Marijana (V. Paljetak & S. Šišić) [Sheet music]

This is a Croatian folk song which started as a pop song in the 1930s, by Vlaho Paljetak and Svetozar Šišić. It was first released in 1936 by Vlaho Paljetak as vocalist, initially performed as a tango. A beloved song to many Croatians, it is often performed in Croatia and Slovenia (as well as expat communities abroad), and is often performed as a ballad in 4/4 or 6/8 time. The song had a resurgence when it was covered in the 1970s by Dubrovački Trubaduri (Dubrovnik Troubadours), a Croatian pop band that became popular across Yugoslavia through the 1960s and 1970s. The song is often (although mistakenly) credited to Dubrovački Trubaduri. Interestingly, both Dubrovački Trubaduri and Vlaho Paljetak come from Dubrovnik, a coastal, southern Croatian city. Vlaho Paljetak (died in 1944 at the age of 51) has been celebrated and honoured for his many well known songs which touched the hearts of Croatians and other former Yugoslav nationalities; the recognition includes a Croatian postal stamp celebrating 100 years since his birth, and a statue of Vlaho in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia.

‘Marijana’, also known as ‘O Marijana’ sings from the perspective of a guy who is waiting for Marijana at their first date, but she never shows; meanwhile he will keep waiting for her until the day dawns. An extra, albeit short part of the song (between what I’ve labelled as A and B in my arrangement) is often omitted from performances (perhaps increasingly over time), therefore I have omitted it too, to match what is most commonly known among listeners and performers. However, it does feature in Paljetak’s 1936 recording, and the original sheet music for vocal and piano, as well as the covers by Dubrovački Trubaduri.

I hope you enjoy my free arrangement for solo accordion which incorporates a riff that I’ve heard (and enjoy playing) in various recordings.