Order of Labor with Silver Wreath (1972) Silver Plaque of Kučevo (1978) MESAM Festival Grand Prix (1989) Order of Friendship of Peoples (1990) Slavianski Bazaar Lifetime Achievement Award (1996) Association of Musicians of Serbia Lifetime Achievement Award (1988) Sunčane Skale Golden Mermaid Lifetime Achievement Award (2000) 1st class Order of Karađorđe's Star (posthumously, 2021)

Discography Studio albums Muzika za igru (1959) Mustafa (1962) Prijatelji, zdravo! (1967) A život teče dalje (1975) Hvala vam, prijatelji (1979) Dvadeset nikada više (1982)

Compilation albums Milord za sva vremena (1989) Prijatelji, zdravo! (1995) Sećanja (1997) K'o nekad (2005)

EPs

Milord (1961) Ekspres-kafa (1962) Đavoli (1963) Igrajmo twist (1963) Dečje igre (1963) Gonzales (1963) Ja plaćam ove noći (1963) Drugovi iz mog dvorišta (1963) Roberta (1963) Zvižduk u 8 (1964) Sam (1964) Marko Polo (1964) Medison u Meksiku (1964) Natali (1965) Drugovi moji (1966) Devojke (1967) Mene nema ko da žali (1968) Romana (1968) Ako ljubavi nema (1969) Padajte kiše na naš grad (1970) Didu-lidu-dadu (1971)

Singles

"Pesma raznosača mleka"/"Prodavac novina" (1960) "Ljiljana"/"Ulicama sreće" (1963) "Od ljubavi do mržnje"/"Na gori raste jorgovan" (1970) "Za dane ljubavi"/"Ruže u tami" (1971) "I tako ode Marija"/"Na tvoju ruku ja nemam više prava" (1971) "Grešnica"/"Ne želim da umrem sad" (1972) "Ta tužna muzika"/"Digi-digi-dajge" (1972) "Živiš sama"/"Ona me ne voli više" (1974) "A život teče dalje"/"Ema, Emili" (1975) "Činge linge"/"Ako čovek živi sam" (1975) "Poslednji voz"/"Pesma s planine" (1975) "Bela dama – crni kralj"/"Nemoj nikad da me ostavljaš" (1977) "Nikad nije kasno"/"Ružičasti sneg" (1978) "Kabare"/"Moje ludo srce" (1979)